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August 20, 2025

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S&P 500 Breaking Out Again: What This Means for Your Portfolio

The S&P 500 ($SPX) just logged its fifth straight trading box breakout, which means that, of the five trading ranges the index has experienced since the April lows, all have been resolved to the upside.

How much longer can this last? That’s been the biggest question since the massive April 9 rally. Instead of assuming the market is due to roll over, it’s been more productive to track price action and watch for potential changes along the way. So far, drawdowns have been minimal, and breakouts keep occurring. Nothing in the price action hints at a lasting change — yet.

While some are calling this rally “historic,” we have a recent precedent. Recall that from late 2023 through early 2024, the index had a strong start and gave way to a consistent, steady trend.

From late October 2023 through March 2024, the S&P 500 logged seven consecutive trading box breakouts. That streak finally paused with a pullback from late March to early April, which, as we now know, was only a temporary hiccup. Once the bid returned, the S&P 500 went right back to carving new boxes and climbing higher.

New 52-Week Highs Finally Picking Up

If there’s been one gripe about this rally, it’s that the number of new highs within the index has lagged. As we’ve discussed before, among all the internal breadth indicators available, new highs almost always lag — that’s normal. What we really want to see is whether the number of new highs begins to exceed prior peaks as the market continues to rise, which it has, as shown by the blue line in the chart below.

As of Wednesday’s close, 100 S&P 500 stocks were either at new 52-week highs or within 3% of them. That’s a strong base. We expect this number to continue rising as the market climbs, especially if positive earnings reactions persist across sectors.

Even when we get that first day with 100+ S&P 500 stocks making new 52-week highs, though, it might not be the best time to initiate new longs.

The above chart shows that much needs to align for that many stocks to peak in unison, which has historically led to at least a short-term consolidation, if not deeper pullbacks — as highlighted in yellow. Every time is different, of course, but this is something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

Trend Check: GoNoGo Still “Go”

The GoNoGo Trend remains in bullish mode, with the recent countertrend signals having yet to trigger a greater pullback.

Active Bullish Patterns

We still have two live bullish upside targets of 6,555 and 6,745, which could be with us for a while going forward. For the S&P 500 to get there, it will need to form new, smaller versions of the trading boxes.

Failed Bearish Patterns

In the chart below, you can view a rising wedge pattern on the recent price action, the third since April. The prior two wedges broke down briefly and did not lead to a major downturn. The largest pullbacks in each case occurred after the S&P 500 dipped below the lower trendline of the pattern.

The deepest drawdown so far is 3.5%, which is not exactly a game-changer. Without downside follow-through, a classic bearish pattern simply can’t be formed, let alone be broken down from.

We’ll continue to monitor these formations as they develop because, at some point, that will change.

Crypto Market Update: South Korea and Japan Set Stablecoin Plans in Motion

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (August 18) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

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

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$116,339, a 1.1 percent decline in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$114,985, while its highest was US$116,751.

Bitcoin price performance, August 18, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Markets pulled back considerably on Sunday (August 17) night ahead of a pivotal meeting between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders.

Later this week, US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will deliver a speech after the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium. His remarks are highly anticipated by investors who are looking for clarity on the Fed’s next move.

Ethereum (ETH) was priced at US$4,359.32, down by 2.3 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was $4,282.60, and its highest valuation was US$4,381.21.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$183.41, down by 4.4 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$181.21, while its highest level was US$184.80.
  • XRP was trading for US$3.08, down 0.6 percent in the past 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest was US$2.98.
  • Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.62, down by 4.6 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.55, while its highest was US$3.64.
  • Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.92, down 3.7 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$0.9026, while its highest was US$0.9283.

Today’s crypto news to know

South Korea to introduce stablecoin regulations

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) is set to introduce a regulatory framework for a won-backed stablecoin in October, according to a report from South Korean news outlet MoneyToday.

The initiative, part of the nation’s Virtual Asset User Protection Act, aims to establish clear rules for crypto service providers and is expected to outline requirements for stablecoin issuance, collateral management and internal control systems. The FSC has been developing this framework since 2023 through its virtual asset committee.

Democratic Party of Korea Representative Park Min-kyu confirmed that the government bill is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly around October. This regulatory move follows a June collaboration among major South Korean banks to develop a won-pegged stablecoin, intended to safeguard the currency against increasing dollar dominance. At the time, the token was projected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026.

Japan prepares to issue stablecoin in Q3

Japan is also set to approve its first stablecoin, with its Financial Services Agency preparing to greenlight the issuance of a Japanese yen-denominated digital currency as early as this fall.

According to a Sunday report from Japanese news outlet the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Tokyo-based fintech firm JPYC will spearhead the initiative, aiming to maintain a fixed value of one JPY per Japanese yen, backed by liquid assets like bank deposits and Japanese government bonds.

Tokens will be issued to digital wallets via bank transfer after purchase applications from individuals or corporations. The company plans to register as a money transfer business within the month.

Gemini, Winklevoss twins file for Nasdaq listing

Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, has formally filed to go public with plans for a Nasdaq listing under the ticker GEMI. Founded in 2014, the company says it has processed US$285 billion in lifetime trading volume, with custodies of over US$18 billion in digital assets as of June 30.

Its registration statement does not specify how many shares will be offered or at what price range.

In the filing, the Winklevoss twins said crypto is entering “a new Golden Age,” emphasizing their vision of financial markets moving increasingly on-chain. They describe Gemini as a “super app” for digital assets, offering trading, custody and broader crypto financial services under one platform.

If successful, Gemini would join Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) as one of the few US exchanges to list publicly, offering investors direct equity exposure to crypto market infrastructure.

Amdax unveils Bitcoin treasury firm, plans Euronext Amsterdam listing

Amsterdam-based Amdax announced plans to list a new Bitcoin treasury firm, Amsterdam Bitcoin Treasury Strategy (AMBTS), on the Euronext Amsterdam exchange.

The company said the goal is to create a vehicle that holds Bitcoin long term on behalf of institutional and private investors, reflecting growing corporate adoption of digital reserves.

CEO Lucas Wensing noted that more than 10 percent of Bitcoin’s supply is already held by corporations, governments and institutions, suggesting a structural shift in how the asset is used.

Bitcoin’s rally of 32 percent in 2025, alongside pro-crypto regulatory momentum following Trump’s election, has reinforced the case for such vehicles. AMBTS plans to raise capital in a private round before listing, with a long-term target of accumulating at least 1 percent of total Bitcoin supply.

The move could make Euronext Amsterdam a more prominent hub for European digital asset investment products, challenging London and Frankfurt.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Silver Miners Deliver Record Q2 Earnings as Price Breaks Out

Top silver miners around the world delivered a slate of strong second quarter earnings reports as a mixture of higher metals prices and production gains boosted results across the sector.

The silver price has broken decisively above the US$35 per ounce level, rising to levels not seen in over a decade. Its run has been fueled by a structural supply deficit and robust industrial demand.

Analysts also note that silver is finally beginning to catch up with gold — the gold-silver ratio has narrowed from April’s peak of 105 to around 94, signaling the white metal’s relative strength.

Read on for details on Q2 earnings from major silver producers.

Pan American delivers record net earnings

Pan American Silver (TSX:PAAS,NYSE:PAAS) posted record net earnings of US$189.6 million, or US$0.52 per share, for the second quarter, supported by record mine operating earnings of US$273.3 million. Revenue came in at US$811.9 million, while silver output reached 5.1 million ounces and gold production was 178,700 ounces.

The firm’s acquisition of MAG Silver (TSX:MAG,NYSEAMERICAN:MAG), which was approved by shareholders in July, is expected to close in the second half of the year. Pan American said MAG’s Juanicipio asset should lift its silver production by roughly 35 percent on an annualized basis and meaningfully lower all-in sustaining costs.

The company also confirmed that it remains engaged in consultations with the local Xinka parliament at the Escobal mine in Guatemala under ILO Convention 169 amid pushback regarding the project’s planned restart.

First Majestic reports record revenue

First Majestic Silver (TSX:AG,NYSE:AG) recorded its strongest quarter to date, with silver equivalent production rising 48 percent year-on-year to 7.9 million ounces, including 3.7 million ounces of silver.

The company also posted record quarterly revenue of US$264.2 million, nearly double the US$136.2 million recorded a year earlier. Average realized silver prices rose to US$34.62 per silver equivalent ounce, while payable sales volumes climbed 42 percent. First Majestic ended the quarter with 424,272 ounces of silver in inventory, valued at US$15.3 million (but not recognized in quarterly revenue). The board also declared a dividend of US$0.0048 per share.

Production gains were driven by stronger performance at the San Dimas mine in Mexico, where output rose 9 percent, and contributions from the Los Gatos joint venture, also in Mexico, which added 1.5 million attributable ounces of silver.

Endeavour Silver expands via Kolpa acquisition

Endeavour Silver (TSX:EDR,NYSE:EXK) reported Q2 silver production of 1.48 million ounces and gold output of 7,755 ounces, for total silver equivalent production of 2.5 million ounces, up 13 percent year-on-year.

The silver-focused company’s overall revenue rose 46 percent to US$85.3 million for the period, supported by higher realized prices of US$32.95 per ounce of silver and US$3,320 per ounce of gold.

Furthermore, the company completed its acquisition of Minera Kolpa on May 1, funded in part by a US$50 million equity financing. Endeavour also said that it has advanced commissioning at its Mexico-based Terronera project, which is nearing commercial production. Milling rates reached up to 2,000 metric tons per day by late July, with silver recoveries averaging 71 percent and gold recoveries at 67 percent.

Hecla Mining hits records across the board

Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL) reported record quarterly revenue of US$304 million, a 16 percent increase from the prior quarter. Net income came in at US$57.6 million, or US$0.09 per share, while adjusted EBITDA reached US$132.5 million. The company said free cashflow also reached record levels.

The US- and Canada-focused firm’s silver costs remained low, with cash cost per ounce after by-product credits at negative US$5.46 and all-in sustaining costs at US$5.19.

On the production side, milestones were set at key operations: the Lucky Friday mine (Idaho) established a new milling record of 114,475 metric tons, while Greens Creek (Alaska) delivered positive gold output owing to higher grades.

Silvercorp Metals maintains consistency

Silvercorp Metals (TSX:SVM,NYSEAMERICAN:SVM) produced 1.8 million ounces of silver in its fiscal first quarter of 2026, along with 2,050 ounces of gold, 15.7 million pounds of lead and 5.2 million pounds of zinc.

Output came from its Ying Mining District in China’s Henan Province. The firm also posted revenue of US$81.3 million, with income from mine operations standing at US$35.8 million. Silvercorp said that the margins are slightly lower compared to the prior year as higher processing volumes increased costs and royalties in China.

The company said even though higher royalties and processing expenses have offset some benefits of stronger realized prices, it remains profitable and cashflow positive.

Fresnillo reports lower silver output

Fresnillo (LSE:FRES,OTC Pink:FNLPF), one of Mexico’s largest gold and silver producers, reported revenues of US$1.94 billion for the first half of 2025, up 30 percent from the same period in 2024.

The company reported that attributable silver production was 24.9 million ounces in the first half, down 11.7 percent from the year prior due to the closure of San Julián DOB and lower grades at Ciénega and Juanicipio. By contrast, attributable gold production rose 15.9 percent to 313,800 ounces, supported by higher ore grades at Herradura.

Fresnillo also confirmed that parent company Industrias Peñoles agreed to buy back the longstanding Silverstream contract for US$40 million. Since 2007, Peñoles has paid Fresnillo US$882 million for approximately 52 million ounces of silver delivered from the Sabinas mine under the arrangement.

MAG Silver navigates takeover, advances exploration

MAG Silver entered Q2 under the spotlight as its pending acquisition by Pan American Silver moved forward.

The transaction, approved by MAG shareholders in July, offers shareholders the option of receiving either cash or Pan American shares, with closing expected in the second half of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals in Mexico.

Operationally, exploration remained active across the company’s portfolio.

At Juanicipio in Mexico, MAG drilled nearly 9,500 meters underground, with results pending, while surface work added over 6,000 meters targeting the Cañada Honda and Magdalena structures.

In the US, geophysical surveys advanced at the Deer Trail project in Utah, and drilling commenced at Ontario’s Larder project, where over 5,200 meters were completed at the Italian zone.

Avino delivers revenue growth, index inclusion

Avino Silver & Gold Mines (TSX:ASM,NYSEAMERICAN:ASM) posted strong second quarter financials, with revenues rising 47 percent year-on-year to US$21.8 million.

Net income more than doubled to US$2.9 million, while mine operating income surged 118 percent to US$10.2 million, supported by economies of scale and record mill throughput.

Production from the company’s portfolio of Mexican projects reached 645,602 silver equivalent ounces, a 5 percent increase despite lower feed grades, as throughput gains offset grade variability.

Beyond operations, Avino secured inclusions in both the S&P/TSX Global Mining Index (INDEXTSI:TXGM) and the Solactive Global Silver Miners Index during the quarter.

Coeur achieves record quarter on silver and gold strength

Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE) reported record Q2 results with revenues of US$481 million and net income from continuing operations of US$71 million, marking its fifth consecutive profitable quarter. Adjusted EBITDA rose 64 percent from the prior quarter to US$244 million, while free cashflow soared eightfold to US$146 million.

The company produced 4.7 million ounces of silver and 108,487 ounces of gold, up 79 and 38 percent year-on-year, respectively, with strong contributions from all five operations. Meanwhile, crushed ore rates and production volumes climbed sharply from the company’s expanded Rochester mine in Nevada. Coeur reaffirmed its full-year guidance of 380,000 to 440,000 ounces of gold and 16.7 million to 20.3 million ounces of silver.

Silver price outlook

Silver’s breakout above US$35 has injected new momentum into the precious metals complex, and has put silver back into focus after more than a decade of underperformance relative to gold.

Traders are already eyeing the psychologically important US$40 level and ultimately the 2011 peak near US$50, with market strategists noting that previous moves through the mid-US$30s have often triggered rapid runs higher.

The renewed excitement comes as the gold price sits at a historically high level, providing a strong comparative benchmark that has many investors looking to silver as a value trade.

Behind the price action, silver’s fundamentals remain compelling. Industrial demand tied to green energy applications, paired with persistent multi-year supply deficits, continues to erode aboveground stocks.

Whether or not silver makes a sustained run in the near term, the alignment of macroeconomic factors and strong tailwinds proves that silver’s resurgence in 2025 is being built on more than just speculation.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Group accused of using fake accounts to buy tickets to Taylor Swift and Springsteen shows

A ticket-reselling operation used a network of fake accounts to bypass Ticketmaster’s security protocols to grab hundreds of thousands of tickets to hugely popular tours for artists like Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen and then re-sold them for millions, federal regulators said Monday.

The Federal Trade Commission alleges the operation used illicit software that masked IP addresses, as well as repurposed credit cards and SIM phone cards, as part of the scheme. It was run through various guises, like TotalTickets.com, TotallyTix and Front Rose Tix, but was run by three key individuals, the agency said.

In total, the group is accused of buying 321,286 tickets to 3,261 live performances from June 2022 to December 2023, in bunches of 15 or more tickets to each event at a total cost of approximately $46.7 million and then reselling them for $52.4 million, netting approximately $5.7 million.

Taylor Swift.Lewis Joly / AP file

That includes $1.2 million from reselling tickets in 2023 for Taylor Swift’s record-breaking “The Eras Tour.” In one instance, the suspects used 49 different accounts to purchase 273 tickets for Swift’s March 2023 tour stop in Las Vegas, vastly exceeding Ticketmaster’s six-ticket limit, which they then sold for $120,000, the FTC alleges.

Another part of the alleged scheme involved using friends, family and paid strangers to open Ticketmaster accounts. The FTC says the defendants at one point printed up flyers in places like Baltimore claiming that participants could “make money doing verified van sign ups” in just “3 easy steps,” earning $5 for the account creation and $5 to $20 each time they received a Verified Fan presale code.

Ticketmaster came in for heavy criticism after fans complained of faulty technology and eye-watering prices for 2022 sales for Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen’s tours. The Verified Fan pre-sale for Swift’s tour crashed its site, which it blamed on “bot attacks” and bot fans who didn’t have invite codes. It was subsequently forced to postpone the sale date for the general public seeking tickets to Swift’s tour “due to demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory.”

In response, Swift alluded to broken “trust” with Ticketmaster, though she didn’t name it directly.

“It’s really difficult for me to trust an outside entity with these relationships and loyalties, and excruciating for me to just watch mistakes happen with no recourse,” she wrote in an Instagram message in 2022, adding: “I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them multiple times if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could.”

Springsteen said in a statement at the time that “ticket buying has gotten very confusing, not just for the fans, but for the artists also” but that most of his tickets are “totally affordable.”

In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order focused on curbing exploitative ticket reselling practices that raise costs for fans.

On Monday, FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said Trump’s order made clear ‘that unscrupulous middlemen who harm fans and jack up prices through anticompetitive methods will hear from us.”

“Today’s action puts brokers on notice that the Trump-Vance FTC will police operations that unlawfully circumvent ticket sellers’ purchase limits, ensuring that consumers have an opportunity to buy tickets at fair prices,” he said in a statement.

Ticketmaster itself has remained under federal scrutiny for violating a prior agreement to curb what regulators said was anti-competitive behavior. In 2024, the Justice Department and FTC under President Joe Biden opened a lawsuit against Ticketmaster’s parent company, LiveNation, that accused it of monopolizing the live events industry.

It was not immediately clear whether that suit is still active. In July, the parent company of the alleged operation charged Monday by the FTC, Key Investment Group, sued the agency to block its pending investigation into its sales practices, saying that ticket purchases on its site did not use automated software, or bots, and did not violate the 2016 Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act.

Representatives for the FTC and Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Ticketmaster is not accused of wrongdoing in the latest suit. It did not respond to a request for comment.

Strangely, in the latest complaint, the FTC includes a slide from an internal Ticketmaster presentation from 2018 that suggests the company was weighing the economic impact of imposing stricter purchasing caps that would curb bots but potentially hurt its finances. On a page labeled “evaluating potential actions” a data table is shown under the heading “serious negative economic impact if we move to 8 ticket limit across the board.”

It also includes an email from one of the defendants in which he “owns up” to having exceeded the ticket-purchase limit for a May 2024 Bad Bunny show in Miami and offers to have the orders canceled, to which a Ticketmaster rep simply responds that “as long as the purchases were made using different accounts and cards, it’s within the guidelines.”

Efforts to reach the three defendants — Taylor Kurth, Elan Rozmaryn and Yair Rozmaryn — named in the suit announced Monday were unsuccessful. In 2018, Kurth signed a deal, or consent decree, with regulators in the state of Washington that committed him to not use software designed to circumvent companies’ security policies.

The FTC is seeking unspecified damages and civil penalties against the defendants.

CORRECTION (Aug. 19, 2025, 11:41 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this article incorrectly named a party suing the FTC and which investigation it was suing over. Key Investment Group, the parent of the alleged operation cited in the suit filed Monday by the FTC, sued the agency in July to halt an investigation into its practices. Ticketmaster and its parent, Live Nation, are not directly involved in that investigation or Key’s suit against the agency.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Best Buy launches third-party marketplace as it looks for sales drivers

Best Buy is launching a third-party marketplace, as it tries to bulk up the variety of merchandise it offers and reverse slower sales.

Starting on Tuesday, shoppers who go to Best Buy’s website and app will see products and brands that weren’t available there before, including more tech-related accessories like custom video game controllers and some nontech items including seasonal decor and sports collectibles.

The company’s online marketplace riffs off those of other retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart, by relying on third-party sellers to stock, sell and ship inventory and taking a cut of their sales in the form of a commission.

“Everything we do is really centered around the customer and their technology needs, and we do see customers actually doing a lot of consumer electronics transactions through marketplaces,” Chief Customer, Product and Fulfillment Officer Jason Bonfig said. “And as a result of that, we need to make adjustments to be where the customer’s at.”

He said Best Buy noticed gaps in its assortment that the new platform will help it fill. For instance, Bonfig said the company didn’t carry batteries for some older cameras or cases for older smartphones. And it didn’t offer some items that complement Best Buy purchases, such as furniture that goes around a big-screen TV or cookware to use with a new kitchen appliance.

Along with adding those items, the marketplace makes it possible for smaller vendors with innovative products to sell on Best Buy’s website when they’re not yet big enough to make or distribute the volume needed for its stores, he added.

Best Buy’s marketplace launches at a time when its business could use a boost. Its annual sales have declined over the past three years as the company contends with a sluggish housing market, selective consumer spending and a decline in device replacements after a spike in tech purchases during the Covid pandemic.

The company cut its sales outlook in May and said it expects full-year revenue to range from $41.1 billion to $41.9 billion. That would be similar to Best Buy’s annual revenue of $41.5 billion in the most recent fiscal year, but below the numbers it posted in the years leading up to and during the pandemic.

Best Buy will share its most recent earnings results and sales forecast on Aug. 28.

Tariffs have complicated the backdrop for Best Buy, too, since the higher duties have added costs for consumer electronics vendors and distracted them from other priorities like research and development that leads to new and innovative products, said Jonathan Matuszewski, a retail analyst at Jefferies. He said Best Buy tends to win sales instead of big-box or online competitors when there’s a leap forward in technology.

With the platform’s launch, Best Buy joins other retailers that have jumped on the trend of introducing or expanding third-party marketplaces. Lowe’s and Nordstrom started marketplaces last year. Ulta Beauty plans to launch its own later this year. And Target said it will expand its existing marketplace, Target Plus.

On Best Buy’s earnings call in May, CEO Corie Barry described the third-party marketplace as one of the company’s strategic priorities for the year. She said that new profit stream “is even more important in this environment” and will provide greater flexibility with the range of items and price points.

Plus, she said the marketplace supports the company’s growing advertising business. Sellers can buy ads for their products, including by paying for better placement in search results.

Marketplaces and the advertising opportunities that come with them tend drive higher profits for retailers, said Justin MacFarlane, a managing director for the global retail group of AlixPartners. Sellers buy, stock and ship products instead of the retailer, and take on both the expense of buying inventory and the risk that they may have to mark down unwanted items, he said.

Yet the business model comes with risks, too, he said. For instance, sellers may not have the same standards as a retailer and it could anger a retailer’s customers if they send products in torn boxes, with missing pieces or days later than expected. And he said retailers can flood their websites with so many different categories, brands and products that they overwhelm customers with choices that seem irrelevant to their company’s identity.

“You get addicted to the growth and more is more until it’s not,” he said.

At launch, Best Buy’s marketplace will have about 500 sellers, Bonfig said. He said the company vetted applicants and whittled them down to the ones who can provide a high-quality customer experience. The sellers must match Best Buy’s return policy, he added.

Customers can return purchases either directly to the seller or to Best Buy stores, he said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS