Group 1: Precious Metals Performance - Precious metals experienced a collective surge, with spot gold reaching a historic high of $4550, marking a 0.92% increase and a year-to-date rise of 5.38% [1][2] - Spot silver increased by 2.79%, with its current price at $81.993, reflecting a year-to-date gain of 14.55% [2] - Spot platinum rose nearly 3%, surpassing $2320, and is currently priced at $2335, showing a year-to-date increase of 13.35% [2] Group 2: Oil Price Movements - Oil prices have risen for the third consecutive day, with Brent crude futures increasing nearly 6% over the last two days, reaching close to $64 per barrel [3] - WTI crude futures rose by 0.83%, approaching $60 per barrel [3] Group 3: Geopolitical Risks - Geopolitical tensions are escalating, particularly in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with reports of significant explosions in Kyiv and military actions targeting Ukrainian industrial sites [5] - In Iran, recent unrest has resulted in the deaths of 111 security personnel, prompting a national mourning period and public demonstrations against violence [5] - European leaders have criticized the U.S. for threatening remarks regarding Greenland, indicating rising geopolitical tensions in the region [5]

Market Overview - The year 2025 began with optimism post-election, but faced challenges from low-cost AI initiatives from China, adverse impacts on U.S. Big Tech, Trump tariffs, sticky inflation, and high interest rates [1] - Market stabilization occurred in May after a turbulent April due to tariffs [1] - Midyear market euphoria solidified with easing trade tensions and three Fed rate cuts starting in September, but momentum faded due to a government shutdown and overvaluation concerns in the AI sector [2] AI Market Dynamics - By mid-December, the AI market was experiencing a mix of optimism and caution, highlighted by Oracle's $10 billion data center project facing funding issues, impacting tech stocks like Nvidia and Broadcom, while Micron's strong earnings boosted its shares [3] ETF Performance - Wall Street showed positive performance in 2025, with SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) up 18.1%, Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) up 22.3%, and SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) up 15% year-to-date as of December 26, 2025 [4] Gainers in ETFs - Silver Miners: iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP) up 220.3% and Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) up 202.1% due to high demand and supply tightness [5] - Gold Miners: Global X Gold Explorers ETF (GOEX) up 199.3% and VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) up 190.6% driven by a 70% increase in gold prices, Fed rate cuts, and central bank demand [6] - Platinum: GraniteShares Platinum Trust (PLTM) up 165.3% and abrdn Physical Platinum Shares ETF (PPLT) up 165.1% as platinum futures surged above $2,400 per ounce amid industrial demand recovery [7] Losers in ETFs - Meme Stocks: Roundhill Meme Stock ETF (MEME) down 42.6% as investors shifted focus to profitable firms amid market volatility [10] - Volatility: ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY) down 41.9% reflecting market expectations of near-term volatility, underperforming despite a steady Wall Street [11]

Core Insights - The 2024 Year in Review highlights the rise of propaganda, the impact of AI, and the emergence of asset bubbles, particularly in precious metals, while questioning the nature of truth in a rapidly changing technocratic world [3][16]. Group 1: Propaganda and Truth - The current era is characterized as a "Golden Age of Propaganda," where narratives are controlled by elites through mass media and social platforms, leading to a distortion of facts and a loss of shared truths [16][14]. - The author expresses frustration over the erosion of reliable sources of information, suggesting that the overwhelming noise in media makes it difficult to discern fact from fiction [15][20]. Group 2: Precious Metals Market - The report emphasizes a significant interest in precious metals, particularly gold, silver, and platinum, with gold's long-term performance being compared favorably against major stock indices [60][64]. - Gold has shown a remarkable return of over 1309.5% since 2000, outperforming the S&P 500 and NASDAQ over the same period [66]. - The current geopolitical climate, including the actions of the BRIC nations, is pushing countries to reconsider their gold reserves, with the U.S. now holding only 20% of global gold reserves compared to over 50% in the past [70][84]. Group 3: Investment Implications - The report suggests that the demand for gold and silver is being driven by geopolitical tensions and a potential shift in reserve currency dynamics, which could lead to significant price increases [84][89]. - The author notes that the physical gold market is under pressure due to a high paper-to-physical ratio, indicating potential supply shortages that could lead to price spikes [82][100]. - Platinum is highlighted as a rare metal with increasing industrial demand, particularly in the automotive sector, which could lead to supply constraints and rising prices [106][111].

Market Overview - Wall Street experienced mixed performance last week, with the S&P 500 down 0.6%, the Dow Jones up 1.1%, and the Nasdaq down approximately 1.6% [1] - Tech stocks faced significant pressure, impacting the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500, with Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) down 1.7% and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) down 2.5% [1] Tech Sector Performance - Oracle's shares fell 14% due to revenue misses, negatively affecting related AI companies like NVIDIA and Micron [2] - Broadcom's stock dropped about 11% despite strong earnings, raising concerns over high capital expenditures and delayed AI revenue realization [2] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve implemented its final rate cut of the year, lowering the benchmark federal funds rate to a range of 3.5% to 3.75% following a divided vote [3] - The Fed's outlook for 2026 appears more cautious, projecting only one rate cut next year, consistent with previous forecasts [4] Winning ETF Areas - **Cannabis Sector**: Roundhill Cannabis ETF (WEED) rose 51.2% and Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (CNBS) increased 51.0% due to speculation about potential easing of federal marijuana regulations [5] - **Silver Miners**: Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL) gained 8.4% and Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) rose 7.6% driven by increased industrial demand and supply shortages [6] - **Space Economy**: Procure Space ETF (UFO) increased by 7.8%, with Rocket Lab Corp (RKLB) surging 22.8% due to heightened investor interest in the space sector [7] - **Gold Miners**: VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) rose 7.1%, and SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) gained 2.2% as the U.S. dollar weakened [9] - **Platinum**: GraniteShares Platinum Trust (PLTM) increased by 6.3%, with platinum prices surpassing $1,700 per ounce amid projected market deficits [10] - **Health Care**: Roundhill GLP-1 & Weight Loss ETF (OZEM) rose 6.3%, being the first actively-managed GLP-1 ETF, highlighting advancements in weight loss pharmaceuticals [11]

Group 1: Mineral Production in Africa - Africa is a significant global hub for mineral production, holding 79.3% of total PGM reserves, 61.7% of chromium reserves, and substantial shares of cobalt (54.5%), manganese (36.5%), diamonds (32.4%), bauxite (25.5%), copper (8.2%), gold (7.8%), and lithium (1.6%) [1] - The region accounted for nearly 80.3% of global platinum production in 2024, with a forecasted decline of 6.4% in 2025 due to heavy rains and operational challenges [2] - South Africa produced 71.5% of global platinum and 42.7% of chromium in 2024, facing structural issues like high electricity costs and labor inefficiencies [3] Group 2: Cobalt and Copper Production - The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accounted for 97.2% of Africa's cobalt production in 2024, with a projected growth of 2.5% in 2025 [4] - DRC's copper production is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% through 2030, supported by expansions at various projects [4] - Africa's second-largest copper producer is forecast to see a 19.2% increase in copper production in 2025, reaching 937.5 kilotonnes, driven by higher output from ZCCM Investment Holdings' Mopani mine [4]

Core Viewpoint - Tharisa plans to invest $547 million in an underground platinum group metals mining project over the next decade, transitioning from open-pit mining to underground operations to enhance efficiency and extend the life of the mine [1][2]. Group 1: Investment and Project Details - The investment of $547 million (R9.46 billion) will be allocated to an underground platinum group metals mining project [1]. - The transition from open-pit to underground mining is expected to occur within the next ten years [1]. - The underground operations are projected to produce a minimum of 200,000 ounces of PGMs and over two million tonnes of chrome concentrate annually [4]. Group 2: Production Projections - For the financial year 2025, Tharisa anticipates production of 140,000 to 160,000 ounces of PGMs and between 1.65 million and 1.8 million tonnes of chrome concentrates [4]. - Ore delivery from the first of two shafts is expected to commence by the second quarter of 2026 [3]. Group 3: Industry Context and Future Outlook - PGMs are considered critical for the transition to a future world, despite concerns regarding their demand due to the rise of electric vehicles [2][3]. - The new mechanized underground operations aim to enhance efficiencies, lower costs, and boost output [3]. - Tharisa is also developing the Karo platinum mine in Zimbabwe, which is expected to produce 226,000 ounces per year [4].

Production Capacity Expansion - Impala Platinum Holdings's Zimbabwe unit is tripling its processing capacity [1] - The Zimbabwe unit plans to handle concentrates from other mining firms at its new smelter [1]