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Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Giant Mining Gains 70 Percent

Investing 10 Mins Read

Statistics Canada released January’s jobs report on Friday (February 6). The data showed that the Canadian workforce shrank by 25,000, or 0.1 percent.

Manufacturing experienced the largest decline, losing 28,000 workers, followed by education with 24,000, and the public sector, which decreased by 10,000. These declines were balanced by increases of 17,000 across information, culture, and recreation; 14,000 in business, building and support services; and 11,000 in agriculture.

Despite the declines, the unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 6.5 percent. While the rate was the lowest since September 2024, the agency notes that the decrease was driven by fewer people looking for work through the month, and coincided with a 0.4 percent drop in the labor force participation rate, which came in at 65 percent.

The release came just a day after the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its job opening report on Thursday (February 5) that showed that labor demand had decreased to its lowest level since September 2020, as December’s figures fell by 386,000 openings.

The report differs from the employment situation summary, which is typically released on the first Friday of each month. The report has been delayed due to the extended US government shutdown in late 2025 and will be released next Wednesday, February 11.

Employment data is an important metric for assessing the overall health of the Canadian and US economies and plays a significant role in helping central banks set interest rate policy.

For more on what’s moving markets this week, check out our top market news round-up.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were mixed this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 1 percent over the week to close Friday at 32,470.98, while the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) shed 5.38 percent to 1,015.34. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 1.22 percent to 167.56.

The gold price gained 4.84 percent to close at US$4,951.69 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST. The silver price didn’t fare as well, closing the week down 1.78 percent at US$77.32 on Friday.

In base metals, the Comex copper price recorded a 0.85 percent rise this week to US$5.93.

On the other hand, the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was down 3.7 percent to end Friday at 587.55.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Giant Mining (CSE:BFG)

Weekly gain: 69.57 percent
Market cap: C$27.51 million
Share price: C$0.39

Giant Mining is an exploration company working to advance its Majuba Hill District copper, silver and gold project north of Reno in Nevada, US.

The site consists of 403 federal lode mining claims and four private property parcels that cover an area of 3,919 hectares. Mining at the property took place between 1900 and 1950, resulting in the production of 2.8 million pounds of copper, 184,000 ounces of silver and 5,800 ounces of gold.

Extensive exploration work has been carried out at Majuba Hill, with 89,930 feet being drilled since 2007.

The most recent news from Giant came on January 30, when it reported that it planned to drill up to 10,000 feet in a multi-phase drill program at Majuba Hill, targeting three breccia zones.

Following the first phase of 5,000 feet of drilling, the program will include underground and surface sampling to support follow-up drill targeting for the remaining holes.

2. CGX Energy (TSXV:OYL)

Weekly gain: 64.71 percent
Market cap: C$66.02 million
Share price: C$0.28

CGX Energy is an oil and gas exploration company with 27.48 percent ownership of a portfolio of wells in the Corentyne block off the coast of Guyana. Frontera Energy (TSX:FEC) is the company’s joint venture partner in the Corentyne block and also holds 76.05 percent interest in CGX.

The Kawa-1 exploration well was drilled in 2021 and 2022 and encountered an active hydrocarbon system extending to a depth of 6,000 feet, mirroring trends in the Guyana-Suriname Basin. CGX’s Wei-1 well was drilled in late 2022 and is located on-trend between the Kawa-1 well and Exxon’s (NYSE:XOM) Pluma discovery.

CGX and Frontera are currently in a legal dispute with the government of Guyana, which believes the petroleum prospecting license for Corentyne expired in 2024, a stance the joint venture disagrees with. The most recent update on the matter mentioned plans to meet and discuss the situation, with potential dates in November or December of last year.

Shares in CGX posted gains this week, but the company has not released news since November 13, when it announced its third-quarter financial statements. However, Frontera announced on January 30 that it divested its producing Colombian assets while retaining its interests in Guyana, news that may signal that the Corentyne block permitting situation could still be resolved.

3. Saba Energy (TSXV:SABA)

Weekly gain: 61.11 percent
Market cap: C$12.07 million
Share price: C$0.29

Saba Energy is an oil and gas exploration company with operations in British Columbia, Canada, as well as the Philippines.

The company’s primary Canadian operations consist of the producing Boundary Lake and Laprise oil and gas fields, which have a net present value of C$43 million as of its September quarterly report.

The most recent news from Saba came on January 27, when it announced a heads-of-agreement with Nido Petroleum for a farm-in arrangement on a pair of offshore assets in the Philippines.

Saba will earn 60 percent of Service Contract 54 (SC54). SC54 covers an area of 550 square kilometers to depths of 50 to 110 meters and hosts three discovery wells and one production well, which previously produced 270,000 barrels at 19,000 barrels per day before it was closed due to water encroachment.

The company will also earn a 52.73 percent share in the DPPSC Cadlao, which covers an area of 914 square kilometers to depths of 93 meters. The site has 6.8 million barrels in reserves and produced 11.1 million barrels between 1982 and 1992.

If the transaction is completed, Saba will become the operator of both assets. The company plans to open a US$7.5 million convertible debenture private placement to achieve the requirement of raising US$7 million by mid-April.

4. Copper Giant Resources (TSXV:CGNT)

Weekly gain: 60.66 percent
Market cap: C$157.77 million
Share price: C$0.98

Copper Giant Resources is an exploration company advancing its Mocoa copper-molybdenum project in Southern Colombia. It changed its name from Libero Copper and Gold last year.

The property covers 1,324 square kilometers and hosts a copper porphyry system originally discovered in 1973.

A November 2025 mineral resource estimate significantly increased its resource. Mocoa now holds an inferred resource of 7.6 billion pounds of copper and 1 billion pounds of molybdenum, at 0.31 percent copper and 0.039 percent molybdenum, from 1.12 billion metric tons of ore. The upgrade made the project South America’s largest undeveloped molybdenum deposit.

The most recent news from Copper Giant came on January 29, when it reported results from the first drill hole at the La Estrella target. While assays returned low-grade mineralization, the company noted that the significance was geological, as it confirmed continuity of the porphyry system beyond the established deposit.

The release also reported results from a second hole at the southern edge of the Mocoa footprint, which the company said were stronger than previously interpreted at the southern margin of the deposits. Grades in the hole were 0.13 percent copper and 0.01 percent molybdenum over 804 meters starting from surface, which included an intersection of 0.44 percent copper and 0.05 percent molybdenum over 33 meters.

5. Benz Mining (TSXV:BZ)

Weekly gain: 50.46 percent
Market cap: C$749.9 million
Share price: C$3.25

Benz Mining is a gold exploration company that is focused on advancing projects in Québec, Canada, as well as Western Australia.

Its Eastmain project consists of an 8,000 hectare property located in Central Québec within the Upper Eastmain Greenstone belt. The most recent resource estimate from May 2023 reported an indicated resource of 384,000 ounces of gold from 1.3 metric tons of ore grading 9 g/t gold, and an inferred resource of 621,000 ounces of gold from 3.8 metric tons grading 5.1 g/t.

In 2025, Benz acquired the Glenburgh and Mount Egerton gold projects in Western Australia from Spartan Resources (ASX:SPR). It spent much of 2025 exploring Glenburgh, which covers an area of 786 square kilometers and features 50 kilometers of strike. The site hosts six priority extension targets and 5 kilometers of exploration trend with over 100 parts per billion gold.

A November 2024 resource estimate for Glenburgh showed an indicated and inferred resource of 510,000 ounces of gold from 16.3 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 1 g/t gold.

On January 28, the company announced a shallow, high-grade discovery at the Glenburgh project’s Icon trend. Assays returned grades including 29 g/t gold over 13 meters starting at a depth of 60 meters. Additionally, results showed wide mineralization as well, including 200 meters grading 1 g/t gold starting at 76 meters.

The most recent news from Benz came the next day, when it announced it received firm commitments for a AU$75 million bought deal placement, which it said was led by strong demand from two global institutional fund. The company said the investment increases its pro forma cash position to AU$94 million, which will be allocated across its portfolio, particularly focused on the Glenburgh project.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of December 2025, 898 mining companies and 71 oil and gas companies are listed on the TSXV, combining for more than 60 percent of the 1,531 total companies listed on the exchange.

As for the TSX, it is home to 175 mining companies and 51 oil and gas companies. The exchange has 2,089 companies listed on it in total.

Together, the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Editor’s Picks: Is Gold and Silver’s Price Correction Over?

Investing 5 Mins Read

It’s been a wild couple of weeks for gold and silver.

After surging to record highs at the end of January, prices for both precious metals saw significant corrections, creating turmoil for market participants.

This week brought some relief, with gold bouncing back from its low point and even trading above US$5,000 per ounce for a brief period of time.

Silver, which is known for outperforming gold on both the upside and the downside, was more volatile, but seems to have found support around the US$70 per ounce level.

Why did gold and silver drop, and more importantly, what’s next? As always, there are a variety of different factors at play, but I’ll give you a rundown of what I’ve been hearing.

Starting with the pullback, I spoke with Joe Cavatoni of the World Gold Council, who pointed to speculative players as a key reason for gold’s price decline. Here’s how he explained it:

‘At the end of this, you’re looking at a lot of people who were pushing the price higher — speculative in nature — pulling back and taking money off the table. That’s why I think we’re seeing a correction in the price. I don’t think that we have an issue with, fundamentally, what’s going on in the gold market.’

Gary Savage of the Smart Money Tracker newsletter made a similar comment, saying that there are times when sentiment gets so bullish that eventually there’s no one left to buy.

However, on the silver side he saw signs of market manipulation as well:

‘Some of it is just (that) we got way too bullish, ran out of buyers. We were due for some kind of correction anyway, and I think the banks took advantage of that and coordinated a huge overnight attack that dropped silver … I think it was almost 30 percent, or maybe it was 30 percent, almost overnight. That allowed them to get out of their shorts, because a lot of those contracts were going to stand for delivery, and they were going to have to buy physical silver at US$120 an ounce to to deliver.’

Adding more nuance to the silver story this week was the news that billionaire Chinese trader Bian Ximing has reportedly established the largest net short position on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, with his bet against the white metal clocking in at US$300 million.

Bloomberg analysis of exchange data shows he started ‘ramping up silver shorts’ in the last week of January, although he initially began shifting from a long silver stance this past November.

Aside from silver, Bian is known for his moves in gold and copper.

There’s also been commentary suggesting that the nomination of Kevin Warsh for the US Federal Reserve chair position has weighed on gold and silver prices.

President Donald Trump announced his choice on January 30, with market watchers quickly pointing to Warsh’s hawkish reputation and questioning whether he will fall in line with Trump’s calls for lower interest rates. Rates have been a sticking point between Trump and current Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

However, in the days since the news broke, the tone has shifted, with Trump himself saying that Warsh wouldn’t have gotten the job if he said he wanted to raise rates.

Taking a step back from what’s happening now, I want to emphasize that the majority of the experts I’ve been speaking with recently don’t believe gold and silver are topping.

In a January 25 interview, Adrian Day of Adrian Day Asset Management said exactly that, pointing to previous bull markets where both metals moved steeply down before continuing up. This quote is from before last week’s correction, but I think you’ll see why it’s still relevant:

‘A pullback is always in the cards. And people forget, everybody talks about … 1974 to 1975, when gold dropped almost 50 percent. But people forget, the same thing happened in 2006. Halfway through the bull market, you had a 30 percent correction in gold, which of course means a much bigger correction for gold stocks.

‘So a pullback at some point is always not just a possibility, but it’s almost a certainty. But if we rephrase the question to, ‘Is this a top?’ You know, absolutely not. In my view, we are absolutely nowhere near a top.’

With that said, a point that’s come up repeatedly in my interviews lately is personalization — while it’s valuable to listen to other people’s views, what’s really important is to form your own opinions and understand why you own the assets in your portfolio. If you can do that, you’ll be better equipped to weather any storms, and to buy and sell when it’s time.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Beyond the Pilot: Wiring Wall Street’s New Internet

Investing 4 Mins Read

For years, blockchain had promise in the finance industry, but lacked the liquidity and connectivity to scale.

Yuval Rooz, CEO and co-founder of Canton Network, believes that era is now ending.

The problem: Legacy friction

Traditional banking still depends on millions of costly, slow and error-prone messages as institutions attempt to reconcile fragmented records across systems.

Repurchase agreement (repo) trades highlight the problem. Moving cash and collateral typically requires multiple intermediaries, manual checks and settlement delays that can stretch for days.

Public blockchains such as Ethereum offer speed, but their full transparency creates a different obstacle, exposing sensitive transaction data that banks cannot legally or competitively disclose.

At the heart of the issue is a structural trade off. Banks need shared networks to scale efficiency, yet legacy infrastructure and open ledgers force a choice between operating in isolation or revealing too much information. The result has been a patchwork of private systems that protect data sovereignty, but sacrifice interoperability and efficiency.

Explaining how Canton’s technology removes that trade off, Rooz said:

“Banks built walled gardens because there was no way to share infrastructure without giving up control or privacy. What we’re seeing now is a gradual shift away from isolated systems toward shared rails where institutions retain sovereignty over their data, while still achieving interoperability.

‘That doesn’t mean internal systems disappear overnight, but it does mean the center of gravity shifts toward networks where counterparties can transact in real time.”

Canton’s solution: Privacy-enabled synchronization

Canton has created a shared ledger where institutions maintain private blockchains, yet synchronize seamlessly.

“I think critics misunderstand what financial institutions actually need,” Rooz explained. “Banks don’t want a system where everything is hidden, and they don’t want one where everything is public. They need a way to work together on shared processes, while keeping sensitive details private. That’s what Canton was designed for.”

In practice, JPMorgan keeps its ledger sovereign, while plugging into LSEG for atomic delivery-versus-payment (DvP) settlements, all without revealing private data. Sub-transaction privacy ensures only trade participants see details; to others, it’s invisible. This network of networks lets banks achieve interoperability without sacrificing control.

“(This) gives institutions a shared record they can trust, with configurable privacy at the protocol level to divulge transactional information only with involved parties. And because it’s built to connect different applications, firms can link markets and workflows together without sacrificing confidentiality,’ said Rooz.

“This combination is something traditional systems cannot offer and is why you’re seeing institutions move from pilots into production onchain,’ the expert added.

Live momentum: JPM Coin and tokenized repos

JPM Coin’s native integration is a strong signal that the market is maturing.

JPMorgan’s blockchain rail, with over US$1 trillion in processed volume, has fueled settlements across Canton’s ecosystem. Paired with LSEG’s tokenized deposits, which power live repo activity, there are now synchronized markets where DvP happens in seconds, not days.

Rooz highlighted the deeper impact, commenting, “Everyone notices the speed, but the collateral mobility is the substance beyond the headline. In legacy markets, collateral spends most of its life idle because moving it safely across systems requires messaging, reconciliation and time. Atomic settlement collapses those steps into a single transaction.’

He added, ‘When repos settle in seconds, collateral stops being static and becomes reusable. That improves liquidity, balance sheet efficiency and risk management.”

2026 outlook

JPM Coin and LSEG repos demonstrate Canton’s shift from pilots to production.

“We measure success by utilization,” said Rooz, adding, “Having Canton be the network where real transactions are taking place, and regulated assets are moving.’

He envisions steady expansion powering this transformation. Indeed, similar efforts are already live elsewhere, such as BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, which has tokenized US$1.7 billion in treasuries for 24/7 yields, and DRW Cumberland’s weekend repos, which use tokenized collateral with instant DvP settlements.

“I’d like to see more asset classes brought on to Canton, and the corresponding transaction volume we’re already seeing will continue to grow in the year ahead,’ said Rooz.

He sees this convergence accelerating across markets.

“Our ‘North Star’ is to drive the convergence of TradFi and DeFi onchain to create a new AllFi reality,’ he said.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Equity Metals Exhibiting at the 2026 PDAC

Investing 4 Mins Read

Equity Metals Corporation (TSXV: EQTY,OTC:EQMEF) (FSE: EGSD) (OTCQB: EQMEF) (‘Equity’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to advise that it will be exhibiting at the annual 2026 Prospectors & Development Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention, the world’s premier mineral exploration & mining event.

To learn more about Equity Metals’ Silver Queen, silver-gold project in British, we invite you to visit the team at Booth # 2541 in the Investors Exchange, Level 800, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building from Sunday March 1st through Wednesday March 4th.

An updated version of our Corporate Presentation is now available on the Company’s website: www.equitymetalscorporation.com

About PDAC

PDAC 2025: The World’s Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading event for people, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. This annual convention in Toronto, Canada is known for attracting up to 30,000 attendees from over 130+ countries for its educational programming, networking events, outstanding business opportunities.

Since it began in 1932, the PDAC Convention has grown in size, stature and influence. Today, it is the event of choice for the world’s mineral industry hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors and 2,500 investors. Visit PDAC’s website for registration and ticketing information.

Corporate Update

Further, the Company reports that it has engaged Research Capital Corporation (‘RCC’) as a financial advisor to provide advice and assistance in connection with defining strategic and financial objectives over a one-month term. Equity will compensate RCC by payment of $24,000 and issuance of 150,000 share purchase warrants (‘Advisory Warrants’) valued at $30,000 (calculated using a share price of $0.40 with warrants valued at half that of shares). Each Advisory Warrant is exercisable for one common share of the Company for a period of 36 months at an exercise price equal to $0.40 per share. Such Advisory Warrants have been issued are subject to a hold period expiring June 7, 2026. RCC is arm’s length to the Company.

About Equity Metals Corporation

Equity Metals Corporation is a member of the Malaspina-Manex Group. The Company owns 100% interest, with no underlying royalty, in the Silver Queen project, located along the Skeena Arch in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The property hosts high-grade, precious- and base-metal veins related to a buried porphyry system, which has been only partially delineated. The Company also has a controlling JV interest (57.49%) in the Monument Diamond project, NWT, strategically located in the Lac De Gras district within 40 km of both the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines. As well, the Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Arlington Property, located within the Boundary District of south-central British Columbia where 2025 exploration work consisted of geophysics and diamond drilling designed to identify and delineate an apparent gold system.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

‘Lawrence Page, K.C.’

Lawrence Page, K.C.
Chairman, Director, Equity Metals Corporation

For further information, visit the website at https://www.equitymetalscorporation.com; or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at corpdev@mnxltd.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Equity Metals Corporation does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/282959

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin Price Ends Week Higher Following  Earlier Losses

Investing 2 Mins Read

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (February 6) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$70,178.66, up by 11.3 percent over 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, February 6, 2026.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin has stopped behaving as an alternative safe-haven asset and has re-aligned with the risk-asset cycle. Its high correlation with traditional financial markets, including a broad sell-off in technology stocks, precious metals, and equities, suggests a scenario of systemic stress and scarce liquidity.

Downward pressure intensified after breaking key technical levels, causing nearly US$770 million in leveraged long positions to be liquidated in 24 hours, suggesting the market’s ‘cleansing phase’ is ongoing. The decline was exacerbated by a strong dollar and rising bond yields, which reduced the appeal of non-yielding assets like cryptocurrencies, prompting a rotation into defensive assets.

In the short term, price action will be limited and vulnerable to renewed selling pressure as long as restrictive financial conditions and a defensive tone prevail in global markets. Stabilization requires an improvement in global financial conditions and Bitcoin’s ability to rebuild solid technical support.

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,052.03, up by 10 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

  • XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.46, up by 25.2 over 24 hours.
  • Solana (SOL) was trading at US$87.37, up by 10.4 percent over 24 hours.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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After Major Gold Payout, Bian Ximing Turns Bearish Sights on Silver

Investing 3 Mins Read

A Chinese billionaire trader known for profiting from gold’s multi-year rally has turned sharply bearish on silver, building a short position now worth nearly US$300 million as prices slide.

Bian Ximing, who earned billions riding gold’s multi-year rally and later turned aggressively bullish on copper, is now positioned for a sharp reversal in silver—a bet that is already paying off as prices retreat from record highs.

According to exchange data analyzed by Bloomberg and people familiar with his positions, Bian has assembled the Shanghai Futures Exchange’s largest known net short position in silver, held through Zhongcai Futures Co.

The position, composed of roughly 30,000 contracts, or about 450 metric tons, has swung sharply into profit following silver’s more than 16 percent drop since late January.

The contrast with Bian’s copper strategy just a year ago could hardly be sharper.

In 2024, Bian emerged as China’s most prominent copper bull, building the largest net long position on the Shanghai Futures Exchange at a time when many traders were retreating amid trade tensions and growth concerns.

His thesis then centered on copper’s central role in electrification, grid expansion and industrial upgrading. That trade was built patiently and scaled over months, with Bian accumulating long positions across multiple contracts.

By the time copper prices surged, the position had generated hundreds of millions of dollars in gains.

Silver, by contrast, appears to have triggered Bian’s skepticism. While silver often trades alongside gold, its recent surge was increasingly viewed by market participants as driven by speculative positioning rather than fundamental shifts in industrial demand.

Unlike copper, where supply bottlenecks and electrification narratives were front and center, silver’s rally accelerated rapidly by drawing in leveraged traders and momentum funds.

Exchange data show that Bian began building silver shorts in the final week of January, as prices pushed into record territory in Shanghai. His exposure expanded quickly from about 18,000 contracts on January 28 to roughly 28,000 two days later, even as prices continued climbing.

The timing was costly at first, as volatility forced partial liquidations and earlier losses trimmed gains from prior silver longs.

However, Bian’s patience was rewarded when silver broke sharply lower.The short is now estimated to be worth roughly 2 billion yuan (US$288 million) in paper gains. After accounting for earlier losses, Bian’s net profit is estimated at around 1 billion yuan based on recent prices.

Whether the current selloff proves lasting remains an open question. Bian, who resides largely in Gibraltar and rarely speaks publicly, did not respond to requests for comment. Zhongcai Futures also declined to comment.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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African Discovery Groupannounces signing of Definitive Sales and Purchase Agreementfor Butembo Copper Asset in the Democratic Republic of Congo; name change to Copper Intelligence, Inc

Investing 3 Mins Read

AFDG, now Copper Intelligence, has successfully entered a binding contract for the transaction closing of the Butembo mining concession in Eastern DRC. In conjunction with the SPA, AFDG shares have been issued to the license holders, with ownership of the mining interest now held by the US domiciled entity, thus completing the Reverse Takeover transaction (RTO).

The transaction was signed in parallel with a Strategic Minerals roundtable held in Washington DC in conjunction with the launch of Project Vault by US President Trump, and the attendance by His Excellency, President Felix Tshisekedi of DRC, Aldo Cesano, Director of Copper Intelligence, and the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Department of State in Washington, D.C.

Copper Intelligence, Inc is now the first stand-alone DRC company to be publicly traded in the United States.

Andrew Groves, Chairman of Copper Intelligence stated, ‘ We are delighted to hold this status as a dedicated US company operating in Africa, aggregating assets in the DRC’s highest grade copper deposits in the world. The geology, and DRC’s prospective superlative yields, affords us the opportunity to create a unique, and dedicated copper exploration company. The Technical Team will now drive shareholder value through a methodical exploration program, asset addition, and validation of results.’

Aldo Cesano, Director added, ‘We believe Copper Intelligence will make a significant contribution to the people and communities of the DRC in which we work.’

Alan Kessler, Director and Founder concluded, ‘We are confident Copper Intelligence holds the resources, timing and execution capability to embrace the global copper shortage, and create shareholder value as a pioneering African company.’

About the Butembo Copper Project

Butembo is a near surface, low strip, Tier one exploration opportunity, located near the Ruwenzori mountain location of Uganda’s biggest copper mine (Kilembe with 4 million tons of verified reserves), located only 50km from the Ugandan border with verified access to rail. The High-grade copper samples thus far have returned 18% Copper assays, which if maintained at production would rank amongst the highest globally.

Industry and DRC positioning

According to The Washington Post, projected demand scenarios suggest that annual copper deficits could reach or exceed 6 million tons by 2035. The U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that closing this gap would require opening around 80 major new mines by 2030.

Click here to continue reading.

Media Contact:

www.copperintelligence.com
Maxine Gordon
mg@africandiscoverygroup.com
(917) 478-0406

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/african-discovery-group-afdg-announces-signing-of-definitive-sales-and-purchase-agreement-spa-for-butembo-copper-asset-in-the-democratic-republic-of-congo-name-change-to-copper-intelligence-inc-302681359.html

SOURCE African Discovery Group

News Provided by PR Newswire via QuoteMedia

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Tech Weekly: Chip Stocks Pop to Close Volatile Trading Week

Investing 4 Mins Read

We also break down next week’s catalysts to watch to help you prepare for the week ahead.

In this article:

    This week’s tech sector performance

    Tech stocks extended their selloff into their second week, with the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) posting its steepest two‑day decline since last April.

    Monday (February 2) saw an early rotation out of tech ahead of Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) earnings report. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) slipped on news that its proposed OpenAI‑backed investment hit a snag, dragging AI‑chip names like Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD), Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) and other semiconductor leaders.

    Palantir’s earnings, which beat expectations and included an aggressive revenue growth guide, lifted shares in an early surge on Tuesday (February 3); however, Nvidia’s OpenAI‑investment‑snag news, plus general AI‑disruption worries and positioning, weighed on the broader tech stack, sparking a tech‑growth selloff that impacted NVIDIA, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and other software‑heavy names.

    The Nasdaq fell deeper on Wednesday (February 4) as influential tech names such as AMD and other chip and software stocks reversed post‑earnings gains. AMD saw a sharp intraday plunge following its after‑hours earnings print on Tuesday. Its losses dragged the broader index lower.

    Tech selloffs extended into Thursday (February 5), with the Nasdaq closing down 1.6 percent as major tech stocks saw profit‑taking and forward‑looking capex‑related concerns, later crystallized by Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) aggressive 2026 spending plans.

    The Nasdaq made an impressive recovery on Friday (February 6) as a rally in chip stocks helped pare earlier week losses, despite ongoing volatility in the mega‑caps.

    3 tech stocks moving markets this week

    1.Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER)

    After reporting Q4 2025 earnings results and strong AI-driven guidance on Monday, the stock rose sharply. The semiconductor‑test and robotics‑automation company makes equipment used to test chips, including AI‑related compute and memory and industrial robots.

    2. Skyworks (NASDAQ:SWKS)

    The analog and RF‑semiconductor company, which designs and manufactures components used in smartphones, 5G infrastructure, automotive and IoT devices, reported Q1 fiscal 2026 results on Tuesday, beating expectations and guiding up, which helped it outperform the broader tech selloff.

    3. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

    Apple’s strong performance this week was driven by a wave of analyst upgrades and bullish notes that reinforced the positive narrative from last week’s record‑breaking Q1 print, especially around iPhone demand and China‑market strength.

    Skyworks Solutions, Teradyne and Apple performance, February 2 to 6, 2025.

    Chart via Google Finance.

    Top tech news of the week

      • Canada led an AI delegation to the 2026 World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai this week, led by SCALE AI.
        • Alphabet Q4 numbers were driven by search revenue growth, which accelerated by nearly 17 percent, and Google Cloud revenue that jumped 48 percent YoY, helping ease fears that AI chatbots would eat into search. Despite the strong print, the stock dipped as the company said it plans to increase capital expenditures to between US$175 billion and US$185 billion, more than its 2025 cash generation.
        • Palantir’s earnings triggered a pop on Tuesday as it beat revenue expectations and laid out an aggressive 2026 growth guide. The company reported Q4 2025 revenue of US$1.41 billion, up 70 percentYoY, with US commercial revenue surging 137 percent and government revenue rising 66 percent, while guiding full‑year 2026 revenue to about US$7.2 billion
        • Amazon also posted a solid quarter, but said it will spend roughly US$200 billion this year on capital expenditures, a 56 percent jump from 2025, to fund AI‑related infrastructure, data centers and custom chips for AWS. Revenue rose approximately 14 percent to US$213.4 billion, driven by AWS reaccelerating to 24 percent growth and advertising increasing by 22 percent, despite free cash flow collapsing due to a capex surge.

          Tech ETF performance

          Tech exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track baskets of major tech stocks, meaning their performance helps investors gauge the overall performance of the niches they cover.

          This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) advanced by 1.89 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) advanced by 1.66 percent.

          The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also increased by 0.75 percent.

          Tech news to watch next week

          Next week is another earnings‑heavy, tech‑adjacent stretch, with a mix of big‑name reports and key macro data that will like keep markets sensitive to AI capex and earnings.

          Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) and Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) will be among the most‑watched names tied to crypto and retail trading. Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) also reports midweek.

          In addition to US wholesale inventories, Employment Cost Index and CPI reports, the FOMC minutes will be released on February 11, so rate policy and inflation will stay front‑of‑mind.

          Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

          This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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          Experts: Gold’s Fundamentals Intact, Price Could Hit US$7,000 in 2026

          Investing 7 Mins Read

          Gold took center stage at this year’s Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC), coming to the fore in a slew of discussions as the price surged past US$5,000 per ounce.

          Held from January 25 to 26, the conference brought together diverse experts, with a focus point being the ‘Gold Forecast’ panel hosted by Daniela Cambone, global media director and lead anchor at ITM Trading.

          The panel brought together GoldMining (TSX:GOLD,NYSEAMERICAN:GLDG) CEO and co-founder Alastair Still, Gold Royalty (NYSEAMERICAN:GROY) chair and CEO David Garofalo, Von Greyerz partner Matthew Piepenburg, ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ author Robert Kiyosaki and Incrementum partner Ronald-Peter Stöferle for a wide-ranging discussion.

          Central banks supporting gold price

          Gold’s price gains through 2025 and into early 2026 have been driven by several factors. One of the most impactful has been ongoing purchases by central banks around the globe.

          According to the World Gold Council’s latest gold demand trends report, central banks bought a total of 863 metric tons of the precious metal last year. While the amount falls short of the more than 1,000 metric tons purchased in each of the past three years, it remains well above historical averages.

          Both the World Gold Council and the VRIC panelists believe that central bank buying of gold will remain elevated in 2026, providing critical support for the yellow metal’s price.

          Behind these movements is a desire to diversify foreign reserves away from US-dollar-denominated assets such as treasuries. Once considered a stable and reliable investment for central banks, high deficit spending and trillions in debt have dulled the luster of these instruments over the past two decades.

          Adding to a deterioration in confidence are US actions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

          “Since 2014, central banks have been net selling US treasuries and net stacking gold, which became exponential when the US dollar was weaponized against Russia,’ Piepenburg said.

          ‘Weaponizing a neutral reserve asset was a big no-no in terms of respect, trust and admiration for an already overly issued and indebted US treasury, and by proxy, US dollar,’ he added.

          However, Piepenburg was clear that he doesn’t see this accumulation of gold by central banks as a move away from the US dollar, but more as a means to prepare for a repricing of the dollar.

          He also believes there will be greater usage of gold as a net settlement asset.

          For his part, Garofalo said that the US debt-to-GDP ratio over the past 50 years has climbed to 350 percent, up from 100 percent in the 1970s. It has created a tricky situation for the US Federal Reserve, which must walk a fine line between how high it can raise interest rates without triggering a significant currency reset. Overall, US debt of over US$34 trillion, combined with trillions in annual deficit spending, is eroding central banks’ confidence in holding US debt.

          Garofalo went on to explain that gold isn’t a commodity; its value isn’t driven by supply and demand fundamentals.

          “It’s a monetary instrument, and monetary instruments stay relative to each other based on relative interest rates. So it’s that lack of confidence that’s really driving capital out of sovereign debt into central banks by Tether, by individuals, into gold as a monetary instrument,” he said.

          Stablecoin issuers pursue gold

          The panelists also pointed to interest in gold from stablecoin issuers.

          For example, Tether now holds 16 metric tons of gold in reserves, worth over US$2.5 billion.

          “Issuers of these stablecoins give citizens their electronic dollar, the issuers then take that dollar to buy US treasuries — good for Uncle Sam — they then arbitrage the yield on those treasuries for themselves and take a profit. The key thing to look at with Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL), Tether or JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) is that they’re taking the profits from the stablecoin and they’re buying gold. That’s the great irony,” Piepenburg said.

          He explained that stablecoins were introduced to support the US dollar, but creators have since added new products backed by gold, which is fundamentally more stable than fiat currencies.

          Overall, Piepenburg and Garofalo agreed that the crypto market’s entry into gold is a positive sign and will catalyze consolidation in the sector’s business side, while also making it more accessible to investors.

          “Having another player, another pool of capital that traditionally has not been in the space, is part of the same phenomenon that’s driving generalists for the first time in many decades back into our sector,” said Garofalo.

          Gold’s long-term drivers intact

          The panel made several key points that should be important to investors.

          With gold’s historic run, some investors are worried that they missed the boat and now it’s too expensive.

          Cambone asked Garofalo about this issue, noting that investors need to learn to focus more on gold’s role as a stable store of value and recognize the erosion of fiat currencies.

          “Every fiat currency ever created has ultimately failed, and the US dollar will too. It’s like that saying about bankruptcy, it happens gradually and then suddenly,’ Garofalo said.

          ‘That’s what’s going to happen with the US dollar — that erosion of trust will be settled.’

          Although the panelists agreed that the gold bull market will end at some point, none believe that will happen soon. They noted that the drivers of the current market show no signs of abating.

          US foreign and trade policy has emphasized traditional western trade alliances and has pushed Russia, China and the rest of the BRICS nations to distance themselves from the US dollar.

          This is in addition to a looming debt crisis in several major economies, especially in the US.

          Is it time for gold juniors to shine?

          It’s not to say that the group was advocating jumping directly on the bandwagon — they also agreed that investors could expect a significant pullback in gold, an event that occurred just days after VRIC ended.

          However, they stressed the importance and safety of holding gold-linked assets during the current cycle.

          This could be in the form of physical gold or exchange-traded products. They also noted that, due to gold’s price run, the junior exploration sector has seen a resurgence.

          Garofalo said juniors have spent years severely undercapitalized. “Gold reserves in the ground have declined 40 percent since 2012,” he said, adding, “We can’t turn on supply to meet the increased gold price. All we can do is mine lower-grade material that otherwise would have been wasted on a lower gold price environment.”

          His sentiment was echoed by Still, who sees a wave of mergers and acquisitions coming as industry majors look to fill pipelines. “If you’re a major producer, you’re trying to find gold; it might take you five or 10 years to find it. You’re going to spend millions to do so. Or do you go buy it from a junior explorer or developer?” he said.

          Still explained that on a per-ounce basis, the cost to buy a company that’s put in the exploration and development work is likely cheaper than conducting the exploration themselves.

          Gold price forecasts for 2026 and beyond

          With various options available to investors seeking exposure to gold, the discussion turned to price forecasts.

          Garofalo was blunt when he stated US$7,000, while Piepenburg was slightly more nuanced.

          “I think we’re only halfway through an eight year cycle in gold, so you could see US$7,000, US$8,000, but that’s notwithstanding the unforeseeable legislative or other black swans,’ he said.

          ‘Based on fundamentals, gold’s direction, secular, is north,” he said.

          Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

          This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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          Barrick Advances North American Gold Spinoff After Record 2025 Results

          Investing 2 Mins Read

          Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) said it will move ahead with plans to spin off its North American gold assets after a strong finish to 2025.

          The Toronto-based miner said its board has authorized preparations for an IPO of a new entity that would house its premier North American gold operations, with the transaction targeted for completion by late 2026.

          The proposed vehicle, referred to as NewCo, would hold Barrick’s joint venture interests in Nevada Gold Mines and Pueblo Viejo, as well as its wholly owned Fourmile discovery in Nevada.

          Barrick said it intends to retain a significant controlling stake in the spun-out company while continuing to own and operate its other gold and copper assets globally.

          “As we progress towards an IPO of our North America business to maximize value, we remain steadfast in our focus on operational performance and improving safety,” president and CEO Mark Hill said.

          The IPO announcement came alongside Barrick’s fourth quarter and full-year 2025 results, which showed a sharp increase in cash generation and earnings amid higher realized metal prices.

          The company reported record quarterly operating cash flow of US$2.73 billion and free cash flow of US$1.62 billion in the fourth quarter, up 13 percent and 9 percent, respectively, from the previous quarter.

          Fourth-quarter gold production rose 5 percent from the third quarter to 871,000 ounces, while copper output increased 13 percent to 62,000 tons. For the full year, Barrick produced 3.26 million ounces of gold and 220,000 tons of copper, both in line with guidance.

          Net earnings for the quarter reached US$2.41 billion, or US$1.43 per share, marking the highest quarterly earnings per share in the company’s history.

          Operationally, Barrick highlighted progress at several growth projects, including a second consecutive year of resource growth at its Fourmile project in Nevada, where the declared gold resource was doubled.

          The company said 2026 is expected to be a critical year for Fourmile, with drilling spending set to rise sharply.

          Looking ahead, Barrick guided for gold production of 2.90 million to 3.25 million ounces in 2026 and copper production of 190,000 to 220,000 tons.

          Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

          This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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