The dollar index (DXY00) today is down by -0.45%. The dollar is under pressure today after the British pound, the euro, and Japanese yen rallied when the BOE, ECB, and BOJ made hawkish comments about the inflationary aspects of soaring energy prices from the war in Iran. Losses in the dollar accelerated today after the US Jan new home sales …
Continue ReadingAs the geopolitical race to secure alternative sources for critical minerals heats up, interest in Central Asia’s mining sector has kicked into a new gear. “Critical minerals” are all the rage these days, and for good reason: these are the raw materials that go into making any technologically advanced product, from a smartphone to a fighter jet. And many of …
Continue ReadingBlackRock World Mining Trust smashed its comparative benchmark with returns over 2025 after a “very strong year”, and noted a “supportive” backdrop for the mining sector despite current macro uncertainty and geopolitical volatility. Net asset value per share (NAV) total return for the year was 74.2%, compared with returns from the reference index (MSCI ACWI Metals & Mining) of 64.2% and …
Continue ReadingLithium is emerging as a strategic resource, pushing Europe to develop domestic mining and reduce dependence on Chinese-controlled critical mineral supply chains. In recent years, the European Union (EU) has become increasingly focused on the strategic implications of concentrated supply chains. Lithium is emerging as a resource for the 21st-century economy, with an importance comparable to that of petroleum in the 20th …
Continue ReadingInflation, higher interest rates and a strong dollar are bad for gold prices. On the other hand, war, geopolitical stress, bad job reports and stagflation are good for gold. The consensus on gold prices for 2026 is cautiously bullish, with many analysts expecting the precious metal to consolidate at higher levels. I believe gold will see resistance at $5,000, with $100-200 …
Continue ReadingOil above $100. The economy just lost 92,000 jobs. India opens institutional silver buying in 19 days. And the mining industry can’t respond. On March 12, Brent crude closed above $100 per barrel for the first time since August 2022—after Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared that the Strait of Hormuz must remain closed. The International Energy Agency responded by announcing the largest …
Continue ReadingGold miners with large open-pit operations could face the biggest margin pressure from the conflict in the Middle East as higher oil prices threaten to lift fuel and consumable costs in the near term, Jefferies says. Open-pit mines are particularly vulnerable to fuel inflation because diesel powers haul trucks, electricity generation and much of the processing chain, Jefferies mining analysts led by …
Continue ReadingAs American diplomacy dramatically shifts under President Trump, experts warn of “major policy ramifications” in Myanmar. On July 17 last year, an American businessman named Adam Castillo visited the White House. Speaking to advisors of Vice President J.D. Vance, he pitched options for the United States to seek access to Myanmar’s rare earths. Following the meeting, he told Reuters that he had …
Continue ReadingThe United States has poured more than $1 billion into critical minerals investments across Latin America since January 2025, signalling a more assertive effort by Washington to secure supplies of lithium, copper and rare earths vital to energy, defence and advanced technology. The spending surge under the second Trump administration reflects a broader shift in how governments view mining, with …
Continue ReadingOn March 3, 2026, at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (“PDAC”) Convention in Toronto, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources unveiled a comprehensive investment package totaling over $3.6 billion to advance Canada’s critical minerals sector. The announcement by the Hon. Tim Hodgson reflects the Government of Canada’s commitment to end-to-end domestic value chains for critical minerals – from extraction …
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