Market Talk
After the great day of peace in the Middle East, old hatreds stirred by Hamas continue to cause backlash among their own people of Muslim faith. The fight to disarm those who refuse to quit may yet drag on.
Meanwhile, Washington continues the shutdown as polarized parties dig in. Still, the markets chug ahead, watching for rate cuts and the next wave of revenue and earnings signals to chart the future of share prices.
Stock Talk
Gold and silver remain the mainstay in this economic climate — real stores of value in a paper-heavy world. The two miners, Kinross (KGC) and Hecla (HL), continue to hold their ground as dependable plays amid shifting rates and global uncertainty.
Why these miners? Both Kinross and Hecla offer more than metal — they offer leverage to price, manageable costs, and production rooted in safe, stable jurisdictions. KGC’s gold output remains strong, giving it leverage when prices rise, while HL’s low-cost silver production, the largest silver miner in America, makes it a natural hedge as industrial demand climbs with AI and clean-energy expansion. In a market full of promises, these two still deliver ounces, cash flow, and earnings growth.
At the same time, other stocks may offer real opportunity as well as risk in this new AI-driven world — one built on expanding data centers, rising power demand, and the growing need for a strong defense of America and the free world.
For example, Hewlett Packard (HPE) guided lower revenues even as it aims to grow deeper into the data-center buildout. They’re talking dividend hikes and buybacks, but a downturn is still a downturn — and if you’ve been driving with some HPE, it might be time to pull over and check the gauges.
Meanwhile, Ramaco Resources (METC) has shown how rough the ride can get. Yesterday’s METC downturn whipsaw looks and feels like classic volatility — yet beneath the chop lies real promise. Their Brook Mine in Wyoming holds vast acres rich in rare earth elements (REEs), a potential key to fulfilling the nation’s critical need for domestic REE supply.
The potential — along with news feeds today showing METC and METCB bouncing back with buy mentions - keeps them in the mix for both trading and investing. Maybe some and maybe not too much.
Those REEs tie directly into the backbone of the AI and defense buildout — from electric motors to guidance systems to the servers powering data centers. And yet, while the REEs are there, sandwiched between the edges of layered coal seams and easily extracted, the separation of the rare earth minerals still needs to be proven in the pilot plant now in the planning stages.
Until that proof comes, patience and positioning will test traders’ resolve. Some shares could prove an investment — but all the same, the time lag brings doubts about when, and the in-betweens create uncertainty at higher share levels. Unless the government steps in to accelerate the buildout, those share levels could be challenged.
One name catching fresh attention is Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS) — a player in high-efficiency power chips built on gallium nitride and silicon carbide. With AI data centers and electric infrastructure both hungry for faster, cooler, and cleaner power, NVTS sits right at the junction of two megatrends. The stock has seen momentum swings, but recent ties to major partners like NVIDIA have sparked renewed interest. It’s a speculative space, yet one worth watching as the next wave of power-conversion tech takes shape.
Still, KGC and HL remain the conviction go-stocks here — steady, grounded, and true to value. Others may present possibilities to trade or invest as the future plays out. Scroll back if interested in more of the stocks we continue to watch here.
__
______________
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 future days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with the reality of the time. But trying to look ahead a few months into the future may be a way to do things. If you think too deep about world events and the recent alliances forming, projecting ahead can be a dicey endeavor. In all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly. Remember, never get arrogant in our various notions because things do change in the market and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside of 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.
________
