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Cobalt Market Update: Q3 2025 in Review

Investing 7 Mins Read

Tight export controls out of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) added tailwinds to cobalt prices in Q3, prompting market watchers to anticipate a shift from oversupply to balance in the coming months.

After starting the year at lows unseen since 2016 (US$21,502 per metric ton), cobalt began to rebound in Q2.

Prices for the metal then flatlined in the US$33,300 to US$37,000 range from the end of March through September, but a sharp rally in late October sent values to US$47,110, a level last reached in January 2023.

Cobalt price, October 25, 2024, to October 23, 2025.

Chart via Trading Economics.

Much of the cobalt story this year has been dominated by the February export suspension out of the DRC, which supplies roughly three-quarters of the world’s cobalt. The initial curtailment was expected to last four months in an effort to rein in oversupply and stem a price plunge below US$10 per pound, the lowest point in over 20 years.

The supply glut has been attributed to a surge in output driven largely by China’s CMOC Group (OTC Pink:CMCLF, SHA:603993), which has rapidly expanded production at two major DRC mines.

Cobalt supply expected to swing from surplus to balance

Cobalt supply has surged over the past five years, with global mine production more than doubling from 140,000 metric tons in 2020 to 290,000 metric tons in 2024. The bulk of this growth has come out of DRC, with annual output rising from 175,000 metric tons in 2023 to 220,000 metric tons in 2024. This rapid growth has far outpaced demand from the electric vehicle (EV) sector and other end-use industries, resulting in significant market oversupply.

In June, the DRC extended its export halt through September, a move that supported higher price levels.

“Trade statistics for cobalt hydroxide imports into China in June showed the first drop in material following the export ban enforcement in late February,” wrote Fastmarkets’ Rob Searle in a June market update.

“With a typical lead time of around three months, we expected June to be the first month of lower volumes. Cobalt hydroxide imports fell 62 percent in June and are expected to remain at low levels through to the end of December or early 2026. Should the export ban end as planned on September 22, the end of the year is the earliest we can expect to see new feed into the Chinese market from the DRC,’ the battery metals expert continued.

As the deadline for the export halt extension drew near, prices began to climb amid rumors that officials in Kinshashe would implement quotas to continue curbing the market saturation.

After eight months of restricted trade, the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances’ Markets (ARECOMS), announced it was enacting a quota system aimed at stabilizing global supply and prices.

The output cap will permit the export of 18,125 metric tons of DRC cobalt for the remainder of 2025.

“In 2026, the annual quota is set at 96,600t, of which 87,000t will be distributed to producers on a pro rata basis, with 9,600t retained under ARECOMS’ discretionary control,” a September Benchmark Mineral Intelligence report notes. “The framework will run through 2027, with adjustments possible if officials deem the market ‘imbalanced.”

The restrictions lifted cobalt prices to a 32 month high of US$48,570 on October 23.

Strong cobalt demand projected for next two years

Although the cobalt market remains oversupplied, demand has steadily increased alongside ballooning output, reaching record levels of more than 200,000 metric tons in 2024.

“The primary growth driver of this (growth) is the electric vehicle market, combined with portables, which is the second biggest battery market,” explained Benchmark’s William Talbot during a July Cobalt Institute webinar.

The alloy and military applications segment also experienced growth.

Talbot went on to note that despite reports that EV demand is waning in some regions, broad demand remains robust, and EVs that utilize cobalt battery chemistries “are still growing at pace.”

“If we look at the EV picture year-to-date in 2025, we’ve had more than 30 percent growth compared to the same period last year in unit terms,” he explained.

Cobalt price growth to continue into 2026

The cobalt market is entering a phase of continued volatility and structural change, shaped by shifting supply sources, evolving policy frameworks and growing geopolitical tension, as per Benchmark’s Talbot and the Cobalt Institute.

Looking ahead, Benchmark expects Indonesia to overtake the DRC as the key source of new supply by the late 2020s, as projects such as Kalimantan Ferro Nickel ramp up and few new developments emerge in the DRC.

On the demand side, Talbot said the outlook remains “fairly robust,” with EV growth driving consumption, despite some policy headwinds in the US. He pointed to China’s planned ban on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology, which he said “is supportive of cobalt-containing chemistries” such as nickel cobalt manganese (NCM).

Rising geopolitical tensions are also reshaping the cobalt supply chain.

“Major players are increasingly cognizant of where their materials come from,” Talbot said, citing new US and European investment in strategic and ESG-compliant cobalt projects.

Talbot added that the cobalt value chain has made “leaps and bounds” in sustainability, with roughly 80 percent of refined cobalt now assessed under the Responsible Minerals Initiative — a key factor for automakers and original equipment manufacturers under tightening compliance requirements.

While Benchmark remains cautious with projections, analysts at Project Blue say cobalt prices could rebound sharply in 2026 and 2027 as the DRC enforces its new export cap of 96,600 metric tons per year.

“Such constraints could lift cobalt prices toward historical real levels of over US$20 per pound,” reads a Project Blue report, noting that the quota “came in lower than many expected,” but aligns with its call for a rebalanced market.

According to Project Blue, at least 100,000 metric tons of exports would be needed next year to maintain equilibrium. Accounting for shipping delays and processing losses, only 85,000 to 90,000 metric tons are expected to reach end users — creating a structural deficit that should continue to support prices. The quota framework could also spur domestic refining as export restrictions make long-term storage of cobalt hydroxide costly.

Industry observers warn that producers — especially copper-cobalt miners such as CMOC — may need to adopt financial hedging and adjust production plans to navigate the added bureaucracy and potential export delays.

Similarly, Fastmarkets expects the DRC’s new rules to support cobalt prices, which have already soared more than 240 percent since February, Alexander Cook wrote in an LME Week recap. Fastmarkets assessed cobalt hydroxide prices at US$19.50 to US$20.20 on October 14, up from just US$5.65 in February.

The restrictions have sharply curtailed available volumes — much of which are already locked into long-term contracts — leaving the spot market increasingly constrained, wrote Cook.

Market participants expect further gains, though analysts caution that such elevated prices could push some battery makers to accelerate the shift toward cobalt-free chemistries such as LFP.

While the quota system has bolstered prices in the short term, the long-term outlook remains uncertain.

Analysts note that cobalt’s fate is increasingly tied to copper market dynamics and the pace of EV demand recovery, with downstream buyers and automakers reassessing cobalt’s role in next-generation batteries.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Questcorp Mining Closes First Tranche of Private Placement

Investing 5 Mins Read

Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ,OTC:QQCMF) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) announces that it has closed the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the ‘Offering’). In connection with closing, the Company has issued 14,000,334 units (each, a ‘Unit’) at a price of $0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of $2,100,050. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (each, a ‘Share’) and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, an ‘Warrant’). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.20 until October 24, 2027, subject to accelerated expiry in the event the closing price of the Shares is $0.50 or higher for ten consecutive trading days.

The Company expects to utilize the proceeds of the Offering for advancement of ongoing exploration and drill work at the La Union Gold and Silver Project, upcoming exploration work at the North Island Copper Property, and for general working capital purposes.

A portion of the Units issued under the first tranche the Offering, representing $2,000,000 will be held pursuant to a sharing agreement entered into with an institutional investor, Sorbie Bornholm LP (‘Sorbie‘) and the Company (the ‘Sharing Agreement‘). The Sharing Agreement provides that the Company’s economic interest will be determined in twenty-four monthly settlement tranches as measured against the Benchmark Price (as defined herein). If, at the time of settlement, the Settlement Price (determined monthly based on a volume-weighted average price for twenty trading days prior to the settlement date) (the ‘Settlement Price‘) exceeds the benchmark price of $0.1949 (the ‘Benchmark Price‘), the Company shall receive more than one-hundred percent of the monthly settlement due, on a pro-rata basis. There is no upper limit placed on the additional proceeds receivable by the Company as part of the monthly settlements. If, at the time of settlement, the Settlement Price is below the Benchmark Price of $0.1949, the Company will receive less than one-hundred percent of the monthly settlement due on a pro-rata basis. In no event will a decline in the Settlement Price of the Units result in an increase in the number of Units being issued to Sorbie.

The Units issued to subscribers in the first tranche of the Offering were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption (the ‘Listed Issuer Financing Exemption‘) under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (‘NI 45-106‘). As a result, they are not subject to statutory hold periods. In connection with the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the Company has prepared and filed an offering document related to the Offering that is available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at: www.questcorpmining.ca. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision. No finders’ fees or commissions were paid in connection with completion of the first tranche of the Offering, but Sorbie received a corporate finance fee in the amount $130,000 payable through the issuance of 866,667 Units at price of $0.15 per Unit.

The Company anticipates completing a further tranche of the Offering for up to a further 9,333,000 Units, to bring combined gross proceeds from the Offering to $3,500,000. The Company anticipates that the remaining Units will be offered to subscribers pursuant to the accredited investor exemption (the ‘Accredited Investor Exemption‘) under Section 2.3 of NI 45-106. All securities issued pursuant to the Accredited Investor Exemption will be subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four-months-and-one-day in accordance with applicable securities laws. In connection with completion of the remaining tranche of the Offering, the Company may pay finders’ fees to eligible third-parties who have introduced subscribers to the Offering. Completion of a final tranche of the Offering remains subject to receipt of regulatory approvals.

About Questcorp Mining Inc.

Questcorp Mining Inc. is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper Property, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union Project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation.

Contact Information

Questcorp Mining Corp.
Saf Dhillon, President & CEO
Email: saf@questcorpmining.ca
Telephone: (604) 484-3031

This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the ability of Riverside to secure geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets as contemplated or at all, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that the geophysical surveys will be completed as contemplated or at all and that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/271978

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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S&P 500 Breaking Out Again: What This Means for Your Portfolio

Stock 3 Mins Read

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.

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S&P 500 Breaking Out Again: What This Means for Your Portfolio

Stock 3 Mins Read

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.

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Shaakichiuwaanaan Project Set to Become Second Largest Lithium Mine Globally

Investing 2 Mins Read

Canadian company PMET Resources (ASX:PMT, TSX:PMET, OTCQX:PMETF) has completed a lithium-only feasibility study on the CV5 deposit of its Shaakichiuwaanaan lithium project in Northern Quebec.

The company said that the feasibility study confirms that the project is a large-scale and lifelong operation, with CV5’s maiden reserve updated to 84.3 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.26 percent lithium oxide or about 2.62 Mt lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in probable reserves.

Results also show that there is still potential to upgrade and expand resources at CV5 and its nearby CV13 deposit, which currently hold a total resource of 108.0 million tonnes at 1.40 percent indicated and 33.4 at 1.33 percent inferred.

“Our large scale and long-life project is ideally suited to support the emerging American, European, and Asian lithium raw materials supply chains,” commented CEO and President Ken Brinsden.

“There are very few projects of this size & scale, quality, and low production cost that can assist in underwriting the expected capital investment supporting new supply chains and demand growth in western markets.”

Located in Quebec’s Eeyou Istchee James Bay region, Shaakichiuwaanaan is recognised as the largest lithium pegmatite mineral resource in the Americas.

It is also among the largest lithium mines in the world, with potential to become the second largest following the Greenbushes lithium operations in Western Australia.

Greenbushes is owned by Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) and was recorded with an estimated 0.21 metric tonnes per annum lithium production in 2023.

PMET is targeting a final investment decision for Shaakichiuwaanaan for the second half of 2027, hoping that “the overall market supply-demand balance tightens over the coming years.”

Researchers found that the project can have an annual production of up to 800,000 tonnes of lithium-rich rock, along with pollucite, tantalite, and cesium.

Brinsden said that about 20 percent of the jobs created at Shaakichiuwaanaan will be allotted to workers at the Cree territory.

PMET Resources was formerly Patriot Battery Metals. The company officially changed its name in September.

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Homerun Resources Inc. Financings Update

Investing 2 Mins Read

Homerun Resources Inc. (TSXV: HMR,OTC:HMRFF) (OTCQB: HMRFF) (‘Homerun’ or the ‘Company’) announces that the Company has submitted its formal application for conditional approval of the previously announced $6-million financing with a single institutional investor. The Company is now awaiting conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Company also reports, that further to its October 6, 2025, news release, the Company is oversubscribed for its $3-million unit private placement at $1.00. This financing will close after the above financing, as several subscribers have requested that the closing of the $6-million institutional financing be a precedent, and so the Company has requested and received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange to extend the closing of that financing for a standard 30-day period to November 24, 2025.

Both financings are anticipated to close in the immediate term, subject to TSX-V approval.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of
Homerun Resources Inc.

‘Brian Leeners’

Brian Leeners, CEO & Director
brianleeners@gmail.com / +1 604-862-4184 (WhatsApp)

Tyler Muir, Investor Relations
info@homerunresources.com / +1 306-690-8886 (WhatsApp)

FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE
The information contained herein contains ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be ‘forward-looking statements’.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/271921

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Tech Weekly: Cloud Providers, Tech Stocks Outperform as Earnings Season Rolls On

Investing 5 Mins Read

This week began on a strong note, with emerging signs that US-China tensions could ease and White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett’s suggestion that the federal government shutdown could soon end.

US stocks rallied broadly, led by small caps and semiconductors, with the PHLX Semiconductor Sector (INDEXNASDAQ:SOX) hitting an all-time high amid reduced concerns about regional bank credit quality.

On Tuesday (October 21), hotter-than-expected Canadian inflation data weighed on the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX), while the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) outperformed.

Wednesday (October 22) saw profit taking in high-growth names as Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and IBM (NYSE:IBM) reported after the bell, and as reports of potential new US export curbs on China pressured equities.

IBM beat revenue forecasts with US$9.5 billion in artificial intelligence (AI) revenue, but offered cautious guidance, leading its share price to fall after-hours. Tesla missed revenue estimates, with margins falling to 5.8 percent due to price cuts and reduced regulatory credits, despite record deliveries. CEO Elon Musk reiterated medium-term goals in AI, autonomy and robotics, though the firm didn’t update its financial guidance. Tesla shares also dropped after hours.

Despite the pullback, the tech sector rebounded sharply on Thursday (October 23), driven by optimism about AI and cloud infrastructure. Quantum computing companies such as IonQ (NASDAQ:IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:RGTI) and D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:QBTS) surged on reports of increased US government funding.

North of the border, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a C$3 billion joint investment in small modular reactors at the Darlington site, located east of Toronto in Bowmanville.

Later, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) surpassed expectations with a 3 percent year-on-year revenue increase, reaching US$13.7 billion, with gross margins doubling to 38 percent. The demand for AI accelerators and x86 processors contributed to these strong results. CEO Lip-Bu Tan expressed confidence in continuing AI-driven compute demand.

Following the announcement, shares rose and opened nearly 5 percent higher the next day.

Intel’s standout earnings boosted sentiment heading into Friday. Markets opened higher after delayed US inflation data came in cooler than expected, showing easing underlying pressures and reinforcing expectations for another Fed rate cut next week. Tech stocks led the advance once again.

3 tech stocks that moved markets this week

1. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU)

Micron Technology shares rose 4.46 percent this week, hitting a record high above US$214 on Monday (October 20) after analysts at Barclays (NYSE:BCS) raised their price target from US$195 to US$240, citing robust earnings and margin expansion as signs of operational strength. The company has reported surging demand for its high-bandwidth memory chips, with supply fully sold out through 2026. Other semiconductor stocks, such as ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:ON) and KLA (NASDAQ:KLAC), also gained, reflecting broad semiconductor strength.

2. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Apple’s share price is up 2.7 percent for the week, boosted by an overall bullish sentiment for high-value tech stocks, as well as momentum from strong M5 MacBook demand and solid sales of the iPhone 17 in the US and China.

CEO Tim Cook later announced the opening of the company’s Texas manufacturing facility on Thursday, two months ahead of schedule, further boosting sentiment.

3. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

Top AI stock NVIDIA saw gains of 1.67 percent this week following a joint announcement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM). The companies said the first Blackwell wafer has been produced in the US at Taiwan Semiconductor’s semiconductor fab in Phoenix.

It is the first of its kind to be domestically manufactured in recent American history.

NVIDIA remains the bellwether for the AI sector, and its share price performance is widely regarded as a barometer for risk-on sentiment in the AI and tech sectors, with its share price movements often reflecting investor appetite for growth and optimism about the future of AI-driven innovation.

Micron Technology, NVIDIA and Apple performance, October 21 to 24, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Tech ETF performance

This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) advanced by 1.83 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) saw a weekly gain of 1.91 percent.

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) increased by 1.59 percent.

Other tech market news

  • Amazon Web Services experienced a major outage this week, raising concerns about cloud infrastructure resilience and spotlighting the critical dependency on hyperscale providers.

        Tech news to watch next week

        Next week, investors will be eyeing interest rate decisions from the Bank of Canada and the US Federal Reserve. The Bank of Canada is expected to hold rates steady, reflecting ongoing cautiousness amid cooling inflation, while US investors are betting on a rate cut from the the country’s central bank.

        Earnings results from tech giants will also be closely watched, with Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Microsoft and Meta reporting on Wednesday (October 29), and Apple and Amazon on Thursday (October 30).

        Strong beats or cautious guidance from these heavyweight companies could either boost confidence in the tech sector’s growth trajectory or temper enthusiasm in the final quarter of 2025.

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

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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        Ed Steer: Silver Rally Now Unstoppable, Price to Hit Triple Digits

        Investing 1 Min Read

        Ed Steer of Ed Steer’s Gold and Silver Digest shares his thoughts on silver’s run past US$50 per ounce, saying that in his view the bull market is just getting started.

        ‘One way or another we’re going to run into a supply/demand brick wall, and when that day happens we could see triple-digit silver prices in a very, very short period of time,’ he said.

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

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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        Editor’s Picks: Gold Price Recovers from Biggest One-Day Drop in 12 Years

        Investing 4 Mins Read

        The gold price declined from its recent all-time highs this week, sinking to nearly US$4,000 per ounce and recording its biggest one-day decline in more than 12 years.

        Silver took a similar hit, slipping back below the US$50 per ounce level.

        The drops have been attributed to factors like a stronger US dollar and lower US-China tensions, as well as profit taking, potentially from traders who are new to the market.

        Many experts have been anticipating a correction for the metals — their latest rise has been quick, and no asset can go straight up forever.

        However, there’s also a broad consensus that gold has entered a new phase. For example, Patrick Tuohy of Goldstrom believes gold won’t fall below US$3,000 again.

        Here’s what Tuohy said:

        ‘Is this a short-term phenomenon that’s going to have some some dynamics that are going to turn it on its head and it reverses 50, 60 percent? I don’t believe that is the case. I think within our group … the consensus is that it’s unlikely that we’ll see gold below US$3,000 again in our lifetimes. So let’s say that that’s the floor. That’s a fairly significant move from where we were two years ago. So that’s comfortable.’

        Next week, all eyes will be on the US Federal Reserve, which is set to meet from October 28 to 29. CME Group’s (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool shows strong expectations for another interest rate cut.

        While the release of US government data has been affected by the ongoing shutdown, September consumer price index numbers were released on Friday (October 24).

        The report was the first major piece of federal economic data to come out since the shutdown began, and it has confirmed expectations of another rate reduction.

        Bullet briefing — What’s next for gold and silver?

        Gold and silver prices perked up to end the week, rising to the US$4,100 and US$48.60 levels, respectively. But with the metals still off from their all-time highs, investors are wondering what’s next.

        Opinions vary, but I’ve pulled together a couple of quotes that illustrate what I’m hearing.

        First is Ed Steer of Ed Steer’s Gold and Silver Digest. He’s well known for his commentary on the precious metals space, and he weighed in on what’s next for silver, saying that today really is different compared to the other times silver rose to the US$50 level.

        Here’s how he explained it:

        ‘It’s irrelevant what the price is today. You look at the big picture, and look at the fact that the BRICS+ have become an absolutely awesome juggernaut, and it’s absolutely unstoppable. And as we shift from the west to the east, as this continues economically, financially, it’s impossible to say where this is going to end up.

        ‘But what we’re living right now is we’re living through a major, major shift in financial power, from one area of the world to another, and we’re going to be — they’re going to be writing about this 1,000 years from now. So we’re living through history.’

        Next we have Don Durrett of GoldStockData.com. This interview is from the week before last, so it’s a little older, but definitely still relevant. I’ve kept thinking about a comment Durrett made about one way we can tell the gold cycle is still early. This is what he said:

        The thing that really reveals how early we are is the stock market is only 2 percent from an all-time high. What in the world is the stock market doing at an all-time high and gold at an all-time high? Those are antagonistic. Gold is supposed to be a hedge against uncertainty. The stock market is supposed to show basically confidence.

        And so if you have an all-time high, people should be confident. Everything’s fine. We don’t need this. But people are not confident. People have said this is the most scary bull market ever. Nobody really believes in it, right? … So the question is, who’s telling the truth? Is the stock market telling the truth at an all time high, or is it gold is telling the truth? Well, it’s pretty obvious that gold’s the one telling the truth.

        In It To Win It interview

        Finally, if you’d like to hear more from me, I was recently interviewed by Steve Barton of In It To Win It.

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

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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        Business

        X-ray tables, hidden cameras: The tech in rigged poker games linked to the mob and NBA

        Business 5 Mins Read

        Card-reading contact lenses, X-ray poker tables, trays of poker chips that read cards, hacked shuffling machines that predict hands. The technology alleged to have been used to execute a multistate, rigged poker operation sounds like it’s straight out of Hollywood.

        And those were only some of the gadgets that authorities say were used to swindle millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims through rigged, high-dollar, underground poker games over more than five years.

        A sprawling indictment unsealed Thursday by the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York charged Chauncey Billups, the head coach of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, and Damon Jones, a former NBA player, along with members of the Mafia and dozens of other defendants, with being part of a conspiracy.

        The victims were “at the mercy of concealed technology, including rigged shuffling machines and specially designed contacts lenses and sunglasses to read the backs of playing cards, which ensured that the victims would lose big,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella of Brooklyn said in a statement.

        Cheating at poker is as old as poker itself. But today, wearable tech and nano-cameras are putting even upstanding poker players on their guard.

        The defendants used “special contact lenses or eyeglasses that could read pre-marked cards,” Nocella said at a news conference announcing the indictments.

        He also showed a photo of an X-ray table that “could read cards face down on the table … because of the X-ray technology.”

        An X-ray poker table in an image from defendant Robert Stroud’s iCloud account.U.S. Justice Department

        “Defendants used other cheating technologies, such as poker chip tray analyzers, which is a poker chip tray that secretly reads cards using a hidden camera,” he said.

        And while marking poker cards so they are visible only with special eyewear is an old trick, new radio-frequency identification and infrared technologies have ramped up the sophistication levels.

        Technically speaking, many of the devices involved in the alleged scam authorities detailed Thursday are relatively cheap to manufacture, said Sal Piacente, a gaming security consultant.

        By the time they reach their customers, however, the cost of industrial shufflers or tables can easily approach $100,000, once distributors and middlemen are factored in.

        “You could make a lucrative career buying this stuff,” Piacente said.

        Casino and gaming security consultants told NBC News that the alleged scheme was possible only because the games were underground. In backrooms, there was none of the surveillance tech that reputable casinos use to catch players cheating.

        “A lot of the features which made this scheme so successful would have been ID’d a lot sooner, or very quickly, in a traditional regulated gaming environment,” said Ian Messenger, a former U.K. law enforcement officer and founder and CEO of the Association of Certified Gaming Compliance Specialists.

        More than any other tech, it was the reprogramming of the industrial card shufflers — identified in charging documents as Deckmate-brand machines — that authorities said was key to the alleged game rigging.

        A DeckMate 2 shuffler taken apart on a table in an image from defendant Shane Hennen’s iCloud account. U.S. Justice Department

        Deckmates are not sold directly to the public — though many used ones can be found for sale online. The ones at the high-dollar games cited in the indictment could read cards and predict which player had the best hand. Neither Deckmate nor its parent company, Light & Wonder, were implicated in any way in Thursday’s indictments.

        A spokesman for Light & Wonder told NBC News in a statement that the company was aware of reports about the charges against people but said they were not affiliated with the company.

        “We sell and lease our automatic card shufflers and other gaming products and services only to licensed casinos and other licensed gaming establishments,” said Andy Fouché, the company’s vice president of communications. “We will cooperate in any law enforcement investigation related to this indictment.”

        Reprogramming shufflers is not a new trick. In 2023, hackers at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas presented research showing how to hack a Deckmate shuffler and use it to cheat.

        The rigged shuffler machines would transmit information about the players’ hands to an off-site “operator,” according to prosecutors.

        The computer program showing information transmitted by the rigged shuffling machine in an image from defendant Shane Hennen’s iCloud account. U.S. Justice Department

        The operator would then communicate the information to someone else at the table, dubbed the “quarterback.” The victim was known as the “fish.”

        Here, the high-tech gadgets met the low-tech of a card game.

        The quarterback might touch the $1,000 poker chip or tap his chin or touch his black chips to indicate who at the table had the best hand.

        Text messages obtained by prosecutors also appear to show defendants concerned that a fish would leave the table if he lost too many hands.

        “Guys please let him win a hand he’s in for 40k in 40 minutes he will leave if he gets no traction,” read one text message released by authorities.

        But according to Messenger, the consultant, it was not the tech that made the alleged scheme so successful for so long. What set it apart was the level of communication.

        For example, he said, the card information had to be seamlessly passed from the dealing machines to an off-site operator and back to a person back at the table, all without alerting the fish.

        “The piece that made this so successful was the coordination, not the technology,” he said.

        This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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