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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.

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Vangaurd Mining Gains 141 Percent

Statistics Canada released November’s gross domestic product (GDP) data on Friday (January 30). The numbers show that the economy remained flat overall with the prior month, following a 0.3 percent decline in October.

The goods-producing industries fell by 0.3 percent in November, weighed down by a 1.3 percent contraction in manufacturing and a 2.1 percent decline in wholesale trade amid ongoing trade tensions between Canada and the United States.

Declines were offset by increases to the retail trade sector, which grew 1.3 percent alongside a 0.9 percent increase to the transportation and warehousing sector.

The release also included advanced data for December that shows real GDP increased by 0.1 percent. Although the data for the month are preliminary, they point to a 0.1 percent contraction in the fourth quarter and a 1.3 percent annual gain in 2025.

This week also marked the first rate-setting meetings of 2026 by the Bank of Canada and the US Federal Reserve.

Both central banks decided to keep their rates unchanged. On Wednesday (January 28), the BoC reported it would maintain its benchmark rate at 2.25 percent. In its announcement, the bank said the outlook remains little changed from its October projection but noted it is vulnerable to evolving US trade policy and geopolitical risks.

South of the border, the Fed held its Federal Fund Rate at 3.25 percent to 3.75 percent. In its announcement, the Fed shared similar sentiments, suggesting that uncertainty remained elevated.

Against that backdrop, gold and silver experienced significant volatility this week, with prices for both metals dropping on Thursday (January 29). Gold fell from above US$5,500 toward the US$5,100 mark during the first hour of trading on US markets, while silver fell from the US$120 mark to around US$108.

Both metals rebounded on the day, posting slight losses from their opening levels, but on Friday prices collapsed further, with gold trading below US$4,800 and silver approaching US$80 in morning trading.

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 in retreat to end the week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) lost 3.4 percent over the week to close Friday at 31,923.52, while the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) fared worse, shedding 8.15 percent to 1,051.08. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 9.54 percent to 169.92.

The gold price saw significant declines from mid-week highs, losing 9.76 percent during Friday’s trading day. However, it fell just 1.76 percent from the week’s start to close at US$4,840.76 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST.

The silver price fared even worse, plummeting 28.17 percent on Friday, and closing the week 13.62 percent lower overall at US$83.43 on Friday.

In base metals, the Comex copper price recorded a 1.32 percent drop this week to US$5.98.

On the other hand, the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was up 4.24 percent to end Friday at 598.20.

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 2:00 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. Vanguard Mining (CSE:UUU)

Weekly gain: 141.18 percent
Market cap: C$29.82 million
Share price: C$0.41

Vanguard Mining is an exploration company working to advance a portfolio of uranium, copper and nickel assets in Canada and Paraguay. Its flagship project is the Yuty Prometeo uranium project in Paraguay.

Among its properties is the Redonda copper and molybdenum project near Campbell River, British Columbia. The site consists of nine mineral claims covering 2,746 hectares and hosts porphyry-style mineralization.

On Tuesday (January 27), Vanguard announced plans for its phase 2 drill program at Redonda, comprising up to 7 holes totaling 2,800 meters, targeting areas in the southeast portion of the property between historic drill holes.

The company also said it would conduct detailed mapping and prospecting in the northern and western portions of Redonda to identify additional priority drill targets and would use phase 1 results to refine targeting.

The program is being advanced quickly to build on drilling results that “confirmed a significantly expanded copper-molybdenum mineralized system at Redonda,” the company said.

2. San Lorenzo Gold (TSXV:SLG)

Weekly gain: 85.6 percent
Market cap: C$185.63 million
Share price: C$2.32

San Lorenzo Gold is an exploration company working to advance its Salvadora project in the Chañaral province of Chile.

The property consists of 25 exploration and nine exploitation concessions covering an area of 8,796 hectares. It hosts a large copper and gold porphyry system with several significant targets. According to the project page, the site geology resembles that of the nearby Codelco-owned Salvador copper mine, which has operated since the early 1950s and is expected to continue until the mid-2060s following an expansion.

On January 26, San Lorenzo provided assay results from the first hole of a drilling program at the Cerro Blanco target at Salvadora. The hole was drilled to a depth of 472 meters, of which it encountered 222.4 meters of mineralization across five sections. The widest interval graded 1.09 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold over 132.2 meters from a depth of 201.5 meters.

The company said it believes the mineralization represents the upper level of a porphyry system and that it suggests a continuation of the system encountered during drilling at the site in 2025.

3. Ameriwest Critical Metals (CSE:AWCM)

Weekly gain: 75.76 percent
Market cap: C$14.69 million
Share price: C$0.58

Ameriwest Critical Minerals is an exploration company with a portfolio of assets in British Columbia, Canada, as well as the US states of Nevada, Oregon and Arizona.

The company announced in August that it was changing its name from Ameriwest Lithium to better reflect a portfolio diversifying into copper and rare earth minerals.

In October 2025, Ameriwest entered into a definitive agreement for the option and potential purchase of the Xeno RAR rare earth mineral claims in British Columbia. Under the terms of the deal, Ameriwest will pay C$55,000 in cash considerations, C$125,000 in exploration expenses over 18 months, a 2 percent net smelter return royalty and 2 million shares.

Then, in November, the company completed the acquisition of 34 unpatented mineral claims in Oregon that form the Bornite copper project in exchange for US$100,000 and a 2 percent net smelter return royalty.

Previous exploration of the Bornite property by Plexus in the 1990s identified a historic resource of 138.5 million pounds of copper, 54,000 ounces of gold and 1.7 million ounces of silver from 3.2 million metric tons of ore. Ameriwest’s current CEO was part of the Plexus team who explored Bornite.

In addition to its recently acquired properties, Ameriwest also owns the Thompson Valley lithium project in Arizona and the Railroad Valley lithium project in Nevada.

The most recent news from the company came on January 20, when it upsized a non-brokered private placement from C$2 million to C$3 million. The company said proceeds would be used to accelerate exploration efforts at its Bornite project.

In the release, Ameriwest says its long-term goal at the project, if results, financing and permitting are successful, is “evaluating the development of an approximately 1,000-tonne-per-day underground copper mining operation.”

4. Tectonic Metals (TSXV:TECT)

Weekly gain: 61.78 percent
Market cap: C$217.87 million
Share price: C$2.54

Tectonic Metals is a gold exploration company working to advance the Flat project in Alaska, US.

The project covers 98,840 acres in Western Alaska and hosts a reduced intrusion-related gold system and six district-scale targets. According to Tectonic, the mineralization is analogous to Kinross Gold’s (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) Fort Knox mine in Eastern Alaska.

Among the targets is the Chicken Mountain intrusion, where exploration has identified 3 kilometers of mineral strike that remains open in all directions. Each of the 87 holes drilled at Chicken Mountain have intercepted gold.

The most recent update from the Flat project came on Thursday, when Tectonic announced results from 20 drill holes across four target areas.

Most significantly, its first drilling at the Black Creek intrusion, located 6 kilometers north of Chicken Mountain, discovered a new gold zone. The discovery hole, which started from surface, returned grades of 4.5 g/t gold over 48.77 meters. This included a core interval of 7.79 g/t over 24.38 meters, inside of which was a 6.1 meter interval grading 15.19 g/t.

The company said drilling has now confirmed gold mineralization across five intrusion targets: Chicken Mountain, Alpha Bowl, Golden Apex, Black Creek and Jam. It also said that results from 14 other holes are still pending.

5. Golden Lake Exploration (CSE:GLM)

Weekly gain: 60 percent
Market cap: C$12.48 million
Share price: C$0.12

Golden Lake Exploration is a gold exploration company that owns the Jewel Ridge gold project in Nevada, United States.

The project sits along the prolific Battle Mountain–Eureka Gold trend, which has produced more than 40 million ounces to date and hosts operations from McEwen Mining (TSX:MUX,NYSE:MUX) and North Peak Resources.

More than 700 meters of strike have been identified on the property across three primary targets: Eureka Tunnel, Jewel Ridge and Hamburg.

On Wednesday, Golden Lake announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to be wholly acquired by McEwen Mining and become its subsidiary. Among the highlights of the deal is the ability for Jewel Ridge to be integrated into McEwen’s neighboring Gold Bar mine complex, providing access to infrastructure and funding.

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

Editor’s Picks: Gold and Silver Prices Hit New Highs, Then Drop — What’s Next?

Gold and silver are wrapping up a record-setting week once again.

Starting with gold, the yellow metal left market participants hanging last week after finishing just shy of US$5,000 per ounce. However, it made up for it in spades this week, breaking through that level and continuing on up to smash through US$5,500.

Silver was no slouch either. After hitting triple digits at the end of last week it moved even higher this week, spending time above US$121 per ounce.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for those questions to be answered.

Gold and silver prices dropped precipitously as the week drew to a close, with the yellow metal finishing Friday (January 30) just below US$4,900 and silver sitting at about the US$85 level.

What’s going on, and more importantly, what should investors do?

Let’s tackle what’s going on first. The broad consensus from the experts I spoke to at VRIC was that gold and silver prices continue to be driven by elements that have been in play for years, such as strong central bank gold buying and silver’s persistent deficit. But both metals have new factors contributing to their gains.

Adrian Day of Adrian Day Asset Management highlighted two points that have changed for gold, with the first being increasing global chaos. Here’s how he explained it:

Day also mentioned gold purchases from stablecoin issuer Tether as a new factor for gold:

On the silver side, the dynamics are undeniably complex, but Willem Middelkoop of the Commodity Discovery Fund summed it up like this:

So how should investors approach this environment? Personalization was a major theme among the people I spoke to at VRIC, with many emphasizing the importance of understanding why you own the assets in your portfolio and what circumstances would lead you to sell.

Here’s Lobo Tiggre of IndependentSpeculator.com on how that could look right now:

With that said, two key themes emerged when it comes to what experts are doing now.

The first is silver stocks. Multiple market watchers, including Rick Rule of Rule Investment Media, believe silver stocks are set to move higher now that the metal itself has broken out.

Rule said he sold 80 percent of his physical silver and used around half of the money to buy silver companies. This is why he did it:

The second place people are rotating to is oil and gas stocks. You may remember that I touched on this in last week’s video, and the theme strengthened at VRIC — Rick himself took 25 percent of the money he made selling physical silver and put it in oil and gas stocks.

While opinions differ on whether now is the exact right time to buy, I heard multiple times that senior dividend-paying oil and gas companies are a play to consider for those who have taken profits in the gold and silver sector and are looking for the next ‘buy low’ opportunity.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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.

Homeland Nickel

Investor Insight

Homeland Nickel combines a consolidated portfolio of nine at-surface nickel laterite projects in Southern Oregon with a strategic portfolio of mining equities, offering investors leveraged exposure to domestic US nickel development alongside balance-sheet flexibility and reduced dilution risk.

Overview

Homeland Nickel (TSXV:SHL,OTC:SRCGF) is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on critical metals, with a primary emphasis on nickel laterite projects in Southern Oregon, USA. Nickel has been designated a critical mineral by the US government, and Homeland Nickel is advancing assets in what it considers the only region in the United States with the geological scale and characteristics required to support a meaningful domestic nickel supply.

The company has assembled a portfolio of nine nickel laterite projects that were originally identified during exploration campaigns conducted from the 1950s through the 1970s. These deposits occur as at-surface laterite lenses formed by the weathering of ultramafic rocks, enabling the use of surface sampling and auger drilling to rapidly define mineral resources. This geological setting allows Homeland Nickel to advance multiple projects efficiently while managing exploration costs.

In parallel with asset consolidation and exploration, Homeland Nickel maintains a portfolio of mining equities in publicly traded companies. Management views this portfolio as a strategic asset that provides additional financial flexibility and potential non-dilutive funding options, supporting a disciplined capital allocation strategy as the company advances its nickel projects through resource definition and technical studies.

Company Highlights

  • Controls nine nickel laterite projects in Southern Oregon — Cleopatra, Red Flat, Eight Dollar Mountain, Woodcock Mountain, Josephine Creek, Iron Mountain, Peavine Mountain, Rough & Ready and Free & Easy — representing the most comprehensive consolidation of historically identified US nickel laterite occurrences
  • Historic resources at Cleopatra (39.5 Mt @ 0.93 percent nickel) and Red Flat (18.8 Mt @ 0.84 percent nickel) provide an advanced starting point with significant expansion potential
  • At-surface nickel laterite mineralization supports rapid, low-cost exploration and resource definition compared to underground nickel sulfide projects
  • Strategic partnerships with Patriot Nickel (property option) and Brazilian Nickel (ore processing) support advancement toward development while limiting shareholder dilution
  • Maintains a portfolio of publicly traded mining equities, providing financial flexibility and optionality to support exploration and development programs

Key Projects

Cleopatra Project

The Cleopatra project is Homeland Nickel’s flagship asset and hosts a historical mineral resource of 39.5 Mt grading 0.93 percent nickel. Mineralization occurs at surface and has historically only been explored to shallow depths (about 12 feet), leaving the deposit open at depth and along strike.

Location map of the Cleopatra Nickel property

Cleopatra is one of two projects optioned to Patriot Nickel under a staged earn-in agreement that includes cash payments, exploration expenditures and advancement to pre-feasibility. Homeland Nickel remains the operator during the exploration phase, retains a 20 percent interest in the Cleopatra project and receives a 20 percent equity interest in Patriot.

Red Flat Project

The Red Flat project is located approximately 12 kilometres inland from Gold Beach, Oregon, and hosts a historical resource of 18.8 Mt grading 0.84 percent nickel. Historical trenching and drilling indicate thick laterite horizons with consistent nickel grades.

Red Flat is accessible via gravel road.

The project has received a Surface Use Determination from the US Forest Service approving a proposed sonic drilling program, subject to a National Environmental Policy Act review. Homeland Nickel plans to update the historical resource and evaluate potential expansion through additional drilling and sampling.

Eight Dollar Mountain Project

The Eight Dollar Mountain project lies within the same ultramafic geological belt as Cleopatra and Red Flat. Surface sampling has returned nickel values of up to 2.2 percent nickel, highlighting the project’s high-grade potential. The property consists of 115 mining claims covering an area of 2,376 acres.

Eight Dollar Mountain is included in the option agreement with Patriot Nickel, with work planned to support an initial mineral resource estimate.

Woodcock Mountain Project

The Woodcock Mountain project covers more than 900 acres and has been identified by the United States Geological Survey as hosting significant nickel laterite mineralization. Historical work has reported grades up to 1.5 percent nickel over 15 feet and values as high as 2.13 percent nickel along a three-kilometre trend.

The project is located outside withdrawn land areas, and Homeland Nickel plans to advance surface sampling and auger drilling to define an initial mineral resource.

Josephine Creek Project

The Josephine Creek project, adjacent to Woodcock Mountain, was staked based on historic nickel laterite exposures. Sampling completed in 2025 returned an average grade of 0.73 percent nickel, with 10 of 82 samples grading 1 percent nickel or higher. The property consists of 174 lode mining claims covering an area of 1,455 acres.

Josephine Creek was sampled by the company in 2025 with 74 samples over 22 individual mining claims returning an average of 0.75 percent nickel with 10 samples grading over 1 percent nickel. The property benefits from proximity to infrastructure and further work is planned in 2026 to support an initial resource estimate.

Rough and Ready

The most recently acquired property, Rough and Ready, has seen extensive surface sampling, auger hole drilling and pit excavations to expose good grade nickel laterite over a wide area. Homeland Nickel will review the extensive data acquired with this project and will sample all claims for nickel during a summer 2026 exploration program.

Iron Mountain, Peavine Mountain and Free & Easy Projects

Homeland Nickel has also staked nickel laterite claims at Iron Mountain, Peavine Mountain and Free & Easy, expanding its portfolio to a total of eight projects. These earlier-stage assets provide additional pipeline depth and optionality as the company advances its more mature projects.

Mining Equities Portfolio

In addition to its wholly owned exploration assets, Homeland Nickel holds a portfolio of publicly traded mining equities, including positions in Canada Nickel Company, Noble Mineral Exploration, Benton Resources, Vinland Lithium and Magna Terra Minerals. This portfolio provides financial flexibility and potential non-dilutive funding options, supporting the company’s exploration strategy while offering exposure to value creation beyond its own project pipeline.

Management Team

Stephen Balch — President, CEO and Director

Stephen Balch is an Ontario-registered geoscientist with over 40 years of experience in mineral exploration, including nearly three decades focused on nickel. His background spans nickel, copper and platinum-group element exploration across major mining jurisdictions, including experience with Inco Limited, FNX Mining, Noront and Voiseys Bay Nickel. He has more than 20 years of public company leadership experience as a CEO, president, technical consultant and director. In 2001, he joined Aeroquest Limited and helped develop the AeroTEM airborne geophysical system, and in 2019 co-founded Canada Nickel Company, where he currently serves as VP Exploration.

Ashley Nadon — Chief Financial Officer

Ashley Nadon is a chartered professional accountant with a BA in Economics and an MBA. She provides consulting and accounting services to private and public companies as the managing director of a chartered professional accounting firm. Nadon brings experience as a CFO of several reporting issuers and currently serves as CFO for Kermode Resources.

Errol Farr — Corporate Secretary

Errol Farr is a seasoned financial professional with more than 35 years of experience in financial management, reporting, business optimization and strategy development. He previously served as CFO of Anaconda Mining, and currently holds senior executive roles including CFO, COO and corporate secretary of Zonetail, CFO of Big Tree Carbon and CFO/corporate secretary of AFR NuVenture Resources, a mining exploration company with US projects.

Vance White — Director

Vance White has over five decades of experience in guiding mineral exploration companies. He has served as president, CEO and director of Noble Mineral Exploration since 2003 and has held director and officer positions with multiple public companies in the mining sector.

Michael Dehn — Director

Michael Dehn is a partner at Avanti Management and Consulting with more than 21 years in the mining industry. He has served as a director of publicly listed and private junior mining companies and is currently president and CEO of Temas Resources and United Lithium. He has been a director of the company’s predecessor since December 2020.

Birks Bovaird — Director

Birks Bovaird is chair of the board of Energy Fuels, a uranium and vanadium mining and development company, and serves as a director of Noble Mineral Exploration. His career has focused on corporate financial consulting and strategic planning, including serving as vice-president of corporate finance at a major Canadian accounting firm. He holds an ICD.D designation and is a graduate of the Canadian Director Education Program.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Homeland Nickel: Building a US-focused Nickel Portfolio

Homeland Nickel (TSXV:SHL,OTC: SRCGF) is a Canada-based mineral exploration company targeting critical metals, with a strategic focus on nickel laterite projects in southern Oregon, USA. Recognized as a critical mineral by the US government, nickel underpins Homeland Nickel’s strategy as the company advances assets in what it views as the only US region with the scale and geology capable of supporting a significant domestic nickel supply.

The company has built a portfolio of nine nickel laterite projects originally identified during exploration programs carried out between the 1950s and 1970s. The deposits occur as near-surface laterite lenses formed through the weathering of ultramafic rocks, allowing for efficient surface sampling and auger drilling to quickly delineate mineral resources. This geological setting enables Homeland Nickel to advance multiple projects in parallel while maintaining a cost-effective exploration approach.

Location map of the Cleopatra Nickel property

Alongside project consolidation and exploration, Homeland Nickel also holds a portfolio of mining equities in publicly listed companies. Management considers this portfolio a strategic asset that enhances financial flexibility and offers potential non-dilutive funding opportunities, supporting a disciplined capital allocation strategy as the company progresses its nickel assets through resource definition and technical evaluation.

Company Highlights

  • Controls nine nickel laterite projects in Southern Oregon — Cleopatra, Red Flat, Eight Dollar Mountain, Woodcock Mountain, Josephine Creek, Iron Mountain, Peavine Mountain, Rough & Ready and Free & Easy — representing the most comprehensive consolidation of historically identified US nickel laterite occurrences
  • Historic resources at Cleopatra (39.5 Mt @ 0.93 percent nickel) and Red Flat (18.8 Mt @ 0.84 percent nickel) provide an advanced starting point with significant expansion potential
  • At-surface nickel laterite mineralization supports rapid, low-cost exploration and resource definition compared to underground nickel sulfide projects
  • Strategic partnerships with Patriot Nickel (property option) and Brazilian Nickel (ore processing) support advancement toward development while limiting shareholder dilution
  • Maintains a portfolio of publicly traded mining equities, providing financial flexibility and optionality to support exploration and development programs

This Homeland Nickel profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

Click here to connect with Homeland Nickel (TSXV:SHL) to receive an Investor Presentation

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Amazon slashes another 16,000 jobs

Amazon said Wednesday it was slashing another 16,000 jobs across the company in an ongoing bid to restructure the sprawling trillion-dollar firm.

‘The reductions we are making today will impact approximately 16,000 roles across Amazon, and we’re again working hard to support everyone whose role is impacted,’ Beth Galetti, Amazon’s senior vice president of people experience and technology, said in a memo to employees.

‘That starts with offering most US-based employees 90 days to look for a new role internally,’ she said. Amazon will ‘continue hiring and investing in strategic areas and functions that are critical to our future.’

Galetti said the cuts would ‘strengthen our organization by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy.’

In October, Amazon cut 14,000 jobs primarily at the corporate level. At the time, Galetti cited artificial intelligence as being the “most transformative technology we’ve seen since the internet.”

Amazon has 1.55 million employees worldwide, the company said in a filing last year.

It said Tuesday that it would close some of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores, planning to convert some into Whole Foods Market stores.

While AI was not explicitly cited in Wednesday’s note to Amazon workers, the cuts come as workers nationwide brace for the impact of artificial intelligence in a sluggish labor market.

Companies have started citing ‘efficiency’ as they pursue the implementation of AI.

On Monday, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said that his firm’s headcount would be ‘more constrained in 2026’ as the company sees ‘opportunities for efficiency and we try to deploy those.’

On Tuesday, Pinterest said it would cut 15% of its workforce as it pivoted ‘resources to AI-focused roles and teams that drive AI adoption and execution.’

Last year, Microsoft said it was eliminating 9,000 jobs to improve efficiency. Target also cut 1,800 corporate jobs to reduce ‘complexity.’ Instagram and Facebook owner Meta Platforms also reduced its workforce by around 600 jobs as it shifted toward artificial intelligence.

At the same time, hiring nationwide is slowing and inflation remains elevated.

After three months of contraction last year, the U.S. economy added only 56,000 jobs in November and just 50,000 in December. Meanwhile, inflation remains at 2.7%, well above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%.

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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.

John Feneck: Silver’s Next Price Target, Plus 10 Stocks to Watch

John Feneck, portfolio manager and consultant at Feneck Consulting, weighs in on recent silver and gold price milestones and shares his next targets.

He also discusses stocks he’s watching in sectors like silver, gold and ‘special situations.’

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

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Mayfair Gold Corp.

Investor Insight

Mayfair Gold is progressing its 100 percent-owned Fenn-Gib gold project toward production, with a development plan anchored by a robust 2026 pre-feasibility study (PFS). The company’s strategy emphasizes a smaller scale mine designed to accelerate permitting through Ontario’s One Project One Process platform and exploit near surface high-margin ounces in a capital efficient manner. The PFS only corresponds to 24 percent of the indicated gold resource leaving meaningful optionality for long term growth coupled with exploration upside across a broader land package.

Overview

Mayfair Gold (TSXV:MFG,NYSE American:MINE) is a development-stage company with the primary objective of advancing the Fenn-Gib gold project — a large, bulk-tonnage open-pit deposit located in one of Canada’s most prolific gold districts. The company’s technical team is executing on provincial permitting, Indigenous consultation, engineering and ongoing exploration to expand mineralization beyond the current pit constraints.

Mayfair Gold’s flagship Fenn-Gib gold project is located within the established Timmins Gold District in Ontario, which has produced more than 100 million ounces of gold historically.

The PFS, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards and filed in January 2026, outlines a base-case economic model with an after-tax NPV (5 percent) of C$652 million and an IRR of 24 percent, using conservative gold prices, and demonstrates rapid payback potential. Under a spot price scenario, project economics improve markedly, underscoring the asset’s leverage to higher gold prices. With over $200 million in annual free cash flow once in operation the company will have a robust source of capital to fund growth initiatives.

Company Highlights

  • Robust Pre-feasibility Study: The 2026 PFS highlights compelling returns on a modest initial throughput design while leveraging a large resource base.
  • High-grade Early Focus: The staged plan targets higher-grade, near-surface material to optimize permitting timelines, construction risk, financing, and ultimately accelerate value capture.
  • Strategic Location: Fenn-Gib sits on the highly prospective Timmins Gold District, Ontario — a tier-one mining jurisdiction with established infrastructure and a long history of mining-related activity and supportive communities.
  • Strong Financial Backing: The company has a committed shareholder base, including Muddy Waters, Heeney Capital, Oaktree and Vestcor. With a tight share structure and strong Insider ownership of 35% there is clear alignment for long-term shareholder value creation.
  • Exploration Optionality: Mineralization at Fenn-Gib remains open at depth and along strike, with multiple underexplored targets identified across the property. This includes a Southern Block that has not been explored but sits directly on the prolific Porcupine-Destor fault.
  • Long-term optionality: With a truncated timeline to production the company will be in an advantageous spot for growth initiatives that can be funded with free cash flow.
  • CEO Nick Campbell, heads a technically strong and capital-markets-savvy team with a demonstrated ability to unlock value from high-quality gold assets (previously at Artemis Gold and Silvercrest Metals) and position projects for long-term growth.
  • COO Drew Anwyll is an experienced mine builder; he successfully permitted the Marathon PGM project in Ontario and was a senior executive during the construction, commissioning and start-up of Detour Lake, Canada’s largest gold mine.

Key Project

Fenn-Gib Gold Project

Fenn-Gib is Mayfair’s flagship asset, encompassing a significant indicated mineral resource of 181.3 million tonnes grading 0.74 g/t gold for 4.3 million contained ounces, and additional inferred ounces. The project benefits from excellent access via Highway 101 and proximity to regional mining services.

The 2026 PFS centers on a 4,800 tonnes-per-day open-pit operation designed to process approximately 1.04 million ounces of gold, representing 24 percent of the total resource and reflecting a conservative, execution-oriented approach. Highlights from the study include:

  • After-tax NPV of C$1.37 billion and IRR of 38 percent at current spot gold prices.
    2.7-year payback period on initial capital costs under the base case (1.7 year payback at January 2026 prices)

In addition to economic studies and active dialogue with Indigenous stakeholders, the company has executed engineering contracts with industry providers to support mine planning, processing design, environmental baseline work, and tailings/water management — positioning the project for upcoming permitting and potential construction decision milestones.

Exploration Potential

Beyond the defined pit shell, Fenn-Gib hosts multiple zones including the Main Zone, Deformation Zone, and Footwall Zone, with geological continuity extending along strike and at depth. Newly identified targets such as the Southern Block along the Porcupine Destor-Fault present opportunities for future discovery drilling and resource expansion.

Management Team

Nicholas Campbell — Chief Executive Officer

Nicholas Campbell is a mining executive with more than 20 years of experience across capital markets, corporate development, and mine development. Prior to joining Mayfair, he served as vice-president of Capital Markets at Artemis Gold, executive vice-president of business development at SilverCrest Metals, and chief financial officer of Goldsource Mines. Campbell leads Mayfair’s strategic vision and execution as the company transitions Fenn‑Gib into a defined development stage.

Drew Anwyll — Chief Operating Officer

Drew Anwyll is a professional engineer with over 30 years of global mining experience in both project and operations leadership. His background includes senior technical and operating roles at Generation Mining, Detour Gold, Barrick Gold and Placer Dome. Anwyll’s track record includes leadership through permitting, construction, commissioning, and operational phases, anchoring Mayfair’s operational planning and execution.

Zayem Lakhani — Vice-president, Capital Markets

Zayem Lakhani brings more than 17 years of expertise in investment management, equity research, and corporate development. Before joining Mayfair, he served as portfolio manager and head of Canadian equities at HSBC Global Asset Management, where he oversaw the investment process for approximately $4 billion in capital across diverse strategies. Lakhani brings a unique network and an investor’s perspective to help position the company’s story.

Darren Prins — Interim Chief Financial Officer

Darren Prins is a senior financial executive with extensive experience in corporate development, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, financial reporting, risk management, budgeting, forecasting, and international tax planning. Prins has served as CFO for TSX, TSXV and NYSE‑listed companies across multiple industries, bringing strong financial stewardship to Mayfair’s funding and reporting functions.

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