Group 1 - Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) operates lithium deposits and processing facilities, with its main project located at Thacker Pass [2] - Jim Cramer expressed skepticism about investing in LAC, labeling it as too speculative and recommending Albemarle (ALB) as a safer alternative [1][2] - There is acknowledgment of LAC's potential as an investment, but certain AI stocks are considered to offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [3]

Core Insights - The Trump administration has decided to abandon plans to guarantee a minimum price for U.S. critical minerals projects due to potential lack of congressional funding and market pricing complexities [1] - This policy shift will influence future deals but does not affect the previously agreed price floor for MP Materials set last July [3] Industry Developments - The administration's renewed focus on domestic critical minerals includes a recent investment of $1.6 billion in USA Rare Earth Inc., aimed at reducing reliance on China for key rare earth elements [4] - MP Materials announced a public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of War, involving a $400 million investment in preferred shares and $1 billion in financing for a new U.S. magnet plant [5] - American Resources Corp. is building a fully domestic rare earth magnet supply chain with a $1.4 billion deal to produce 10,000 metric tons annually [6]

Group 1 - China Aluminum International (02068) saw a mid-day increase of over 2.4% after announcing a joint venture to undertake a new electrolytic aluminum project with an annual capacity of 394,000 tons, with the first phase set at 294,000 tons [1] - CGN Mining (01164) rose over 8.3% following the submission of a preliminary prospectus for a trust that plans to issue up to $2 billion in transferable, non-redeemable trust shares over 25 months, with annual uranium procurement not exceeding 9 million pounds [1] - China Shengmu Organic Milk (01432) increased nearly 6% after a joint announcement regarding a potential conditional cash offer to acquire all issued shares of the company [1] Group 2 - Yijun Group Holdings (02442) surged over 18%, with a cumulative increase of nearly 500% since its resumption of trading in December, following the sale of shares by its controlling shareholder [2] - China Rare Earth Holdings (03788) rose over 10%, reaching a historical high of 5.49 HKD, after announcing the termination of its gold spin-off plan to focus on gold business [2] - Laopuqin Gold (06181) increased over 7.3% as consumer demand is expected to rise during the upcoming Spring Festival, driven by higher gold prices and anticipated price increases [2] Group 3 - Oil stocks continued to rise, with CNOOC (02883) up 4.19%, Sinopec (00386) up 2.54%, and PetroChina (00857) up 3.68%, amid escalating geopolitical tensions in Iran and Cuba [3] - Changfei Optical Fiber (06869) saw a rise of over 15.4% due to significant price increases and supply tightness in the G.652.D optical fiber market, with major manufacturers unable to meet their own orders [3] Group 4 - Nanshan Aluminum International (02610) increased over 2.6% after announcing plans to start construction on a 250,000-ton electrolytic aluminum project in 2026, with an investment of $437 million [4] - Xindong Company (02400) saw a slight increase of 0.43% as its mobile game "Xindong Town" surpassed 10 million downloads, indicating strong user growth [4] Group 5 - EquipmentShare.com (EQPT.US) debuted on the US stock market with an IPO price of $24.5, closing up 32.9% on its first day [5] - The solar energy sector saw initial gains, with JinkoSolar (JKS.US) up 9.03% and Canadian Solar (CSIQ.US) up 4.57%, following discussions at the Davos Forum [5] - Silver-related stocks experienced gains, with First Majestic Silver (AG.US) rising 5.04% as spot silver prices surpassed $100 [5] Group 6 - Lithium mining stocks mostly rose, with Sigma Lithium (SGML.US) up 17.54% after announcing additional sales of high-purity lithium powder [6] - Bank stocks declined, with Goldman Sachs (GS.US) down 3.75% amid legal issues involving President Trump and JPMorgan [6] - Redwire (RDW.US) increased by 4.51% following comments from Elon Musk about SpaceX's plans for reusable rocket technology [6] Group 7 - Semiconductor stocks showed strength, with AMD (AMD.US) up 2.35% and Nvidia (NVDA.US) up 1.53%, as Nvidia's CEO visited China to discuss future plans [7] - Ericsson (ERIC.US) rose 8.87% after reporting strong fourth-quarter earnings, with adjusted EBITA reaching 12.7 billion SEK, a 24% increase year-over-year [8] - Intel (INTC.US) fell 17.03% due to disappointing performance outlooks and manufacturing issues [8]

Core Viewpoint - The US government is set to acquire a 10% stake in USA Rare Earth (USAR) as part of a $1.6 billion investment to support the development of a domestic mine-to-magnet supply chain [1][2]. Investment Details - The agreement includes the acquisition of 16.1 million shares and warrants for an additional 17.6 million shares at a price of $17.17 per share, representing a nearly 25% discount to USAR's closing price of $22.71 [2]. - Additionally, the US government will provide $1.3 billion in debt financing from a facility established under the CHIPS and Science Act [2]. Company Developments - USAR is developing a rare earth mine in Sierra Blanca, Texas, expected to begin production in late 2028, specifically rich in "heavy" rare earths like dysprosium [7][8]. - The Round Top deposit is projected to produce 2,213 tonnes of rare earth elements over a 20-year lifespan, with over 1,900 tonnes being "heavy" REEs [8]. Industry Context - This investment is part of a broader initiative by the US government to strengthen the critical minerals supply chain, following similar deals with other companies in the sector [5][6]. - The Round Top project will support a US-based mine-to-magnet value chain, which includes a magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and a processing laboratory in Wheat Ridge, Colorado [9].

Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) is among the 7 Best Lithium and Battery Stocks to Buy Right Now. Scotiabank Reaffirms its Sector Perform Rating on Lithium Americas Corp. (LAC) The Fly reported on January 12, 2026, that Scotiabank reaffirmed its Sector Perform rating and lifted the price objective for Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) to $7 from $5. The company stated that although the growth in EV demand fell short of projections, the lithium market inflection seems to be well-supported. Lithium Amer ...

Group 1: US and EU Strategic Shifts - The US has prioritized critical mineral security, reshaping transatlantic relations and highlighting Europe's dependence on foreign suppliers [1][2] - The Trump administration emphasized Greenland's natural resources and strategic location as vital to US economic interests, aiming to diversify from Chinese-dominated supply chains [1][3] - The EU faces a dual challenge of strengthening defense capabilities and addressing vulnerabilities in rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals essential for clean energy and defense manufacturing [2][4] Group 2: Supply Chain Vulnerabilities - The World Economic Forum has warned of the EU's supply chain vulnerabilities, noting that China produces about 95% of the world's rare-earth oxides and supplies 70% of Europe's imports [4][6] - The EU sources 98% of its rare-earth magnet demand from Chinese suppliers, indicating a significant dependency on China for critical minerals [6][22] - Greenland is emerging as a strategic asset for European industries, with risks of falling behind in AI development and defense manufacturing without secure access to REEs [6][22] Group 3: Antimony's Strategic Importance - Antimony has become a critical mineral with strategic importance, particularly for defense applications, and Greenland has high-grade antimony deposits [8][9] - China, Russia, and Tajikistan control about 90% of global antimony production, with China using it as a geopolitical weapon in trade relations [11][12] - European antimony prices surged 437% between 2023 and 2025 due to supply disruptions, exacerbating shortages for munitions and defense technologies [15][16] Group 4: Efforts to Secure Supply - The US government plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into the mining sector to enhance domestic production of critical minerals [23] - A bipartisan group of US lawmakers introduced a bill to create a $2.5 billion stockpile of critical minerals to encourage domestic mining and refining [23] - Europe has a limited number of antimony miners, with demand expected to grow significantly, highlighting the need for increased supply efforts [16][18]

Group 1 - Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) operates lithium deposits and processing facilities, with its main project located at Thacker Pass [1] - Jim Cramer advised against investing in LAC, suggesting that it is a "yesteryear stock" and not a viable option for investors [1] - Cramer recommended Albemarle (symbol: ALB) as a safer investment alternative, despite its recent price increase [1] Group 2 - The article suggests that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk compared to LAC [1] - There is a mention of a free report available that highlights an undervalued AI stock benefiting from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend [1]

Group 1 - The global lithium metal market is experiencing a significant rebound, with related stocks showing strong price increases, such as Albemarle (ALB.US) up 4.98% and Lithium Argentina AG (LAR.US) up 7.31%, both reaching multi-year highs [1] - Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce upgraded the ratings of Albemarle and Lithium Argentina from "in line with the industry" to "outperform," setting target prices at $200 and $7.75 respectively, while also emphasizing that the current rise in lithium prices is just the first round of a prolonged supply tightness cycle [1] - Analyst Ben Isaacson predicts that lithium demand will reach 2.8 million tons by 2030, with a range of 2.5 to 3.2 million tons under different scenarios, and a compound annual growth rate of approximately 14% over the next five years [1] Group 2 - Concerns regarding Albemarle's balance sheet are gradually dissipating, as the company has achieved leverage optimization for four consecutive quarters and is expected to reach positive free cash flow of $300-400 million by the end of 2025 [2] - The stock price of Albemarle is anticipated to see significant upward movement due to the increasing visibility of industry turning points and ongoing self-rescue measures [2] - For Lithium Argentina, the Caucharí project produced 34,100 tons of lithium carbonate in line with guidance, with an operating rate of 85%, and cash operating costs have fallen below $6,000 per ton, ensuring positive free cash flow at any stage of the industry cycle [2] Group 3 - The analyst maintains a "in line with the industry" rating for Lithium Americas (LAC.US), as the company currently has no lithium production or revenue sources, and this situation is unlikely to change in the coming years [3] - The inability of Lithium Americas to benefit from potential future increases in lithium prices raises questions about the justification for a higher rating compared to peers [3]

Industry Overview - The global lithium market is entering a new growth cycle after a challenging 2025, with prices having fallen approximately 90% from their 2022 peak due to slowed electric vehicle (EV) demand and increased supply [1] - The market is projected to expand from $13.9 billion in 2024 to $55.5 billion by 2032, indicating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 19% [4] Demand Drivers - Electric vehicles will continue to drive lithium demand, complemented by strong growth in solar power installations that enhance the use of battery energy storage systems (BESS) [2] - Artificial intelligence is creating new lithium needs, as massive AI data centers are increasingly incorporating lithium-ion batteries to manage peak energy use [3] Key Players Rio Tinto - Rio Tinto aims to become a major lithium producer, having completed a $6.7 billion acquisition of Arcadium Lithium, which provides access to significant lithium resources [7] - The company plans to increase capacity at its Tier 1 lithium operations to over 200,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent per year by 2028 [7] - Rio Tinto is also expanding its lithium operations in South America, with a $2.5 billion investment in the Rincon project in Argentina, expected to produce up to 60,000 tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually by 2028 [8] Lithium Americas - Lithium Americas is focusing on the U.S. market with its Thacker Pass project, which is expected to produce up to 40,000 tons of lithium carbonate per year, potentially making the U.S. the second-largest lithium producer [12] - The project has received strong government support, including a 5% stake acquisition by the U.S. Department of Energy and a $435 million loan from a larger $2.23 billion package [13] Albemarle - Albemarle is enhancing its global lithium conversion capacity through strategic projects, with production milestones supporting growth [15] - The company expects to achieve around $450 million in cost and productivity gains in 2025, exceeding initial targets [16] - Albemarle's scale and focus on cost management position it well to capture rising lithium demand globally [17] Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) - SQM is expanding its lithium production capacity, targeting 240,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate by 2026 in Chile and ramping up lithium hydroxide capacity to 100,000 metric tons by the end of 2025 [19] - The company operates a lithium hydroxide refinery in China and is advancing the Mt. Holland project in Australia, further strengthening its global supply chain [20] - SQM anticipates long-term lithium demand to outpace supply, positioning itself to grow market share in the EV battery sector [21]

Group 1 - Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE:LAC) operates lithium deposits and processing facilities, with its main project located at Thacker Pass [2] - The stock has increased over 50% year-to-date but has decreased by over 56% from its 52-week high in October [2] - Jim Cramer has expressed a negative outlook on LAC, referring to it as a "yesteryear stock" and suggesting it is not a viable investment option [1] Group 2 - There is a belief that certain AI stocks present greater upside potential and carry less downside risk compared to LAC [3] - The article suggests that there are undervalued AI stocks that could benefit from current economic trends, including tariffs and onshoring [3]