Economic Outlook - The upcoming employment report from the Labor Department is crucial, with expectations of weakness that could allow the Federal Reserve to cut rates later this year, positively impacting sectors like housing, autos, and construction [2][4] - Interest rates have been rising, indicating a need for a weak labor report to sustain stock market growth [2] Stock Market Performance - The Dow Jones Industrial Average has crossed 50,000, marking significant wealth creation for persistent investors over the past 44 years [3] - Moderna, Inc. has been highlighted as a strong performer, with a nearly 50% increase in January, recovering from a 95% decline from its peak in 2021 [9] Company Focus: Moderna, Inc. - Moderna is recognized for its mRNA medicines and vaccines, with ongoing developments in personalized cancer vaccines, although it remains unprofitable [9][10] - The company is expected to return to revenue growth in 2026, which is a significant development for investors [9] Company Focus: Agnico Eagle Mines Limited - Agnico Eagle is noted as the second-largest gold miner globally, with a strong recommendation to invest in gold stocks due to limited supply growth [11][12] - The company operates primarily in Canada, which is favorable for business, and gold prices have recently surpassed $5,400 an ounce, indicating a bullish outlook for the gold market [12]

Core Viewpoint - FireFox Gold Corp. has reported results from three additional diamond drilling holes at its Mustajärvi Gold Project in Finland, indicating ongoing exploration and development efforts in the region [1] Group 1: Project Details - The drilling program is part of the 2025/26 initiative and focuses on the north side of the Northeast and East Zones of the Mustajärvi Gold Project [1]

Newmont has been critical of Barrick’s management of the Nevada project after several years of under-performance https://t.co/S3kIIzjy8J ...

Company Overview - Aris Mining (ARMN) is a Vancouver-based gold mining company operating two mines in Colombia [1] - The company produced 257,000 ounces of gold in 2025 and is projected to increase production to 325,000 ounces [1] Investment Philosophy - Mountain Valley Value Investments focuses on identifying undervalued companies with strong growth potential across various sectors [1] - The investment strategy emphasizes long-term value and disciplined research to uncover opportunities that can deliver strong returns [1]

Group 1 - Resolution Minerals has announced a new gold discovery at its Golden Gate South acreage and is progressing towards a NASDAQ listing [4] - Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals is pivoting into the animal care sector, with its osteoarthritis drug candidate currently being tested in oral form on animals [4] - Australian Mines Ltd reported exceptional scandium grades at its Flemington asset, leading to a 9% increase in shares to 1.8 cents per share [4] - New Age Exploration is under a trading halt while anticipating positive drilling results at the Wagyu Gold Project [4] - Dreadnought Resources reported further high-grade gold discoveries at its Mangaroon project [4] - Memphasys received approval from the Australian drug regulator TGA for its Felix technology aimed at the IVF market, resulting in a 27% share price increase, with shares at 0.7 cents per share [4]

Core Viewpoint - Kairos Minerals Ltd has successfully received the final $10 million payment from PLS Group Ltd, increasing its cash balance to approximately $35 million, which will support further development and exploration activities at the Mt York Gold Project [2][3][6]. Financial Transactions - The final payment is part of a total consideration of $20 million for six prospecting licenses and the mining lease application M45/1307 related to the Mt York Gold Project, with the first payment of $10 million received on September 5, 2024 [3]. - The final payment was triggered by the grant of PLS' mining lease M45/1307 on January 22, 2026, and a royalty deed has been executed, granting Kairos a 2% gross revenue royalty on products sold from the lease [4]. Strategic Development - The chairman of Kairos stated that the strengthened balance sheet will facilitate continued de-risking of the Mt York project, including pre-feasibility work and an updated resource estimate [5][6]. - The additional funds will enable a significant exploration budget for the enlarged Mt York area, covering 367 km² of PLS tenements and 168 km² of the Pincunah licenses and application [7]. Future Plans - Kairos has outlined several next steps, including reviewing and releasing results from the Main Hill Extension drilling program, compiling geological and assay data for an updated Mineral Resource Estimate, and completing mineral resource estimation over the entire 4,200m-long Mt York Gold Project [7]. - The company plans to engage with PLS regarding a mining lease application for the Main Hill Extension and continue exploration over the specified tenements [7].

Core Insights - Banyan Gold Corp. has reported high-grade gold mineralization in the Airstrip Deposit at the AurMac Project in Yukon, Canada, indicating promising exploration potential at depth [1] Exploration Results - The company intersected 1.37 g/t Au over 38.0m in deep hole AX-25-817, which includes a high-grade interval of 15.87 g/t Au over 2.2m, approximately 350m down-dip from previous intersections [1] - Additional highlights include AX-25-799 with 7.04 g/t Au over 6.0m within 0.68 g/t Au over 125.5m, and high-grade intervals of 29.30 g/t Au over 1.4m [1] - Other results from AX-25-807 show 1.93 g/t Au over 10.4m and 1.00 g/t Au over 36.1m within 0.64 g/t Au over 145.5m [1] Future Exploration Potential - The high-grade mineralization in deep hole AX-25-817 suggests new exploration targets at depth, potentially linked to a deep-seated magmatic source for mineralization beneath the Airstrip [1]

Economic Data Insights - The January employment report on Wednesday at 8:30am will analyze nonfarm payrolls, unemployment rate, and average hourly earnings to assess labor market conditions and their impact on Fed policy [1][3] - The mid-week timing of the employment report creates unique dynamics, compressing the time for market adjustments before Friday's CPI release [3] Retail Sales and Consumer Spending - December retail sales data on Tuesday at 8:30am will provide insights into holiday shopping performance and consumer spending trends as 2026 begins [2][4] - The report will help determine if strong labor markets are translating into sustained consumer spending or if households are retrenching due to inflation pressures [4] Technology Sector Analysis - Earnings from Cisco (CSCO) on Wednesday and Arista Networks (ANET) on Thursday will provide insights into enterprise networking demand and data center investment amid questions about AI spending sustainability [5] - Cisco's results will focus on corporate IT budgets and cybersecurity product adoption, while Arista's earnings will assess trends in hyperscaler capital expenditures [5] Digital Platforms and Financial Technology - Earnings from Robinhood (HOOD) on Tuesday will provide insights into retail trading activity and cryptocurrency transaction volumes [6] - Results from Shopify (SHOP) and AppLovin (APP) will test the health of e-commerce platforms and mobile gaming advertising, respectively [7] Inflation and Market Reactions - The January CPI report on Friday at 8:30am will be critical for assessing inflation trends, particularly in energy prices, housing costs, and services inflation [8] - The timing of the CPI report following the employment data could lead to significant market volatility, especially in rate-sensitive sectors [8]

Core Viewpoint - The Sprott Gold Miners ETF (SGDM) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU) provide different strategies and risk profiles for investors seeking exposure to gold, with SGDM focusing on gold mining companies and IAU tracking the spot price of gold directly [1]. Cost & Size - SGDM has an expense ratio of 0.50%, while IAU is more affordable at 0.25% [2][3]. - As of February 7, 2026, SGDM has a one-year return of 137.07%, significantly higher than IAU's 72.60% [2]. - SGDM has assets under management (AUM) of $718.12 million, compared to IAU's $78 billion [2]. Performance & Risk Comparison - SGDM has a maximum drawdown of -45.05% over five years, while IAU's data is not available [4]. - The growth of a $1,000 investment over five years is $2,735 for SGDM and $2,690 for IAU, indicating similar long-term performance [4]. Portfolio Composition - IAU is designed to track the spot price of gold, providing direct exposure to physical bullion and serving as a low-cost vehicle for gold price exposure [5]. - SGDM has a concentrated portfolio of 43 gold mining companies, with top holdings including Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., Newmont Corp., and Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. [6]. Investor Considerations - Investing in precious metals ETFs like SGDM and IAU involves heightened volatility compared to stock-based ETFs, especially during economic and geopolitical turbulence [7]. - Gold prices can fluctuate sharply, benefiting investors as international entities increase their gold reserves amid a weakening U.S. dollar [8]. - While SGDM has outperformed IAU in the short term, both ETFs show nearly identical price returns over a five-year span, making SGDM potentially more suitable for investors uncomfortable with an ETF that only holds gold [9].

Core Insights - A recent reversal in the precious metals rally has prompted investors to reassess gold's role in their portfolios, despite the price per ounce dropping significantly from an all-time high of approximately $5,600. Gold remains up 68% over the past year, with a moderate recovery noted in early February [4][7]. Gold Price Volatility - Investors should anticipate high volatility in gold prices moving forward, which may present opportunities for outsized returns through targeted investments in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or similar leveraged products [4]. Leveraged Investment Products - The MicroSectors Gold 3X Leveraged ETNs (NYSEARCA: SHNY) is highlighted as a notable leveraged product, aiming to triple daily returns of gold prices, but also amplifying potential losses [5][6]. - SHNY does not invest directly in physical gold but provides leveraged exposure to the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (NYSEARCA: GLD), which holds gold bullion [6]. - For investors seeking a less aggressive risk profile, the DB Gold Double Long ETN (NYSEARCA: DGP) offers 2x leveraged exposure to gold futures [6]. Investment Considerations - Investors willing to accept high risk for the potential of magnified single-day gains in gold or gold mining stocks may consider leveraged ETFs or ETNs, such as SHNY, GDXU, and JNUG, which are designed for experienced investors and are highly speculative [7].