NEW YORK, March 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX: ORV; OTCQX: ORVMF), a multi-mine gold-copper-silver company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Orvana Minerals Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink Limited™ Market. Orvana Minerals Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “ORVMF.” U.S. investors can find current financial ...

Key Takeaways Trump hints at Iran deal progress, easing fears over Strait of Hormuz disruption. Oil plunges as diplomacy hopes rise, boosting risk-on sentiment across equities. Beaten-down ETFs like SPY, QQQ, CPER may rebound if Middle East tensions cool.President Donald Trump indicated that Iran had offered a “present” as a gesture of goodwill amid ongoing negotiations to end the 25-day conflict that has rattled global markets, per Bloomberg, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.While he declined to provide specific ...

Core Viewpoint - Giant Mining Corp. has updated its 2026 drill program to include two deep diamond drill holes at the Majuba Hill Copper-Silver-Gold Project, utilizing integrated geological data and A.I.-assisted targeting tools to explore high-priority targets at depth [1][3]. Exploration Program - The drill program will consist of up to 10,000 feet of core drilling, with the two deep drill holes strategically positioned based on integrated datasets, including historical drilling and geological modeling [1][2]. - Deep Drill Hole 1 targets a newly defined breccia body identified from recent surface mapping and soil sampling, while Deep Drill Hole 2 aims to assess mineralization potential beneath historical underground mine workings [5]. Geological Insights - The Majuba Hill system has over 100 historical drill holes totaling approximately 89,000 feet, indicating a long history of copper production and exploration [7]. - The 2026 exploration program builds on previous work, identifying multiple mineralized breccia bodies associated with hydrothermal-magmatic systems as priority targets for further drilling [7]. Infrastructure and Location - Majuba Hill is located in Nevada, a top-ranked mining jurisdiction, covering 9,684 acres and benefiting from strong local infrastructure, which provides significant cost advantages [15]. - The project is accessible via well-maintained county roads and is situated 156 miles (251 km) from Reno, Nevada [15]. Company Strategy - The company is focused on advancing the Majuba Hill project through systematic drilling and technical evaluation, with a commitment to responsible exploration and long-term shareholder value [21]. - The company has secured funding for its next phase of drilling, indicating a well-financed exploration program [15]. Market Engagement - The company has entered into an extension agreement with Gold Standard Media for advertising and investor awareness services, with a budget of up to USD 450,000 [16][17].

Key Takeaways Slowing U.S. growth and weak sentiment highlight rising economic uncertainty.Oil surge and private credit stress raise fears of stagflation risks.Gold, tech, copper and emerging-market ETFs may offer long-term opportunities.Global markets are facing heightened uncertainty as slowing U.S. economic growth, rising geopolitical tensions, and surging oil prices dampen the outlook for investors. With fears of stagflation and financial stress resurfacing, markets are sending mixed signals. Let’s delv ...

Market Performance - U.S. stocks traded mostly lower, with the Nasdaq Composite falling more than 100 points on Friday, while the Dow increased by 0.03% to 46,691.58, the NASDAQ decreased by 0.71% to 22,153.27, and the S&P 500 dropped by 0.31% to 6,651.81 [1] - European shares were higher, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 rising by 0.7%, Spain's IBEX 35 Index increasing by 0.8%, London's FTSE 100 up by 0.6%, Germany's DAX gaining 0.7%, and France's CAC 40 rising by 0.4% [4] - Asian markets closed lower, with Japan's Nikkei 225 falling by 1.16%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index down by 0.98%, China's Shanghai Composite slipping by 0.82%, and India's BSE Sensex dipping by 1.93% [5] Sector Performance - Utilities shares climbed by 1.2% on Friday, while communication services stocks fell by 1.2% [1] Commodities - In commodity news, oil traded up by 1.2% to $96.91, while gold traded down by 1.5% at $5,046.80, silver decreased by 5.9% to $80.11, and copper fell by 1.8% to $5.7680 [3] Economic Indicators - The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose by 2.8% year over year in January, down from 2.9% in December and below expectations for an unchanged reading [2]

Core Insights - Rio Tinto Group (RIO) reported a 5% year-over-year increase in consolidated copper production in Q4 2025, supported by strong performance across its operating assets [1][8] - The company achieved its first copper production at the Johnson Camp mine in Arizona using proprietary Nuton technology, marking a significant milestone for cleaner and more efficient copper recovery [2][3] Production and Performance - Total copper production for Rio Tinto reached 883 kilotonne (kt) in 2025, reflecting an 11% year-over-year increase, driven by the ramp-up at the Oyu Tolgoi site and strong performance at the Kennecott mine [4][8] - The Johnson Camp deployment targets approximately 30,000 tons of refined copper over a four-year demonstration period using Nuton technology, aiming for the lowest carbon footprint in the U.S. [3] Peer Comparison - Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) produced 242,172 tons of copper in Q4 2025, with a marginal year-over-year increase, while its total production for 2025 was 956,270 tons, about 1.8% lower year-over-year [5] - Ero Copper Corp. (ERO) achieved record consolidated copper production in Q4 2025, producing 19,706 tons of copper in concentrate, with a 15% increase in mill throughput from the prior quarter [6] Valuation and Estimates - Rio Tinto shares have gained 51.1% over the past six months, outperforming the industry's growth of 39.6% [7] - The company is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 11.54X, below the industry's average of 15.5X, and carries a Value Score of A [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RIO's 2026 earnings has increased by 13.9% over the past 60 days [12]

1. Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided 2. Core View of the Report - The Iran event will have a bullish impact on copper prices, but high inventories may limit the price increase elasticity. The strategy of buying copper on dips remains unchanged, and attention can be paid to risk - free term arbitrage opportunities. For options, different strategies are proposed for different scenarios [1][2][3] 3. Summary by Related Catalogs Impact of the Iran Event on Copper Prices - The US - Israel joint military strike on Iran has led to a sharp escalation of the regional situation, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively blocked. This event is a bullish driver for copper prices as it may reduce Iran's copper concentrate and refined copper exports, impact global supply, and increase raw material and transportation costs. The strategic nature of metals may also attract long - position capital allocation [1] - In 2025, Iran exported about 250,000 tons of copper concentrate, all transported through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade may disrupt the transportation channel, making the global copper concentrate supply shortage more severe and putting downward pressure on the spot TC of copper concentrate, which will impact copper smelting output. Iran's copper production in 2025 was about 400,000 tons, with an estimated 30% - 40% for export (120,000 - 150,000 tons). The blockade will indirectly and directly affect the global refined copper supply by 370,000 - 400,000 tons per year, accounting for about 1.4% of the global total. It will also expand the global copper supply - demand gap in 2026. Additionally, increased costs and supply panic will support prices [2] Current Market Situation - High copper prices have significantly suppressed traditional industry consumption, and the actual demand for copper is weak. Domestic social inventories are at a record high for the same period, and the global total inventory has reached 1.4 million tons, which may limit the price increase elasticity [2] Trading Strategies - **Unilateral trading strategy**: The idea of buying copper on dips remains unchanged. If the impact of the event weakens, positions should be closed in time [3] - **Arbitrage strategy**: The C - structure spread of SHFE copper futures is large, and low - cost funds can focus on risk - free term arbitrage opportunities [3] Option Strategies - **On - exchange options**: The implied volatility of SHFE copper options is still in a downward trend. If the market is in a strong shock, a trinomial spread strategy can be constructed by selling out - of - the - money put options and buying bull call spreads to capture small - scale upward gains [4] - **Off - exchange options**: For industrial enterprises with exposure to copper price increase risks, it is recommended to appropriately arrange circuit - breaker fixed - payout accumulator options to optimize spot costs, gradually establish low - position long - hedging positions during a mild market adjustment, and obtain sufficient cash income subsidies when the market rises rapidly [5]

Botswana has long been one of the world's most diamond dependent economies. But as global demand for diamonds softens, the country is accelerating efforts to diversify its mining sector and build a broader minerals base. I spoke with Botswana's Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo about the country's pivot towards a more diversified minerals output.Botswana's mining industry has largely been about the diamonds. Even the focus of our legislation has largely been how do we stimulate beneficiation ...

Core Viewpoint - Ero Copper Corp. (ERO) is expected to report a significant year-over-year increase in earnings and revenues for the quarter ended December 2025, with the consensus outlook being crucial for assessing the company's earnings picture [1] Earnings Expectations - The consensus EPS estimate for Ero Copper is $1.06 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +523.5% [3] - Revenues are anticipated to reach $293.5 million, which is a 139.6% increase compared to the same quarter last year [3] Estimate Revisions - Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 7.38%, indicating a reassessment by analysts [4] - The Most Accurate Estimate for Ero Copper matches the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of 0% [12] Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model suggests that a positive or negative reading indicates the likely deviation of actual earnings from the consensus estimate, with positive readings being more predictive of earnings beats [9][10] - Ero Copper currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3, making it challenging to predict an earnings beat conclusively [12] Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Ero Copper was expected to post earnings of $0.36 per share but only achieved $0.27, resulting in a surprise of -25.00% [13] - Over the past four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times [14] Conclusion - Ero Copper does not appear to be a strong candidate for an earnings beat based on current estimates and historical performance, but investors should consider other factors before making investment decisions [17]

Retail and Consumer - Best Buy, Ralph Lauren, and Nike are expected to benefit from the new 15% tariff, which is 4% lower than previous rates, according to Jefferies analysts [1] - Other retailers like Target and Elf Beauty may also see positive impacts from the tariff reduction [1] E-Commerce Companies - Small and midcap e-commerce stocks may experience mixed effects; Etsy is noted to be the most insulated from tariff volatility due to its diversified trade routes [1] - Chewy and Wayfair are expected to be least impacted as they have already adapted to previous tariffs [1] Paper, Lumber, and Packaging - Local packaging and lumber companies may lose their competitive edge due to the new tariffs, with companies like Clearwater Paper and Rayonier flagged for negative impacts [1] - A survey indicated that U.S. buyers reported lower containerboard prices in February, intensifying pricing pressure from increased European imports [1] Automobiles - Legacy automakers such as Ford and General Motors are unlikely to see relief from tariffs, as most tariffs on the industry remain unaffected by the recent ruling [1] Steel, Aluminum, and Copper - Producers in these sectors, including Steel Dynamics and Alcoa, are expected to remain unaffected as tariffs will continue under Section 232 [1] Emerging Markets - China is anticipated to benefit significantly from the tariff changes, with analysts expecting tariff rates to decline from 32% to around 24% and 27% [1] - Other regions like India and Southeast Asia are also expected to see tariff reductions, with estimates of 4-5% for Southeast Asia and a drop to 14% for India [1]