The New Normal — Opportunity and Dry Powder

       

Market Talk

An extension of the ceasefire has been granted while Iran attempts to assemble a cohesive leadership team willing to negotiate with authority while convincing Washington it is serious and compliant on key points. That may prove easier said than done.

This back-and-forth diplomacy is becoming part of the new normal. The standoff may continue until patience runs out, while being tested on the edges by continued conflict.

Markets can learn to live with tension faster than people think.

In stable times, investors refocus on earnings potential and growth.

Stock Talk

Headlines continue to swing between ceasefires, delays and threats, yet parts of the market seem to be returning to normal trading.

Gold and silver remain in strong longer-term trends, even while short-term reactions still shake the miners. A small dip in the metal is made to feel big by the headliners, only to look trivial after the traders shake out.

Select tech names such as GlobalFoundries (GFS) and Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS), Intel (INTC) along with quality miners such as Kinross Gold (KGC) and Hecla Mining (HL), may continue to draw interest as markets adapt to this new normal.

Another watch name may be AeroVironment (AVAV). Its drone, counter-drone, and LOCUST laser programs keep it tied to an active defense theme. After a strong run, this may be an average-in story using very small share counts over time, or simply a test of the notion with a starter position.

This new normal may run on, bringing both volatility and opportunity. Maintain a solid level of dry powder, especially when anything can happen—and often will.

Stay Watchful.

- Jones Report

This site is just for fun and insight, with no affiliations or paid advertisers. If you like this free Jones Report, tell a friend. Why not?

________

If interested - scroll back and view notes on other stocks, we watch here at the Jones report.  Why not? With the caveat that things change and we try to stay aware - It's all FREE to read and make your own calls and decisions.  Finally - maintain some dry powder and trade or invest according to your own due diligence.

______________

More later so ....Stay tuned, if you dare!

For now, we close by noting that any view on the market and stocks on any particular day may change in the days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with reality.  Looking ahead a few months may be a way to do things - but thinking too deeply about world events and the recent alliances forming, can make projecting ahead a dicey endeavor. 

All in all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly.  Never get arrogant in our notions because things do change - and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside our control. So, we try to -stay aware.

With all the above caveats and attempted prognostications, I will close this post. Stay tuned for more opining on the market and stocks to watch.

___________

ALL in my humble opinion, scroll down and read more.  This site does NOT make Buy / Sell recommendations.

Hot Stocks Rotate Toward Psychedelics — and Other Stock Talk

      

Market Talk

Over the weekend, uncertainty over conflict starting in the Strait of Hormuz is once again back in the mix. However, more talks are planned, and the market may or may not be becoming more sanguine about the new normal.

It would not be surprising to see rotation in and out of buzz stocks, perhaps including the psychedelics now being targeted for advancement here in the U.S.

Stock Talk

President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at accelerating research and access pathways for certain psychedelic treatments targeting opioid addiction, PTSD, depression and anxiety affecting a portion of the population, including veterans.

With fresh attention now landing on the group, three names appear to be early watch-list candidates. Different pipelines, same broad theme.

CMPS — COMP360 psilocybin, Phase 3, Depression.

ATAI — ibogaine-related programs / broader pipeline, Phase 1-2, Addiction and Depression.

HELP — HLP003 Phase 3, Depression. HLP004 Phase 2, Anxiety.

A fresh look at the process and time it takes to bring useful drugs to people is now getting attention. If that trend grows, it could broaden into other areas needing attention and lift some overlooked biotech names as well, including ONCY and ANVS noted here before. If venturing into an interesting, but speculative thesis - some. Size accordingly.

Other watch stocks in tech include NVTS, INTC and GFS, with notable movement in GFS this morning.

We have been watching GFS as an understated semiconductor foundry here in America. This morning it appears to be drawing fresh interest on several fronts.

One may be its manufacturing relationship tied to NVTS power semiconductors with planned applications in next-generation data center buildouts. Another may be growing appreciation for GFS as a producer of specialty chips such as photonics and radiation-hardened products for aerospace and defense applications.

Stay Watchful.

- Jones Report

This site is just for fun and insight, with no affiliations or paid advertisers. If you like this free Jones Report, tell a friend. Why not?

________

If interested - scroll back and view notes on other stocks, we watch here at the Jones report.  Why not? With the caveat that things change and we try to stay aware - It's all FREE to read and make your own calls and decisions.  Finally - maintain some dry powder and trade or invest according to your own due diligence.

______________

More later so ....Stay tuned, if you dare!

For now, we close by noting that any view on the market and stocks on any particular day may change in the days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with reality.  Looking ahead a few months may be a way to do things - but thinking too deeply about world events and the recent alliances forming, can make projecting ahead a dicey endeavor. 

All in all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly.  Never get arrogant in our notions because things do change - and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside our control. So, we try to -stay aware.

With all the above caveats and attempted prognostications, I will close this post. Stay tuned for more opining on the market and stocks to watch.

___________

ALL in my humble opinion, scroll down and read more.  This site does NOT make Buy / Sell recommendations.

Market Talk — Stay Nimble, Get Paid

       

Market Talk

This market isn’t rewarding stubbornness. It’s rewarding movement.

We’re seeing quick pops, quick drops, and a lot of second-guessing in between. That kind of tape doesn’t favor “set it and forget it.” It favors taking gains when they show up and cutting losses before they turn into something bigger.
If trading, no need to be perfect.

Just don’t let a winner turn into a loser — and don’t let a small loss grow legs.

Perhaps you’ve been a reader here for a while. Last year we saw some really positive returns — some over four times. Examples: LRCX in the 60s, KTOS in the teens, and others like quantum names such as QBTS in low single digits. The same for the gold and silver miners like KGC and HL.

One tenet is to preserve gains and cut losses.

To stay objective and disciplined, we should also note that this 2026 year has been a choppy market — at times priced to perfection on themes like AI, without recognition of the enormous costs in energy and resources required to make it all happen. Companies are all chasing their own AI agenda, competing and spending.

Then add the Iran war that has been marketed to the people as a “four to six week excursion.” Maybe. Maybe not. War with entrenched radical Islamic's remains to play out, even as claims are made they’ve been thinned out.

The latest is the U.S. embargo on Iran’s oil trade. That may soften the chop and create buying opportunities — perhaps not in oil stocks.

We are noticing some speculative stocks emerging and popping — energy names like OKLO in the small modular reactor space, and quantum computing as a possible lower-energy alternative to GPU data centers.

If venturing into that space, consider the pros and cons — reality vs. hype.

New positions in stocks like OKLO and QBTS may be good trades or not. But we should remember the old paradigm — short sellers tend to jump on stocks that pop fast with no earnings and operating losses. That often follows a move that overextends itself.

That said, when institutions decide to lock into a sector, sometimes a run can last longer than expected.

The bottom line is to be circumspect. Test with smaller positions. Sometimes the only way to really feel how a stock trades is to put some skin in the game if you believe the bull case.

But skin should not necessarily be part of your own hide.

As an example of that, we tested our thesis on oil and gas stocks DVN and PR in the Permian Basin. Our temporary conclusion is the oil sector is too volatile to try to trade cleanly right now.

In this “new normal,” other areas seem better suited.

Yesterday was “quantum day.” The QBTS CEO took a shot across the bow at NVDA and its high-energy GPU approach — a reply to the earlier claim that quantum wasn’t ready for prime time.

QBTS, IONQ, and maybe SKYT are on watch.

If you’re testing a thesis — especially one that already popped — keep it measured. It takes more than a day to know if volume is institutions or just retail chatter that fades as fast as it came.

Another piece starting to make sense in this market is getting paid while you wait.

Covered calls aren’t flashy, but in a market that stalls, chops, and hesitates, they can put real cash in your account. Sell them into strength, not weakness. Let the market come to you.

If the stock runs away, fine — you made money. If it sits still, you collect. That’s not a bad place to be.

A key thing when selling a covered call on a stock you hold 100 shares of is the strike price and the expiration date. The setup has to be right, with the right stock, to make enough to justify holding it.

Stock Talk

In addition to the stocks mentioned in our previous posts, some of the names above are trading “hot,” at least for now. Being well aware how “hot” can turn, the daring should consider portion control and discipline. That’s why smaller entries, active management, and taking shots (or not) — rather than swinging for the fences — still makes sense here.

- Jones Report

________

If interested - scroll back and view notes on other stocks, we watch here at the Jones report.  Why not? With the caveat that things change and we try to stay aware - It's all FREE to read and make your own calls and decisions.  Finally - maintain some dry powder and trade or invest according to your own due diligence.

______________

More later so ....Stay tuned, if you dare!

For now, we close by noting that any view on the market and stocks on any particular day may change in the days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with reality.  Looking ahead a few months may be a way to do things - but thinking too deeply about world events and the recent alliances forming, can make projecting ahead a dicey endeavor. 

All in all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly.  Never get arrogant in our notions because things do change - and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside our control. So, we try to -stay aware.

With all the above caveats and attempted prognostications, I will close this post. Stay tuned for more opining on the market and stocks to watch.

___________

ALL in my humble opinion, scroll down and read more.  This site does NOT make Buy / Sell recommendations.
________

The Market Prefers Blockade to Bombs

      

Market Talk

The Market Prefers Blockade to Bombs

Things are changing fast — and the market is trying to adapt in real time.

What was expected to resolve quickly under President Trump’s initial approach now looks like it could take longer to play out. Whether that leads to a more stable outcome — or not — remains to be seen.

The market may be sending a signal here — it prefers blockade to bombs.

A naval blockade applies pressure, but it keeps things contained. Ships are slowed, routes are redirected, but the system still functions. There’s tension, but not immediate destruction.

That kind of environment, while serious, is something markets can work with.

Bombs are different. Once escalation moves in that direction, the range of outcomes widens fast. Infrastructure can be taken offline, supply shocks hit without warning, and decision-making becomes reactive instead of measured.

That’s when markets lose their footing.

Cutting off Iran’s oil business hits where it matters — money. Even for a regime rooted in radical Islamic ideology, that kind of pressure can trigger threats toward neighboring Gulf ports.

Nevertheless, President Trump’s strategy appears to introduce a different kind of pressure — force without immediate escalation, and a more controlled use of U.S. naval power in the region.

How long this blockade approach takes to play out is unknown. Even with leadership pressure at the top, the Iranian Guard and the regime remain defiant.

Does this resolve quickly — or turn into a drawn-out standoff? And how they choose to escalate is still an open question.

It’s not far-fetched to think this kind of pressure takes time to play out.

In the meantime, as the market waits, some green shoots in the U.S. may begin to re-emerge — creating trading opportunities along the way.

The bigger question may be how long it takes for the Persian Gulf to become a stable shipping lane again.

Until then, expectations for higher oil prices are already building. That window could favor domestic supply and shift attention toward U.S. energy. That’s why we’re watching two Permian Basin stocks in the Texas heartland.

So far, the market appears to be adjusting — not panicking.

That doesn’t mean risk is gone. It means risk is being contained, for now.

Stock Talk

How traders and investors respond to this environment comes down to individual risk tolerance and approach.

We’re seeing a market that flips between risk-on and risk-off — sometimes in the same session. But underneath that, there may be a shift toward accepting a higher baseline level of tension.

A few we’re watching:

Hard assets: KGC, HL
Energy: DVN, PR
Tech: NVTS, GFS, INTC
Defense: KTOS, AVAV

Each with its own drivers — commodities, chips, and energy flows.

More speculative (smaller positions):
ONCY, ANVS, OKLO

This is a quick read in a fast-moving environment.

Staying disciplined matters here. Smaller positions. Controlled exposure. Let things develop before pressing.

Markets trade the headline…
but they settle on reality.

- Jones Report

________

If interested - scroll back and view notes on other stocks, we watch here at the Jones report.  Why not? With the caveat that things change and we try to stay aware - It's all FREE to read and make your own calls and decisions.  Finally - maintain some dry powder and trade or invest according to your own due diligence.

______________

More later so ....Stay tuned, if you dare!

For now, we close by noting that any view on the market and stocks on any particular day may change in the days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with reality.  Looking ahead a few months may be a way to do things - but thinking too deeply about world events and the recent alliances forming, can make projecting ahead a dicey endeavor. 

All in all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly.  Never get arrogant in our notions because things do change - and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside our control. So, we try to -stay aware.

With all the above caveats and attempted prognostications, I will close this post. Stay tuned for more opining on the market and stocks to watch.

___________

ALL in my humble opinion, scroll down and read more.  This site does NOT make Buy / Sell recommendations.
________

Is Volatility the New Normal?

       

Market Talk

In this new economic climate, markets are increasingly being measured against the backdrop of a widening conflict in the Middle East. And things are changing fast.

Over the weekend, talks broke down after nearly a full day of negotiations, with reports that Iran would not agree to halt its nuclear ambitions. A fragile ceasefire is now under pressure, and in response, the U.S. has moved to impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

What that means for global shipping — especially oil and gas moving through the Persian Gulf — is still unfolding. Tankers are caught in the middle, and how freely they move from here is an open question.

At the same time, President Trump is encouraging energy flows to shift toward more stable and friendly channels — here in the U.S. and through Venezuelan supply routes.

So the question becomes — does this reset the risk profile across sectors?

Do tech and growth names settle into this volatility as part of a “new normal”? Or does uncertainty keep pressure on anything not tied directly to hard assets and cash flow?

That’s what the market is trying to sort out — in real time.

Stock Talk

How traders and investors respond to this “new normal” comes down to individual risk tolerance and approach.

We’re seeing a market that flips between risk-on and risk-off — sometimes in the same session. That kind of environment can either burn itself off… or snap in unpredictable ways.

A few we’re watching:

Hard assets: KGC, HL
Energy: DVN, PR
Tech: NVTS, GFS, INTC
Defense: KTOS

Each with its own set of drivers — from commodities to chips to energy flows.

This is a quick wrap in a fast-moving environment.

Staying disciplined matters here. Smaller positions. Controlled exposure. Let things develop before pressing.

Markets trade the headline…
but they settle on reality.

- Jones Report

________

If interested - scroll back and view notes on other stocks, we watch here at the Jones report.  Why not? With the caveat that things change and we try to stay aware - It's all FREE to read and make your own calls and decisions.  Finally - maintain some dry powder and trade or invest according to your own due diligence.

______________

More later so ....Stay tuned, if you dare!

For now, we close by noting that any view on the market and stocks on any particular day may change in the days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with reality.  Looking ahead a few months may be a way to do things - but thinking too deeply about world events and the recent alliances forming, can make projecting ahead a dicey endeavor. 

All in all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly.  Never get arrogant in our notions because things do change - and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside our control. So, we try to -stay aware.

With all the above caveats and attempted prognostications, I will close this post. Stay tuned for more opining on the market and stocks to watch.

___________

ALL in my humble opinion, scroll down and read more.  This site does NOT make Buy / Sell recommendations.
________

Risk-On Rally Meets Reality Check

       

Market Talk

A two-week ceasefire has been declared between the U.S. and Iran with each side claiming victory. Negotiations will continue along with a tentative agreement to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, allowing ships to pass through the 24 mile-wide passage at its narrowest point.

The markets are responding with a relief rally on hope the ceasefire will last and negotiations will move toward something more lasting.

But within a day, Iran is right back at it — missiles toward Kuwait and the UAE, while telling Israel to stand down against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The market likes the surface aspects — but are they just superficial talking points, like a strawman paper deal with no backbone to make the regime comply with a non-aggressive approach to the region and stop their jihad ideology?

All in all, the market is saying risk back on.

Oil and natural gas are down as money rotates out of a volatile energy sector.

Gold is back on. KGC in the gold mining sector and HL in the silver mining sector are back on.

Tech stocks are back on — at least for now.

A relief rally can take hold or fizzle as realities of market forces take hold.

That said, stocks may have room to run because the economy does have some green shoots showing up this spring, and if energy / oil price hike fears subside, a better picture can play out.

It’s too early to know if a ceasefire will hold — uncertainty remains.

One thing though — the U.S. wants it to last so we can wrap this up and move on. But just leaving is not a viable option. The Middle East needs to be in a more stable status.

Stock Talk

How traders and investors approach a relief rally is up to each — we don’t make buy or sell calls here.

However, it does not seem prudent to be trading oil stocks in this climate.

On the other hand, gold and silver remain viable, and in that light, miners like KGC and HL remain on the Jones watch list.

There are many risk-on stocks — too many to mention.

A few we are watching:

KGC
HL
NVTS
GFS
INTC

Each with their own market dynamics.

This is a quick wrap to address the relief rally we are seeing the day after a ceasefire was announced.

Will it last?

Time and further peace negotiations remain to be seen.

Staying disciplined and circumspect with portion control, smaller new positions — that’s one way to navigate uncertainty.

Markets trade the headline… but they settle on reality.

- Jones Report

________

If interested - scroll back and view notes on other stocks, we watch here at the Jones report.  Why not? With the caveat that things change and we try to stay aware - It's all FREE to read and make your own calls and decisions.  Finally - maintain some dry powder and trade or invest according to your own due diligence.

______________

More later so ....Stay tuned, if you dare!

For now, we close by noting that any view on the market and stocks on any particular day may change in the days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with reality.  Looking ahead a few months may be a way to do things - but thinking too deeply about world events and the recent alliances forming, can make projecting ahead a dicey endeavor. 

All in all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly.  Never get arrogant in our notions because things do change - and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside our control. So, we try to -stay aware.

With all the above caveats and attempted prognostications, I will close this post. Stay tuned for more opining on the market and stocks to watch.

___________

ALL in my humble opinion, scroll down and read more.  This site does NOT make Buy / Sell recommendations.
________