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Contango ORE, Dolly Varden Announce Strategic Silver Merger

Contango ORE (NYSEAMERICAN:CTGO) and Dolly Varden Silver (TSXV:DV) have agreed to merge in an all-stock deal that would create a new mid-tier North American precious metals company.

The transaction will unite their producing and high-grade development assets in Alaska and BC.

Shareholders of each firm will own roughly 50 percent of the new entity, which is expected to be renamed Contango Silver & Gold and listed on the NYSE American. A separate listing application is planned for the TSX.

The combined company, informally referred to as “MergeCo,” will be anchored by the cash-flowing Manh Choh gold mine in Alaska and a slate of high-grade silver and gold projects in the Golden Triangle and south-central Alaska.

Clynt Nauman will lead the board as its chair, while Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse will serve as CEO. Shawn Khunkhun will be president, and Mike Clark will be executive vice president and CFO.

Van Nieuwenhuyse said the combination is designed to take advantage of an unusually strong pricing environment for precious metals. “This merger is an exciting transaction for both Contango and Dolly Varden shareholders given the complementary and synergistic nature of our North American asset portfolios,” he commented.

Van Nieuwenhuyse also highlighted that Manh Choh’s cashflow provides “a source of non-dilutive funding to advance development” of Lucky Shot, Johnson Tract and Kitsault Valley.

For his part, Khunkhun added that the combined platform would be Canada and US-centric and will position the company for aggressive exploration and potential acquisitions.

For the new company, higher silver prices enhance the attractiveness of the Kitsault Valley project in British Columbia, where Dolly Varden recently completed more than 56,000 meters of drilling.

Early results included 1,422 grams per metric ton silver over 21.7 meters at the Wolf vein and high-grade gold intercepts at Homestake Silver. Historic production from the district exceeds 20 million ounces.

In Alaska, Contango brings three advanced projects. Manh Choh, operated by Kinross Gold (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC), produced 173,400 ounces of gold in the first nine months of 2025, generating US$87 million in distributions to Contango.

The Lucky Shot project, permitted and undergoing a major drill program, is targeting a multi-hundred-thousand-ounce resource.

Johnson Tract, a gold-silver-zinc project recently accepted for FAST-41 federal permitting, carries an initial assessment outlining a US$615 million net present value at US$4,000 per ounce gold.

The timing is notable as silver has climbed to its highest price on record. The metal broke its previous all-time high in October and repeatedly tested resistance through the fall before decisively surpassing US$54 on November 28. Silver later surged again following the US Federal Reserve’s December rate cut, with its latest record of US$64.31 set on December 11.

Analysts attribute the rally partially to shifting macro conditions, including renewed expectations of quantitative easing after the Fed signaled it would begin buying short-term Treasuries.

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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Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Sirios Resources Gains 120 Percent

The Bank of Canada Governing Council met on Wednesday (December 10) for the final rate-setting meeting of 2025 and decided to hold its benchmark rate at 2.25 percent. Analysts had widely expected the central bank to maintain the rate and anticipate it remaining unchanged through the start of 2026.

The decision came after Statistics Canada’s jobs report, released December 5, showed that Canada’s labor force remained resilient through November, with 54,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate dropping 0.4 percentage points to 6.5 percent.

Additionally, the BoC noted that Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 2.6 percent during the third quarter despite domestic demand remaining flat. Looking ahead, it expects fourth-quarter GDP to be weak as exports decline, but anticipates growth to pick up in 2026.

The council suggested that the 2.25 percent rate was the right level to keep inflation near 2 percent while providing enough support for the economy amid uncertainty from US trade policy.

South of the Border, the US Federal Reserve also held its final rate-setting meeting of the year on Tuesday (December 9) and Wednesday. It chose to go in a different direction, lowering its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to the 3.5 to 3.75 percent range.

However, in his statements, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell hinted that the committee may pause some future rate cuts as it takes time to parse data and analyze the effects of the three rate cuts on the US economy.

Powell also stated that there was concern that the Bureau of Labor Statistics may be significantly overestimating the number of jobs created within the US economy by about 60,000 jobs per month, meaning it could actually be losing an average of 20,000 per month.

Due to the government shutdown, the BLS didn’t release September’s jobs report until November 20, which showed growth of 119,000 employees. The agency also noted that it wouldn’t be releasing October’s numbers and would roll them into November’s report, which was delayed until December 16.

A report from human resources firm ADP showed that private employment in November declined by 32,000 jobs, noting that employers have been cautious amid economic uncertainty and cautious consumers.

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

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets saw mixed gains this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was little changed, gaining just 0.1 percent over the week to close Friday at 31,527.39 and the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) was also flat rising 0.17 percent to 954.61.

On the other hand, the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) spiked 15.63 percent to close at 180.36 alongside a surge in cannabis stocks on Friday after it was reported that the White House was planning to reschedule cannabis this coming Monday (December 15).

The gold price reacted positively to the Fed’s rate cut gaining 2.44 percent on the week with the biggest gains coming at the end of the week, to reach US$4,299.86 per ounce on Friday at 4 p.m. EST.

Meanwhile, the silver price continued soaring with a substantial weekly gain of 6.12 percent, setting a new all time high of US$64.65 per ounce in morning trading on Friday before slipping to end the day at US$61.95.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price ended the week down 1.46 percent at US$5.37 per pound.

The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) fell 2.63 percent to end Friday at 545.47.

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. Sirios Resources (TSXV:SOI)

Weekly gain: 120 percent
Market cap: C$48.26 million
Share price: C$0.165

Sirios Resources is a gold exploration company advancing a portfolio of projects in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Québec, Canada.

The company’s Aquilon property covers 7,100 hectares and hosts over 30 gold showings. It’s the subject of a December 2022 earn-in agreement that could see Sumitomo Metal and Mining earn up to an 80 percent interest through exploration commitments and cash payments totaling C$14.8 million.

On December 4, Sirios released assay results from a 13 hole, 5,420 meter drill program carried out at Aquilon during the summer targeting an underexplored area west of historic showings. Highlights from the program included one hole with 2.55 grams per metric ton (g/t) of gold over 4.8 meters, which included an interval of 10.3 g/t over 1 meter.

Sumitomo funded the program and pushes its exploration investments beyond the C$4.8 million commitment needed to earn a 51 percent stake in the project.

Sirios also owns the 15,700 hectare Cheechoo project, which hosts the namesake deposit. A mineral resource estimate included in an August 2025 technical report demonstrated a total indicated resource of 1.26 million ounces of gold with an average grade of 1.12 g/t from 34.99 metric tons of ore, with an additional inferred resource of 1.67 million ounces with an average grade of 1.23 g/t from 42.72 million metric tons.

On Thursday (December 11), Sirios announced it entered into an arrangement to acquire private company OVI Mining, which was recently spun-out of Electric Elements Mining, a subsidiary of Osisko Development (TSXV:ODV) and O3 Mining.

The two will merge to create a Québec-focused gold company with a district-scale land package centred on the Cheechoo deposit and supported by OVI’s Corvet Est and PLEX projects.

Jean-Felix Lepage, former Vice President of Project Development at O3 Mining, will become the CEO of the combined company. The deal is also backed by Osisko, whose CEO Sean Roosen and Vice President of Strategic Development Laurence Farmer will join the board upon the closing of the deal.

Sirios Founder and CEO Dominique Doucet said, “By integrating their experience as industry leaders in corporate finance and mine development with our deep knowledge of geology and exploration, we will work diligently towards advancing our flagship Cheechoo deposit into gold production.”

2. Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas (TSXV:EOG,OTC Pink:ECAOF)

Weekly gain: 78.38 percent
Market cap: C$99.3 million
Share price: C$0.33

Eco Atlantic is an oil and gas exploration company focused on a portfolio of offshore assets in the Atlantic Ocean.

Its holdings include a 100 percent interest in the Orinduik block and a 1.3 percent interest in ExxonMobil’s Canje Block off the coast of Guyana; an 85 percent working interest in PEL 97, 99 and 100 in the Wavis basin off the coast of Namibia; and, off the coast of South Africa, a 75 percent working interest in Block 1 and a 5.25 percent interest in Block 3B/4B.

The most recent news from Eco came on December 4, when it entered into a farm-in agreement with Navitas Petroleum.

Under the terms of the deal, Navita will pay US$2 million up front for the exclusive options to earn an 80 percent interest in the Orinduik block for an additional US$2.5 million payment, and a 47.5 percent interest in Block 1 in South Africa for an additional US$4 million. If Navita exercises the agreements, it will become the operator of the assets as well.

3. Karnalyte Resources (TSX:KRN)

Weekly gain: 65.63 percent
Market cap: C$11.72 million
Share price: C$0.265

Karnalyte Resources is an exploration and development company advancing its Wynyard potash project in Central Saskatchewan, Canada.

The property consists of three primary mineral leases covering 367 square kilometers east of Saskatoon.

Shares in Karnalyte have been climbing since it released an updated feasibility study for the project on November 26. The study demonstrated economic viability, according to Karnalyte, with an after-tax net present value of C$2.04 billion, an internal rate of return of 12.5 percent, a payback period of 8.8 years, and a mine life of 70 years.

The company also stated that development would benefit from a secured offtake agreement under which India-based GFSC would purchase 350,000 metric tons per year during Phase 1, with additional commitments for 250,000 metric tons per year after Phase 2 is complete.

4. PJX Resources (TSXV:PJX)

Weekly gain: 82.35 percent
Market cap: C$26.17 million
Share price: C$0.155

PJX Resources is an exploration company focused on gold, silver and base metal properties in British Columbia, Canada.

The company has largely been exploring claims around Cranbrook, in the southeast portion of the province. PJX has been focused on the Cranbrook area due to the co-existence of a significant base metals deposit with untapped gold potential.

The region is home to the historic Sullivan mine, which produced most of the region’s production of over 285 million ounces of silver, 8.5 million metric tons of lead and 8 million metric tons of zinc.

Additionally, the company states that the region may be responsible for more than 1.5 million ounces of historic placer gold production, but significant gold deposits have not yet been discovered.

In total, the company has amassed a land claim of over 50,000 hectares in the region, centered around these historic claim sites.

On Thursday, PJX announced that it had discovered a large sedimentary exhalative mineralized system at its Dewdney Trail property. The company said that recent drilling intersected 63 meters of anomalous mineralization in the Quake zone, including zinc, lead, silver and other critical metals, and that it bears similarities to bands of mineralization from the Sullivan mine.

Additionally, the company said that exploration discovered boulders 800 meters south along strike from the drilling area with assays of 546 g/t silver, 32.3 percent lead, and 4.89 percent zinc.

5. Triumph Gold (TSXV:TIG)

Weekly gain: 64.56 percent
Market cap: C$30.63 million
Share price: C$0.65

Triumph Gold is an explorer and developer advancing projects in the Yukon and BC, Canada, and Utah, United States.

Its three properties in the Yukon are all within the Dawson Range and consist of its flagship Freegold Mountain project, which has 20 identified mineral resources hosting gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, lead and zinc deposits; the Tad/Toro copper, gold and molybdenum project; and the Big Creek copper and gold project.

Triumph’s property in Northern BC is called Andalusite Peak, and on June 4, the company announced the acquisition of the Coyote Knoll silver-gold property in Utah.

On May 9, the company announced it had refined its exploration focus on geochemical surveys and detailed geological mapping at the Andalusite Peak project, and defined new targets at Freegold Mountain.

Triumph’s most recent update came on November 27, when it closed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$1.94 million.

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 May 2025, there were 1,565 companies listed on the TSXV, 910 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,899 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

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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PPC, Lundin Freeze 2026 Processing Fees as Smelters Near Breaking Point

Japan’s largest copper smelter has secured a rare reprieve in one of the tightest processing-fee environments the industry has ever seen.

According to media reports, Pan Pacific Copper has agreed with Lundin Mining (TSX:LUN,OTC Pink:LUNMF) to roll over treatment and refining charges for 2026 rather than cut them further.

People familiar with the deal said the commercial terms will remain broadly unchanged from this year, preserving a fee structure that has already fallen to historic lows.

TC/RCs, which are the fees miners pay smelters to process copper concentrate, usually move in tandem with global supply trends.

But the collapse this year has been so severe that spot charges have turned decisively negative. Many smelters warn the industry is near breaking point, especially in Asia, where Chinese refiners have built capacity far ahead of available concentrate.

The Lundin-PPC rollover diverges from the wide expectation that fees will fall further next year.

It follows a warning in October from Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) that it plans to abandon the traditional benchmark-setting system to help keep smelters afloat.

The arrangement also suggests miners with long-term industrial ties to Japan are willing to make commercial concessions to avoid further financial stress on their customers.

A spokesperson for Lundin declined to comment on the deal. PPC said it could not address the details of individual contracts.

For decades, annual copper contracts have been anchored by the first major deal of the year, often involving Chinese smelters since the 2010s.

But the system has become strained as the benchmark collapses and Chinese refiners resist setting a price that could turn negative. This year’s benchmark was set at a record low of US$21.25 a ton and 2.125 cents a pound.

The dynamics are particularly complex for Japanese smelters. PPC’s parent, JX Advanced Metals (OTC Pink:JXAMY,TSE:5016), holds a 30 percent stake in Lundin’s Caserones mine in Chile, giving both sides a long-term interest in keeping operations stable.

Last month, PPC announced a plan to merge its purchasing and sales functions with Mitsubishi Materials, a move aimed at strengthening Japan’s collective buying power in a challenging market.

The pressures are most acute in China, where this year’s negative TC/RCs have prompted emergency supply-side intervention.

The China Smelters Purchase Team, representing the country’s largest refiners, recently agreed to cut output by more than 10 percent next year to counter what it called “malignant competition.”

According to Shanghai Metals Market, the CSPT also established new oversight mechanisms to police procurement practices and blacklist suppliers deemed disruptive.

With Chinese smelters at an impasse over the 2026 benchmark, the industry enters the new year without clarity on where the market will settle.

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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InMed Provides Update on BayMedica Commercial Business

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) (‘InMed’ or the ‘Company’), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drug candidates for diseases with high unmet medical needs, today released the following statement.

Recently, H.R. 5371, the ‘Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026’ (the ‘Act‘) was signed into law.

The Company has been evaluating the impact of the Act with its advisors and believes that the Act, in its current form and without further amendment, will have a material negative impact on BayMedica Inc. (‘BayMedica‘), a subsidiary of the Company. Specifically, certain aspects of BayMedica’s commercial business and its inventory of rare, non-intoxicating cannabinoids would be prohibited under the Act if it comes into force on November 12, 2026, in its current form. BayMedica is evaluating the potential of creating alternative supply chain options in order to maintain continued regulatory compliance.

InMed Remains Focused on Core Pharmaceutical Programs

Despite the potential impact of the Act on BayMedica’s commercial operations, the new legislation does not affect InMed’s pharmaceutical drug development programs, which operate within the traditional drug approval pathway under FDA guidance. InMed remains fully committed to advancing its core pharmaceutical business. The Company continues to progress INM-901 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and INM-089 for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

InMed’s Evaluation of Potential Impact of Act on BayMedica

It is unknown to the Company whether the sections of the Act that would impact BayMedica will ultimately go into effect on November 12, 2026, or at all, or if those sections will be replaced, impacted or amended by subsequent acts of U.S. policymakers. The Company notes that this one-year window leading to November 2026 affords policymakers, the broader industry and the Company time to evaluate the regulatory framework and the implications of the Act in its current form to consider potential legislative remedies, regulatory clarifications, and additional stakeholder engagement. The Company supports a balanced, science-based regulatory approach that promotes consumer safety while preserving responsible access to non-intoxicating cannabinoid products.

BayMedica is evaluating alternative options and, in the meantime, is continuing to operate its business in the normal course as the Act is not currently scheduled to come into force until November 2026. BayMedica has not set a timetable for the conclusion of its evaluation, nor has it made any definitive decisions related to any potential alternative options at this time.

You should review this press release together with the Risk Factors, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the consolidated financial statements and footnotes in the Company’s latest Annual, Quarterly and Other Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of BayMedica’s contribution to the Company’s consolidated financial results and balance sheet that could be negatively impacted if the Act comes into force in its current form.

About InMed

InMed Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical drug development company focused on developing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drug candidates targeting the CB1/CB2 receptors. InMed’s pipeline consists of three separate programs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, ocular and dermatological indications. For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.

Investor Contact:
Colin Clancy
Vice President, Investor Relations
and Corporate Communications
T: +1.604.416.0999
E: ir@inmedpharma.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking information’) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements about the Act, the impact of the Act on BayMedica, any potential modifications to the Act and/or the timing thereof and the alternative options available to BayMedica and the Company.

With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, InMed has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things: its ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals on a timely basis, or at all, potential U.S. legislative changes and developments, if any; and continued economic and market stability. While InMed considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause InMed’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing InMed’s stand-alone business is disclosed in InMed’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, InMed’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Security and Exchange Commission on www.sec.gov.

All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and InMed disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/277952

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Rio Silver Closes the Acquisition of the Maria Norte Ag-Au-Pb-Zn Property in Central Peru

Rio Silver Inc. (the ‘Company’ or ‘Rio Silver’) (TSX.V: RYO,OTC:RYOOF) (OTC: RYOOF) announces that, following regulatory approval, the closing of the previously-announced transaction (the ‘Transaction’) with Peruvian Metals Corp. (‘Peruvian’) to acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Mamaniña Exploraciones S.A.C. (the ‘Subsidiary’), a Peruvian corporation, which holds mining rights in the Maria Norte project (the ‘Maria Norte Property’) located in Peru. The details and the terms of the Transaction are summarized in the Company’s previous press releases on March 26, June 25 and September 17, 2025.

Pursuant to the terms of the Transaction, on closing, Rio Silver has acquired from Peruvian 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Subsidiary. In consideration, Rio Silver issued to Peruvian 3,999,999 common shares of the Company, representing 9.27 of the Company’s issued and outstanding share capital (accounting for the recent 5:1 share consolidation completed on July 3, 2025), and, in addition, under the terms of the Transaction, the Company is required to pay an aggregate of US$250,000 by making semi-annual payments to Peruvian over a period of five years commencing on June 15, 2025. To date, the Company has made the following cash payments (i) CDN$15,000 upon signing; (ii) US$22,500 upon an amendment; and (ii) US$25,000 option payment on June 15, 2025, resulting in US$225,000 payable in remaining option payments.

A geological report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 in respect of the Maria Norte Property will be filed at the Company’s profile on SEDAR+.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF Rio Silver INC.

Chris Verrico
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information,

Christopher Verrico, President, CEO
Tel: (604) 762-4448
Email: chris.verrico@riosilverinc.com
Website: www.riosilverinc.com

This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable laws.

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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Tech Weekly: Investors Still Cautious on Tech Stocks Post-Fed Meeting

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

    Markets opened the week subdued with investors eyeing the US Federal Reserve’s rate decision, leading to modest gains in the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) and the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX).

    Reports of US President Donald Trump’s approval for NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) H200 chip sales to China boosted chip stocks and sustained AI enthusiasm. Tuesday’s (December 9) JOLTS report delivered data suggesting a cooling labour market amid tariff uncertainty but offering limited new clarity ahead of the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting.

    Markets rallied sharply on Wednesday (December 10) after the meeting resulted in a 25 basis point rate cut to 3.5 to 3.75 percent; however, Nasdaq gains were tempered, hinting at continued caution around AI capex sustainability ahead of earnings from Oracle and Broadcom.

    Rate-sensitive areas like financials and industrials led the rally, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) ahead of the Nasdaq, which closed slightly down. This highlighted a shift from tech dominance to a more diversified market. The S&P ended up 0.21 percent at a record 6,901.

    Markets interpreted Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s measured tone during his post-meeting press conference — hawkish on cuts but dovish on recession — as reinforcing a gradual easing despite tariff caution.

    Gains moderated toward the end of the week as Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) and Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) reported earnings that garnered a mixed reaction from investors and analysts.

    Tech stocks have whipsawed in recent weeks, rallying on Fed rate cut bets and trade negotiation optimism before sharp pullbacks triggered by AI bubble fears and overvaluation concerns.

    3 tech stocks moving markets this week

    1. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

    Nvidia’s shares initially surged on Tuesday (December 9) on reports that President Trump would permit H200 exports to pre-approved Chinese clients, subject to a 25 percent US federal surcharge.

    However, these early gains diminished as further reports emerged that Beijing is reviewing its domestic chip prioritization strategy.

    Meanwhile, companies like ByteDance and Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) are reportedly seeking large orders, pending approval. On Friday, Reuters reported that Nvidia is considering increasing H200 chip output due to robust Chinese demand. Its share price was US$175.02 at Friday’s close, a modest decrease of 4.35.

    2. Oracle (NYSE:ORCL)

    Oracle shares dropped over 7 percent after hours on Wednesday after the company’s Q2 earnings missed revenue forecasts, coming at US$16.1 billion compared to expectations of US$16.2 billion.

    The report showed cloud sales rose 34 percent, while infrastructure revenue increased by 68 percent. Both figures were below analyst expectations of 35 and 71 percent, respectively.

    Oracle shares plunged further after executives disclosed on a conference call that this fiscal year’s capital expenditure would reach around US$50 billion, higher than prior guidance, including around US$12 billion spent this quarter on data centers.

    On a more positive note, some analysts viewed capex as a strategic investment, citing AI’s growth potential and pointing to Oracle’s US$523 billion backlog of deals with companies like Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Nvidia.

    Oracle shares closed more than 16 percent lower this week at a price of US$189.97 on Friday afternoon.

    3. Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO)

    Conversely, Broadcom shares rose post-market on Thursday after reporting its Q4 2025 earnings results, which revealed a 74 percent increase in AI chip revenue, with custom XPUs now comprising 65 percent of its semiconductor business.

    Total revenue reached US$18.02 billion year-over-year, exceeding expectations of US$17.46 billion.

    Looking ahead, the company projects semiconductor revenue to double to US$8.2 billion in the next fiscal year. Q1 2026 guidance calls for US$19.1 billion total revenue.

    During the earnings call, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan named Anthropic as the newly qualified fourth hyperscale, confirming its US$11 billion additional order for custom XPUs and AI racks. Shipments are expected to ramp up in late FY26.

    After an initial rise, stocks fell during the call after the company guided low quarterly growth for its non-AI chips and a tax rate increase to 16.5 percent due to normalized post-acquisition tax benefits expiring.

    Still, JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) analyst Vivek Arya reset his price target on Broadcom stock from US$460 to US$500 on Friday (December 12).

    Despite the positive sentiment, Broadcom shares saw a decline of 11.79 to US$359.93 from the start of the week due to Friday’s sell-off.

    Broadcom, Nvidia and Oracle’s performance, December 8 to 12, 2025.

    Chart via Google Finance.

    Top tech news of the week

        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) declined by 3.88 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) saw a gain of 1.31 percent.

        The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also decreased by 3.71 percent.

        Tech news to watch next week

        Speeches from Fed Governors Stephen Miran and Christopher J. Waller on Monday (December 15) and Wednesday (December 17) next week may further clarify the Fed’s dot plot.

        Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem will also speak in Montreal on Tuesday (December 16), while key jobs, manufacturing and retail sales data in the US throughout the week could shift rate cut bets, pressuring growth stocks.

        Earnings from Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) and BlackBerry (TSX:BB) will be released on Wednesday and Thursday (December 18), respectively.

        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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        Investing

        Spartan Metals Terminates Investor Relations Agreement

        (TheNewswire)

        Vancouver, Canada, December 12, 2025 TheNewswire – Spartan Metals Corp. (‘ Spartan ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) (TSX-V: W | OTCQB: SPRMF | FSE: J03) announces, effectively immediately, it has terminated the previously announced (November 17, 2025) investor relations agreement with ValPal Management Consultancy.

        About Spartan Metals Corp.

        Spartan Metals is focused on developing critical minerals projects in well-established and stable mining jurisdictions in the Western United States, with an emphasis on building a portfolio of diverse strategic defense minerals such as Tungsten, Rubidium, Antimony, Bismuth, and Arsenic.

        Spartan’s flagship project is the Eagle Project in eastern Nevada that consists of the highest-grade historic tungsten resource in the USA (the past-producing Tungstonia Mine) along with significant under-defined resources consisting of: high-grade rubidium; antimony; bismuth; indium; as well as precious and base metals. More information about Spartan Metals can be found at www.SpartanMetals.com

        On behalf of the Board of Spartan

        ‘Brett Marsh’

        President, CEO & Director

        Further Information:

        Brett Marsh, M.Sc., MBA, CPG

        President, CEO & Director

        1-888-535-0325

        info@spartanmetals.com

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

        Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

        News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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        Investing

        Editor’s Picks: Silver Price Sets New Record as Fed Cuts Rates, Gold Retakes US$4,300

        2025 is drawing to a close, and silver seems determined to end the year with a bang.

        The white metal’s breakout continued this week, with the price crashing through US$60 per ounce and continuing on up, even briefly passing US$64. It ultimately finished at just under US$62.

        Year-to-date silver is now up over 110 percent, far outpacing gold’s gain of about 63 percent.

        Its latest rise kicked off on November 28, the same day the Comex experienced an outage that lasted about 10 hours. Since then, positive drivers have continued to pile up.

        Chief among them this week was the most recent interest rate reduction from the US Federal Reserve. As was widely expected, the central bank made a 25 basis point cut at its meeting, which wrapped up on Wednesday (December 10), taking the target range to 3.5 to 3.75 percent.

        Both silver and gold tend to fare better in lower-rate environments, and while gold remains below its all-time high, it retook the US$4,300 per ounce level this week.

        Key Fed meeting takeaways

        It’s worth noting that although the Fed’s cut went through, three out of 12 officials voted against it, a situation that hasn’t happened since September 2019. Two wanted rates to stay the same, while Governor Stephen Miran was calling for a 50 basis point reduction.

        Miran took his spot on the Fed’s Board of Governors in September after being nominated by President Donald Trump, who has been critical of the Fed — and Chair Jerome Powell in particular — for not lowering rates as quickly as he would like. Powell’s term ends in May 2026, and it’s anticipated that his replacement will follow Trump’s vision. Kevin Hassett of the National Economic Council is said to be a strong contender, with 84 percent of respondents to a CNBC survey saying they think it will be him.

        While the Fed’s rate decision was in focus this week, market watchers are also closely eyeing its post-meeting statement, as well as press conference comments from Powell, to figure out what the central bank’s policy will look like heading into the new year and beyond.

        The latest dot plot shows that Fed officials expect only one rate cut in 2026, plus another in 2027. That’s unchanged from projections made in September, but experts have pointed out that the dot plot also highlights the growing divide between Federal Open Market Committee members.

        Another important facet is the news that the Fed will start buying short-dated bonds as of Friday (December 12), with an initial round involving purchasing US$40 billion worth of treasuries per month. This move comes after the end of quantitative tightening measures on December 1, and is being looked at as a step in the direction of quantitative easing.

        ‘This is basically another way of saying quantitative easing, and we’re going to continue to print money,’ said David Erfle of Junior Miner Junky. ‘The Federal Reserve is in a situation where, ‘Hey, we’ve got to continue to issue new debt to pay off the old debt.’ So now the yield curve is going to steepen as the Fed pivots toward these treasury bills, and private investors are going to have to absorb more duration risk. So basically, this means loose monetary conditions are on the way, and that’s positive for both gold and especially now silver.’

        Will the silver price keep rising?

        With that in mind, what exactly is next for the silver price?

        I’ve been asking guests on our channel where the metal goes from here, and many have said it’s becoming harder and harder to predict as silver enters uncharted territory.

        Peter Krauth of Silver Stock Investor and Silver Advisor said that a ‘relatively conservative’ outlook for 2026 would be US$70. However, he also emphasized that higher levels are possible:

        ‘It’s taken 45 years for (silver) to finally break out through that US$50 level. And so we’re in uncharted waters, uncharted territory, and this being the kind of market that we’re in — fundamentally, as well as macroeconomically, as well as geopolitically — I think odds are silver is going to continue to climb higher.

        ‘And I think it’s going to convert a lot of doubters into into believers that silver is going to go on setting new record highs, and that it’s still relatively early in this market. We’re going to see it perform very, very well for several more years.’

        For his part, Erfle weighed in on upside and downside for silver, outlining how the precious metal could get close to the US$100 level. Here’s what he said:

        ‘If you consider the supply/demand fundamentals, this is a fifth year of a supply deficit in silver, which has constantly been outpacing supply.

        ‘All these forces have converged to take the silver price so much higher, and looking at upside targets, the next target is the US$66, US$68 area, and then US$80 to US$83 if the momentum continues into January. But the long-term measured target of the cup-and-handle breakout is US$96.’

        I’ll be having more conversations about silver next week with experts like Gareth Soloway, John Rubino and John Feneck, so drop a comment on our YouTube channel if you have any questions.

        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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        Politics

        23 Dems join House Republicans to kill progressive’s Trump impeachment bid

        A lone progressive’s effort to impeach President Donald Trump failed Thursday, with nearly two dozen Democrats joining the House GOP to quash it.

        Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, moved to get a vote on two articles of impeachment Wednesday night via a privileged resolution, a mechanism allowing lawmakers to force action on a bill within two legislative days.

        Republicans called for a vote to table the measure on Thursday, a move that effectively kills consideration of the bill itself when a privileged resolution is called for.

        Twenty-three Democrats joined Republicans in pushing the impeachment aside. A significant number of Democrats also voted ‘present,’ including all three senior leaders — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.

        ‘Impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust. The effort traditionally requires a comprehensive investigative process, the collection and review of thousands of documents, an exacting scrutiny of the facts, the examination of dozens of key witnesses, Congressional hearings, sustained public organizing and the marshaling of the forces of democracy to build a broad national consensus,’ the trio said in a statement explaining their vote.

        ‘None of that serious work has been done, with the Republican majority focused solely on rubber stamping Donald Trump’s extreme agenda. Accordingly, we will be voting ‘present’ on today’s motion to table the impeachment resolution as we continue our fight to make life more affordable for everyday Americans.’

        The final vote fell 237 to 140, with 47 ‘present’ votes.

        Among the Democrats who voted to table the measure are Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., Josh Riley, D-N.Y., Jared Golden, D-Maine, Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Sharice Davids, D-Kan., Don Davis, D-N.C., Shomari Figures, D-Ala., and others.

        Green has filed articles of impeachment against Trump several times over the past year and notably was thrown out of the president’s joint address to Congress in March for repeatedly interrupting his speech.

        The latest impeachment push includes two articles charging abuse of power, according to legislative text viewed by Fox News Digital.

        The first count accuses Trump of calling for the ‘execution’ of six congressional Democrats. It was in response to Trump accusing those Democrats of ‘seditious behavior,’ which he said was ‘punishable by death’ after they posted a video urging military service members to refuse illegal orders by the federal government.

        The video caused a firestorm on the right, with the FBI opening an inquiry into those Democrats — who all defended their comments.

        Green’s second allegation of abuse of power charges Trump with having ‘fostered a political climate in which lawmakers and judges face threats of political violence and physical assault; and in this climate has made threats and vituperative comments against federal judges, putting at risk their safety and well-being, and undermining the independence of our judiciary.’

        But while the vast majority of Democrats have made no secret of their disdain and disagreements with Trump, it appears that few have the appetite to make a largely symbolic gesture toward impeachment.

        Even Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has side-stepped questions on supporting impeachment multiple times this year, including most recently on Dec. 1 when asked about the military’s double-tap strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in September.

        ‘Republicans will never allow articles of impeachment to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives. And we know that’s the case, because Donald Trump will order them not to do it. So what’s on the table is a meaningful investigation, which we can hope would be bipartisan,’ Jeffries said at the time.

        Even if the impeachment vote were to move forward, it’s all but certain that the GOP majority in the Senate would quickly dispense of it.

        This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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        DAVID MARCUS: Minnesota’s botched legal weed rollout reeks of DEI, corruption and Tim Walz

        MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – One would think that running a profitable legal marijuana industry would be just about the easiest thing in the world, but don’t tell that to the Democrat leadership of Minnesota, which allowed wokeness and apparent corruption to grind their legalization rollout into dust.

        Wherever one lands on the benefits or increasingly evident harms of marijuana legalization, once a state decides to do it, it has a responsibility to do it in a way that most benefits all the citizens. Of course, Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota Democrats made it all about social equity.

        The 2023 legalization legislation mandated that for a year and a half, only Indian reservations could obtain licenses, a form of reparations similar to when New York mind-numbingly mandated that only people with previous marijuana convictions could open stores.

        The upshot is that today, several dispensaries in the state have no product and others have a dwindling supply. One dispensary operator told me with a sigh, ‘We might get a new supply next week.’

        And that’s not all, because the state has not approved enough licenses for transporting the product, much of it is sitting at farms, unable to get to market.

        But the worst part of this, one very much related to the current scandal over fraud committed by Somali groups supposedly feeding kids, is that the legislation provides millions of dollars in grants and loans to start weed shops based on wokeness and DEI.

        For example, the CanStartUp program ‘is a loan program available to new cannabis microbusinesses,’ in which a non-profit hands out the taxpayer cash ‘with priority given to social equity applicants.’

        ‘Social Equity Applicants,’ can be roughly read to mean no White guys.

        Dr. Scott Jensen, one of several Republicans seeking to stop Walz from winning a third term next year, said it is part of a pattern with Walz and his cronies.

        ‘The Walz team has repeatedly been characterized by a willingness to play political hardball by picking winners and losers, focusing on preserving voting blocks, rewarding loyalty over competence, ignoring employee input, and squashing transparency,’ Jensen told me.

        John Nagel, a former state trooper running as a Republican against Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., had a harsher assessment.

        ‘Minnesota Democrats are recreating the exact conditions that led to the Feeding Our Future scandal, only this time they’re doing it inside the state’s new marijuana industry,’ he said. ‘When you look at the pattern, it’s unmistakable. The same political class that let Feeding Our Future flourish is now designing the cannabis market using the same toolkit—DEI language as political cover, nonprofit intermediaries with insider ties, and almost no accountability.’

        He’s got a point. Why does Minnesota need to hand out millions of dollars to nonprofits to teach people how to sell weed? It’s not hard, just hang up a sign and ring up the sales.

        This kind of corruption is nothing new. In the 1920s, Democratic Party machines gave out no-show patronage jobs down at the docks. Today, they hand out needless multimillion-dollar DEI contracts. It’s the same game.

        The job of the government is to make things run efficiently for all citizens, not to infuse every project or policy with DEI initiatives that are little more than payoffs to loyal voter groups. Nationwide, the amount of money shelled out for this nonsense is in the billions.

        In the wake of the Feeding our Future scandal, it is obvious that the nonprofits involved in this DEI weed initiative must be investigated. How can anyone now trust that the money isn’t being abused?

        The cherry on top of this abysmal situation is that the inability of legal dispensaries to serve their clientele is driving people back to the black market, which will result in increased marijuana arrests, the very thing this legislation was meant to prevent in the first place.

        It’s honestly amazing.

        Meanwhile, few people here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes even know any of this is happening, because the local news media, which simply calls this all a ‘logistics problem,’ acts more like accomplices than arbiters of truth.

        Walz and the Democrats in Minnesota have no more benefit of the doubt when it comes to shady laws that shower money on DEI-driven nonprofits. It’s time to see where these millions of dollars to train up the next generation of cannabis workers really went.

        Perhaps the state can show that spending these millions of dollars had some positive result for Minnesota, but right now, it seems far more likely that the money just went up in smoke.

        This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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