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1911 Gold Announces Option Grant

Investing 4 Mins Read

1911 Gold Corporation (‘1911 Gold’ or the ‘Company’) (TSXV: AUMB,OTC:AUMBF) (OTCQX: AUMBF) (FRA: 2KY) announces that, pursuant to the Company’s long-term incentive plan (the ‘LTIP’), it has granted stock options (the ‘Options’) to Suzette Ramcharan, an employee of the Company who provides investor relation services, to purchase 500,000 shares of the Company (the ‘Shares’) at a price of $1.15 per Share until February 25, 2031. The Options will vest ¼ three months after the date of the grant; ¼ six months after the date of the grant; ¼ nine months after the date of the grant; and ¼ twelve months after the date of the grant. The foregoing Options are subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About 1911 Gold Corporation

1911 Gold is an advanced gold explorer and developer focused on its 100%-owned True North Gold Project in the Archean Rice Lake Greenstone Belt in Manitoba, Canada. The Company controls a large, highly prospective ~62,000-hectare land package with numerous past-producing gold operations within trucking distance of the fully built and permitted True North mine and mill complex. 1911 Gold is positioning itself to restart operations in 2027 and offers a unique, near-term production story with significant exploration upside. The strategy is to build a district-scale gold mining operation around a centralized, and readily expandable infrastructure to support a socially and environmentally responsible, long-term mining operation with little development risk and a growing mineral resource base.

1911 Gold’s True North complex and the exploration land package are located within and among the First Nation communities of the Hollow Water First Nation and the Black River First Nation. 1911 Gold looks forward to maintaining open, cooperative, and respectful communications with all of our local communities and stakeholders to foster mutually beneficial working relationships.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Shaun Heinrichs
President and CEO

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements‘). Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’ or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’, ‘forecasts’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, or ‘believes’, or that describe a ‘goal’, or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken, occur or be achieved.

All forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made. Actual results or events may differ from those predicted in these forward-looking statements. All of the Company’s forward-looking statements are qualified by the assumptions that are stated or inherent in such forward-looking statements, including the assumptions listed below. Although the Company believes that these assumptions are reasonable, this list is not exhaustive of factors that may affect any of the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, predictions, projections, forecasts, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the terms of the Options, the ability of the Company to receive necessary regulatory approvals for the grant of the Options, and the planned restart of mining operations in 2027, and the timing of such event.

Although 1911 Gold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking 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.

All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are given as of the date hereof. 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 in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither 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.

SOURCE 1911 Gold Corporation

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2026/25/c5296.html

News Provided by Canada Newswire via QuoteMedia

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Top 10 Copper-producing Companies

Investing 12 Mins Read

Copper miners with productive assets have much to gain as supply and demand tighten.

The price of copper reached new all-time highs in 2026 on both the COMEX in the United States and the London Metals Exchange (LME) in the United Kingdom.

In 2025, the copper price on the COMEX surged during the third quarter as it climbed to US$5.94 per pound after the White House announced tariffs on the red metal in late August. However, prices moderated in August after refined products were excluded. However, as the quarter ended, supply and demand fundamentals took over, pushing the price back to historic highs, reaching US$11,067.50 per metric ton on the LME on October 29.

Since that time, the price has maintained momentum, and on January 29, the copper price reached record highs of US$6.61 per pound on the COMEX and US$14,572.54 per metric ton on the LME.

Copper is one of the most important resources for the energy transition, but demand for the red metal is outpacing mining supply. While construction and electrical grids have long been major markets for copper, today the rise in demand for electric vehicles, EV charging infrastructure and energy storage applications are emerging drivers of copper consumption.

Another trend driving future copper demand is the rapid urbanization in the Global South, as rural populations migrate to cities, putting pressure on electricity grids.

Due to the challenges associated with finding, developing, permitting and mining copper deposits, the higher demand is being met by slow growth of new supply. Mines that are in operation tend to be quite large and operate for decades as copper producers concentrate on mine expansions and brownfield projects aimed at extending mine lifetimes.

Given those factors, investors should keep an eye on the world’s top copper miners and their operations.

This list of the 10 largest copper-mining companies in the world is ranked by attributable copper production for 2024.

1. BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP)

Copper production: 1.5 million metric tons

BHP is one of the world’s largest mining companies, and its global portfolio of assets includes significant copper mining operations in Chile, Australia and Peru.

According to the company’s quarterly operational review data, the mining giant’s attributable copper production totaled 1.5 million metric tons across the calendar year 2024.

Its most significant copper asset is the Escondida mine, the world’s largest copper mine. BHP holds a 57.5 percent stake in the Chilean operation, which produced 1.24 million metric tons of copper in 2024, of which 713,805 was attributable to BHP. Its other Chilean copper operation is its wholly owned Pampa Norte mine, which produced 313,600 metric tons of copper in 2024.

BHP also owns the Olympic Dam polymetallic mine, the largest mine in Australia. The South Australian mine hosts one of the world’s largest copper deposits as well as the largest uranium deposit. In 2023, BHP expanded its portfolio in the state with its acquisition of OZ Minerals and its Prominent Hill and Carrapateena copper operations.

In January, BHP announced its acquisition of Filo Mining and its Filo del Sol project located Argentina. As part of the announcement, BHP said it had formed a joint venture company with Lundin Mining Corporation (TSX:LUN,OTC Pink:LUNMF) to combine Filo del Sol with Lundin’s Josemaria project in the Vicuna mining district, with each company owning a 50 percent stake.

2. Codelco

Copper production: 1.44 million metric tons

The Chilean state-owned Codelco is the world’s third-largest producer with copper production of 1.44 million metric tons in 2024. According to its 2024 annual report, its copper output increased 1.2 percent from 1.42 million metric tons in 2023.

Its largest asset is the Chuquicamata mine located in Northern Chile, between 2017 and 2021 annual production was in the 700 million to 850 million pound range. However, lower grades in recent years have led to production falling below 600 million pounds. In 2024, Chuquicamata increased slightly to 637 million pounds.

The mine transitioned from an open pit to an underground mine beginning in 2019. In its operational report for the quarter ending September 30, the company stated that Phase 1 of its continuity infrastructure project had reached 85 percent completion. It added that feasibility studies were underway for potential expansion of the current mine level, as were prefeasibility studies assessing ‘the development of a potential deeper mine level.’

The company’s other significant Chilean mines include El Teniente, Quebrada Blanca and Andina.

3. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX)

Copper production: 1.26 million metric tons

Freeport-McMoRan is consistently ranked among the world’s top copper producers, and its share of copper production from its mines totaled 1.26 million metric tons of copper in 2024. The company reported producing 4.21 billion pounds, or 1.9 million metric tons, of the red metal, calculated on a 100 percent basis for all operations except its Morenci joint venture.

The largest contributor to its output is the Grasberg copper-gold mine in Indonesia. The mine itself is a joint venture between Freeport and state-owned Indonesia Asahan Aluminum, with the entities holding interests of 48.76 percent and 51.24 percent respectively. According to MDO, copper output for the mine in 2024 totaled 1.8 billion pounds.

Grasberg has undergone a transition from an open pit to an underground block cave, and expansion work continues at the site. As of the close of 2024, the mine had 469 open drawbells.

In September, the main Grasberg Block Cave suffered an ingress of wet material that killed seven workers and forced the closure of the operation. While Freeport stated that unaffected portions of Grasberg would open by the end of 2025, the Grasberg Block Cave would see a phased restart beginning in the second quarter of 2026, and increasing through the end of the year and into 2027.

Additionally, Freeport holds a 55 percent stake in the Cerro Verde copper-molybdenum complex in Peru. The mine routinely produces between 800 million and 1 billion pounds of copper and is expected to be in operation until 2052.

Its largest US based operation is its 72 percent owned Morenci mine in Arizona, which produced 700 million pounds in 2024. It also owns the Safford and Sierrita mines in the same state.

4. Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF)

Copper production: 951,600 metric tons

Mining major Glencore copper production dipped by 6 percent in 2024 to 951,600 metric tons from the 1.01 million metric tons produced in 2023. The company’s 2024 annual report attributed the decline to lower planned production at its Antapaccay and Collahuasi mines due to factors including lower grades, water constraints and geotechnical challenges.

Located along Chile’s coast, Collahuasi is the company’s largest operation, a 44/44/12 joint operation between Glencore, Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY) and Japan’s Mitsui & Co. (OTC Pink:MITSF,TSE:8031). The mine produced 558,600 metric tons of copper in 2024.

The partners are working to build a large-scale desalination plant designed to help overcome water shortage issues. In Glencore’s third-quarter production report, it indicated that water restrictions at Collahuasi have eased since the staged commissioning started, with further improvements through Q4. Once open, it will provide 1,050 liters of desalinated water per second to the mine via a 194 kilometer pipeline.

Other significant copper-producing assets in the company’s portfolio include Antamina in Peru, Mount Isa in Australia and the Katanga Complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

5. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO)

Copper production: 883,462 metric tons

A majority-owned, indirect subsidiary of Grupo Mexico (OTC Pink:GMBXF), Southern Copper recorded 883,462 metric tons of total copper production for 2024, a 6.9 percent increase over 2023. In the company’s 2024 results, the company attributed the increase to higher production across all operations, with a 10.7 percent increase from its Peruvian assets and a 4.3 percent increase from Mexican production.

The company operates major copper mines in Peru and Mexico and has exploration projects in Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru.

Its largest copper-producing asset is the Buenavista mine in Northern Mexico, which sits atop one of the world’s largest porphyry copper deposits. According to MDO, the site produces approximately 700 billion to 750 billion pounds of copper per year.

Its other copper operations include the Cuajone and Toquepala mines in Peru and the La Caridad mine in Mexico.

6. Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY)

Copper production: 772,700 metric tons

British miner Anglo American reported a 6.5 percent decrease in copper production to 772,700 metric tons from 826,200 metric tons in 2023.

The company attributed the decline to lower recovery and grades at the Collahuasi and Los Bronces operations in Chile, noting that the planned closure of the Los Bronces processing plant also impacted production. The company holds a 44 percent stake in Collahuasi and 50 percent in Los Bronces.

In addition to Collahuasi, the company also owns a 60 percent stake in the Quellaveco mine in Peru, with Mitsubishi owning the remaining 40 percent. The open pit mine started operating in 2022 and, according to MDO, produced 675 million pounds of copper in 2024.

It also owns a 50 percent stake in the El Soldado mine in Chile, which it operates in partnership with Mitsui, which holds a 30 percent stake, and Mitsubishi Materials (OTC Pink:MIMTF), which holds the remaining 20 percent. Data from MDO shows that the mine produced 48,200 metric tons of copper in 2024.

On September 9, Anglo American announced plans to combine with Canadian mining giant Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) in a ‘merger of equals’ to form Anglo Teck, which would be headquartered in Canada. The merged company would focus on critical minerals and become a top-five global copper producer.

7. KGHM Polska Miedz (FWB:KGHA.F)

Copper production: 729,700 metric tons

Poland’s KGHM Polska Miedz has operations in Europe, North America and South America, and says that it controls over 40 million metric tons of copper ore resources worldwide. In 2024, KGHM produced 729,700 metric tons of copper, a slight increase from the 710,900 metric tons of copper produced in 2023.

According to MDO, KGHM’s largest operation is the Polkowice-Sieroszowice mine in Western Poland. The mine has been in operation since 1968 and produces approximately 430 million to 440 million pounds of copper annually.

The company’s Polish operations also include the Rudna mine, which produced 338 million pounds of copper last year, and the Lubin mine, which produced 156 million pounds.

Other options under the KGHM banner include the Robinson mine in Nevada, United States, and the 55 percent owned Sierra Gorda mine in Chile.

8. CMOC Group (OTC Pink:CMCLF,HKEX:3993)

Copper production: ~502,600 metric tons

CMOC Group is a new addition to the top 10 after its copper production jumped significantly in 2024, with its share of production from its joint venture copper-cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo totaling approximately 502,600 metric tons. On a 100 percent basis, the company reported annual copper production of 650,161 metric tons.

The majority of CMOC’s copper production came from its Tenke Fungurume copper-cobalt mine, an 80/20 joint venture with the state-owned mining firm Gecamines. According to MDO data, the mine has experienced significant growth over the past few years, ramping up from 400 million pounds of copper in 2020 to 618 million pounds in 2023. In 2024, Tenke Fungurume’s copper production soared to 992 million pounds, or 450,138 metric tons.

Its other DRC mine is Kisanfu, a 71/24/5 joint venture with Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology (SZSE:300750) and the DRC government. The mine produced 200,013 metric tons of copper cathode in 2024, up substantially from 114,000 in 2023.

9. Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO,OTC Pink:ANFGF)

Copper production: 448,800 metric tons

Antofagasta’s share of copper production from its four joint venture operations in Chile totaled 448,800 metric tons in 2024.

The company’s largest operation is its 60 percent owned Los Pelambres mine, a joint venture with Mitsubishi. According to MDO, Los Pelambres’ copper production totaled 320,000 metric tons in 2024, up from 300,000 the previous year.

Its Centinela mine is another significant producer, with 224,000 metric tons of copper mined in 2024. The company is constructing a second concentrator at Centinela that, once it comes online in 2027, should add 144,000 metric tons of copper production annually and extend Centinela’s mine life by 15 years to 2051.

The company’s other Chilean joint ventures are the Antucoya and Zaldivar mines.

10. Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK)

Copper production: 358,910 metric tons

Rounding out the top 10 is Canada’s Teck Resources, which increased consolidated copper production by 50 percent in 2024, reaching 446,000 metric tons. On an attributable basis, the copper company’s production totaled 358,910 metric tons in 2024.

Much of the gain came from the ramp-up of the Quebrada Blanca mine in Chile. The mine started production in 2023 and produced just 122 million pounds of copper that year. 2024 saw a significant advancement, with the mine producing 458 million pounds of the red metal.

Teck holds a 60 percent ownership stake in the mine, while Japan’s Sumitomo (OTC Pink:SSUMF,TSE:8053) controls a 30 percent stake and Chile’s state-run Codelco owns the final 10 percent.

Teck also owns the Highland Valley mine in British Columbia, Canada. The mine is one of the largest open pit mines in Canada and produced 226 million pounds of copper in 2024.

Other copper operations in the Teck portfolio include Antamina in Peru and Carmen de Andacollo in Chile.

On September 8, Teck announced a planned merger of equals with Anglo American to focus on critical minerals and copper production. The combined company is set to be called Anglo Teck and will be headquartered in Canada. The merger is expected to take 12 to 18 months to be completed.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Clem Chambers: I Sold My Gold and Silver, What I’m Buying Next

Investing 1 Min Read

Clem Chambers, CEO of aNewFN.com, explains why he sold his gold and silver, and where he’s looking next, mentioning the copper and oil sectors.

He also speaks about the importance of staying positive as an investor: ‘The media negativity is the most wealth-crushing thing you can fall for. So be positive. Work hard at it. Be on the front foot. Look for opportunities. Think hard about it. Study. You will do so well.’

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

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Domestic Metals: Investing in America’s Copper Future to Meet Critical Metal Demand

Investing 2 Mins Read

Dubbed a “central bottleneck of the electrified future,” copper demand is expected to far exceed supply. A recent outlook from S&P Global projects the market could face a shortfall of up to 10 million metric tons by 2040.

Against this backdrop, Domestic Metals (TSXV:DMCU) offers a timely opportunity for investors. Listed on TSX Venture Exchange, OTCQB and Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the company is advancing its flagship Smart Creek Project in Montana, targeting discovery of a porphyry system and a carbonate replacement deposit (CRD).

Smart Creek’s potential is further bolstered by its proximity to significant discoveries like Ivanhoe Electric’s (NYSEAmerican:IE,TSX:IE) Hog Heaven project, which announced the intersection of a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum system within a large, deep anomaly.

Company Highlights

  • Exceptional Surface Grades: The 2025 field campaign returned high-grade samples, highlighted by 102 g/t gold, 23.1 percent copper, and 3,810 g/t silver.
  • World-Class Team: Dr. Peter Megaw, a globally recognized authority on Carbonate Replacement Deposits (CRDs) and discoverer of MAG Silver’s Juanicipio, has joined the team to guide exploration, together with President & CEO Gordon Neal who has had a successful track record building MAG Silver and New Pacific Metals
  • Mining-Friendly Jurisdiction: Operations are focused in Montana, USA, a mining-friendly state ranked 6th in 2024 by the Fraser Institute for investment attractiveness, with a legacy of massive production at the nearby Butte Mine.

This Domestic Metals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

Click here to connect with Domestic Metals (TSXV:DMCU) to receive an Investor Presentation

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Precious Metals Price Update: Gold, Silver, PGMs Boosted by Geopolitical and Trade Tensions

Investing 7 Mins Read

Precious metals are recovering their safe-haven demand appeal this week.

Gold, silver and platinum are up this week, all still down from the all-time highs recorded in January. Escalating geopolitical tensions and US trade policy shifts are once again at center stage in this sector of the commodities market.

Let’s take a look at what’s got the precious metals moving over the past week.

Gold price

After dropping as low as US$4,400 per ounce on February 2, this past week gold has taken another run well above the key psychological US$5,000 mark; albeit still hundreds of dollars away from its record high of close to US$5,600 reached on January 28.

After trading in a tight range of US$4,985 to US$5,000 for much of Thursday (February 19), the price of gold managed to rise as high as US$5,107 on Friday. That upward climb continued on Monday (February 23) to an intraday high of US$5,248 — a level gold hasn’t seen in a month.

The yellow metal lost that steam by Tuesday’s close with the precious metal trading back down at US$5,143. By Wednesday morning, gold was once again making a run at the US$5,200 level to reach an intraday high of US$5,217.58 at 9:10 a.m. PST. However, it couldn’t hang on for long, sinking back down to US$5,166.25 as of 1:40pm PST on profit-taking and a stronger dollar.

Gold price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

Here are the primary drivers for gold this past week:

      • Dips this week were brought on by slight downward pressure due to profit-taking and a stronger US dollar.

      In other gold news, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) raised its gold forecast to US$6,300 by the end of 2026, citing a ‘reserve currency paradigm shift’ as countries diversify away from the dollar, and ‘significant investor diversification’.

      Looking at major events in the gold mining sector, Kinross Gold’s (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) Great Bear development in the Red Lake district of Ontario, Canada, has been designated for a reduced permitting timeline under the provincial government’s One Project, One Process (1P1P) framework. 1P1P is a streamlined approval system aimed at reducing government review times by 50 percent. The high-grade, combined open-pit and underground operation is expected to produce more than 500,000 ounces of gold annually during its peak years.

      Silver price

      The price of silver is still well below its all-time high of more than US$120 per ounce it reached on January 29, 2026. For the most part, the white metal continued to track the same trends as gold this week.

      Like gold, silver traded sideways Thursday (February 19) in the US$77.50 to US$78.50 range, and then surged the following day to an intraday high of US$84.61.

      For most of Monday (February 23), silver continued higher but at a much slower pace, to reach as high as US$88.96. Tuesday brought another day of tight trading in the US$86.70 to US$88.10; however, by Wednesday morning the silver price had managed to break through the US$90 level on the same safe-haven demand forces pushing gold prices higher this week.

      The price of silver hit an intraday high of US$91.15 at 11:55am PST before sliding back down below US$89 in the afternoon session.

      Silver price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

      Silver may still not be back into the triple digits, but its showing strong support despite a slump in artificial intelligence (AI) tech stocks. Silver, the most electrically and thermally conductive metal on the planet, is considered a key material for AI tech, particularly in data centers and high-performance computing. Silver is also in a structural supply deficit which continues to provide upward pressure on silver prices

      In silver mining news, Lundin Gold (TSX:LUG,OTCQX:LUGDF) announced a US$670 million silver stream deal with LunR Royalties (TSXV:LUNR) on its Fruta del Norte mine.

      Platinum price

      Platinum continues to be one of the top performing metals, reaching a 12-year high in recent weeks. This past week it has gained more than 8 percent. Sideways trading on Thursday (February 19) turned into an upward climb on Friday with prices for platinum rising from a low of US$2,060.10 to a high of US$2,117.40 per ounce.

      The first few days of this new week were marked by volatility with wider price swings. The platinum price reached a three week high of US$2,226.30 in late day trading Tuesday. The jump was driven by a combination of geopolitical tensions, trade uncertainty, and structural supply constraints.

      Platinum continued its ascent in overnight trading, reaching as high as US$2,360.50 in early morning trading, and managed to finish off the day just below the US$2,300 level.

      Platinum price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

      Platinum prices are benefitting from renewed tariff jitters, geopolitical safe-haven demand, and persistent supply tightness from major producer South Africa.

      The emerging hydrogen economy is also adding to demand for the metal on top of robust demand from the auto sector. Consumers are shifting back toward internal combustion engine and diesel vehicles as hurdles to EV adoption remain challenging. This is highly supportive of demand for platinum as its primary use is in automotive catalysts.

      On the supply side, global platinum reserves remain critically low, especially as the world’s biggest producer South Africa continues to be plagued by power shortages and operational disruptions.

      In platinum mining news, Valterra Platinum declared a dividend of 45 rand a share for a total 2025 payout of 12 billion rand (US$757 million) after its net income more than doubled to 15.4 billion rand. Bloomberg reported that the size of the dividend “smashed analyst expectations as earnings jumped last year on soaring metals prices”.

      Palladium price

      Palladium has been the black sheep of the precious metals family for the past few years, remaining well below its March 2022 all-time record of US$3,440.76 per ounce.

      On Thursday (February 19), unlike its sister metals, palladium rallied 4.8 percent to an intraday high of US$1,767.50. The metal closed out last week with another nearly 3.9 percent gain to US$1,836.

      On Monday, palladium lost some of that ground to close out the day at US$1,820. After dipping to a low of US$1,763 in early morning trading on Tuesday, the price of the metal regained those losses and more by the end of the trading day reaching as high as US$1,843.

      Wednesday (February 25) morning brought a spike in palladium prices to US$1,935 as the metal went along for the same ride as platinum, before falling back to the US$1,860 level in afternoon trading.

      Palladium price chart, February 18, 2026 to February 25, 2026.

      As is the case with platinum, demand for palladium is getting support from the auto sector. Rising prices for platinum are leading automakers to make the swap to palladium.

      The US Department of Commerce’s preliminary statement of support for anti-dumping duties of approximately 133 percent on unwrought Russian palladium imports is still shaping the outlook for palladium on the supply side. This follows a petition from Sibanye-Stillwater (NYSE:SBSW) over allegations that Russian metal is being sold in the US at less than fair value. A final decision is expected in the case by June of this year.

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

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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      Dem senator puts Trump on notice over ‘unlawfully collected’ tariff funds after SCOTUS loss

      Politics 3 Mins Read

      A Senate Democrat is demanding that the Trump administration refund billions in tariff revenue to Americans following last week’s Supreme Court decision, according to a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital.

      Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote in a letter to President Donald Trump charging that he was concerned over the White House’s ‘lack of action’ to issue refunds to families and small businesses impacted by tariffs.

      His appeal to the president comes after the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision last week that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the law undergirding his sweeping duties, ‘does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.’

      ‘The invalidation of these IEEPA tariffs is a chance to make American families and small businesses whole — not to retain unlawfully collected funds or enable additional corporate profit,’ Gallego wrote.

      Gallego’s letter comes as Congress wrestles with its next move on tariffs and as Trump has vowed to sidestep lawmakers in his quest to continue levying duties on other countries.

      Some Republicans want to see Trump’s tariffs considered through budget reconciliation — the same party-line move used to pass his ‘big, beautiful bill’ last year — to meet the deliberative parameters established in the court’s decision.

      Others think Trump doesn’t need to come to Congress. The president already moved to reinstate 10% tariffs that are set to last for 150 days and will require lawmakers to weigh in on continuing them.

      Several congressional Democrats want to see the administration tender full refunds from the billions raked in under Trump’s tariffs — 25 Senate Democrats back a newly introduced bill led by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to refund all duties with interest.

      And Gallego specifically wants guardrails to ensure that money ends up in the hands of families and small businesses.

      ‘Absent action from this administration, over $100 billion in tariff revenue collected under those unlawful tariffs will not make it into the hands of American families and small businesses but instead will remain either in government coffers or in corporate accounts,’ Gallego wrote.

      Since the start of the current fiscal year in October, Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are estimated to have generated roughly $155 billion, according to data from the Treasury Department.

      He also raised concerns about large corporations taking advantage of the ‘chaotic and expansive nature of the IEEPA tariffs’ to crank up prices on products in response to the duties.

      Gallego included several requests of the administration in his letter to be met no later than March 4, including whether the administration will issue tariff refunds, who will be eligible, how much revenue has been collected as of Feb. 20 and whether corporations will be required to disclose tariff costs passed on to consumers, among several others.

      He also warned that corporations, armed with the financial firepower to hire ‘high-priced lawyers and lobbyists,’ would have a leg up on Americans without the same means.

      ‘Without your administration providing a structured process to determine how refunds should be distributed, American families and small businesses will once again be left behind,’ Gallego wrote.

      Related Article

      Democrats cheer Supreme Court move blocking Trump tariffs — despite past support for trade duties
      This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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      House Republicans descend on Clintons’ hometown for high-stakes Epstein probe grilling

      Politics 4 Mins Read

      Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to be deposed by the House Oversight Committee late Thursday morning, as lawmakers continue to investigate the federal government’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein’s case.

      The deposition is expected to begin at 11 a.m. ET in Chappaqua, N.Y., Fox News Digital was told. The Clintons have owned a home in the affluent New York City suburb since 1999 and have primarily lived there since former President Bill Clinton left office.

      And while closed-door depositions normally just require a committee staff presence in most cases, a source familiar with planning told Fox News Digital that House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., will be there in person.

      At least 10 House Republicans on the committee will also attend, the source said.

      Hillary Clinton will be deposed on Thursday, while Bill Clinton’s deposition is scheduled for Friday. Both interviews will be closed to the press, but they will be transcribed and videotaped.

      Comer told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the former first couple’s testimony ‘is critical to understanding Epstein and [Ghislaine Maxwell’s] sex trafficking network and the ways they sought to curry favor and influence to shield themselves from scrutiny.’

      ‘Their testimony may also inform how Congress can strengthen laws to better combat human trafficking. Our goal for this investigation is straightforward: We seek to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and survivors,’ Comer said.

      The Clintons’ testimony comes after months of back-and-forth with the committee on the circumstances and conditions of the interviews.

      They are two of several people and entities whom Comer subpoenaed for information on Epstein back in August.

      Their attorneys initially pushed back on the subpoenas, calling them legally invalid and a violation of the separation of powers, but House Republicans responded by pressing forward with resolutions to hold both Clintons in contempt of Congress.

      The lawyers finally agreed to Comer’s terms just days before a full House vote was expected to move forward.

      But not all members of the committee are satisfied with how the situation is playing out.

      ‘I don’t know why the heck we didn’t bring them here. If you or I got in trouble, guess what? We’d be here, or we’d be in chains, and they’d be dragging us in. Having them up in Chappaqua to me is an insult to the public,’ Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told reporters on Wednesday. ‘I realize they got to cut a deal, but it’s not a deal I would have cut.’

      Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the committee, told reporters, ‘We have a good group going up to New York.’

      ‘I think that anyone that has information about Jeffrey Epstein or spent any time with him, I think it’s important to ask questions. I mean, personally, I think one of the things that we’ve been hearing a lot about lately is whether Jeffrey Epstein had any sort of foreign ties, whether there were any sort of…wealth of foreign governments,’ Garcia said.

      But both sides have largely accused the other of politicizing the probe. Democrats have accused Republicans of trying to create a narrative that persecutes figures on the left while attempting to clear President Donald Trump, and Republicans are arguing that Democrats are using the investigation to purposefully target the sitting commander-in-chief.

      Neither Clinton has been accused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, nor has Trump.

      But both Trump and Clinton have appeared numerous times in the Epstein files released so far and are known to have had relationships with the late pedophile before his federal investigations.

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      Kim Jong Un calls South Korea ‘most hostile enemy,’ says North could ‘completely destroy’ it

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      North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Thursday that his country could ‘completely destroy’ South Korea if it feels threatened, escalating rhetoric while ruling out renewed talks.

      Speaking at North Korea’s week-long Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, Kim labeled South Korea the ‘most hostile enemy’ and said ‘the conciliatory attitude that South Korea’s current government advocates on the surface is clumsily deceptive and crude,’ according to state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

      Kim said North Korea ‘can initiate arbitrary action’ if South Korea engages in ‘obnoxious behavior’ directed at his country, dismissing recent efforts by Seoul to improve relations.

      ‘South Korea’s complete collapse cannot be ruled out,’ Kim said, according to KCNA.

      During the congress, Kim outlined sweeping five-year policy goals centered on expanding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. The country is believed to possess around 50 warheads and enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more, according to an estimate last year from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

      The North Korean leader said the country’s ‘international status has risen extraordinarily.’

      ‘It is our party’s firm will to further expand and strengthen our national nuclear power, and thoroughly exercise its status as a nuclear state,’ Kim said, according to KCNA. ‘We will focus on projects to increase the number of nuclear weapons and expand nuclear operational means.’

      Kim laid out plans for North Korea to develop more advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches, along with artificial intelligence-driven weapons systems and unmanned drones, KCNA reported.

      Kim, who met with President Donald Trump three times during Trump’s first term, signaled he may be open to future negotiations with Washington but placed responsibility squarely on the United States.

      ‘Whether it’s peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation, we are ready for either, and the choice is not ours to make,’ he said.

      Kim said that if the U.S ‘withdraws its policy of confrontation’ with North Korea and acknowledges the country’s ‘current status,’ there would be ‘no reason why we cannot get along well with the U.S.’

      Following the congress, Kim’s teenage daughter attended a military parade in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to KCNA. Ju Ae, believed to be 13 or 14, was photographed standing beside her father and senior military leaders.

      Her appearance comes after South Korean media reported that Kim recently gave her a leadership role in the regime’s powerful ‘Missile Administration,’ which oversees Pyongyang’s nuclear forces.

      Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey, along with Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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      Dem voters were less enthusiastic when Trump touted crackdown on cartels and fentanyl, SOTU dial reveals

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      Republican and Independent voters reacted favorably when President Donald Trump brought up how his administration has cracked down on drug cartels and fentanyl, but Democrats appeared less motivated by Trump’s aggressive foreign policy stance. 

      ‘For years, large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico, really large parts of Mexico, have been controlled by murderous drug cartels. That’s why I designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and I declared illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction,’ Trump said to applause as he turned to look at Republicans. 

      Per a panel assembled by polling group Maslansky & Partners of 29 Democrats, 30 Independents, and 40 Republicans, which tracked their real-time reactions during Trump’s SOTU address, Democrats appeared to go slightly below baseline when Trump began touting his aggressive stance towards cartels in Central and South America, specifically his administration’s bombing campaign against them which has included attacks in the open ocean off the South American coastline and in the eastern Pacific.

      Meanwhile, Republicans and Independents showed a much stronger favorable reaction to the president’s remarks about the actions his administration has taken against drug cartels and illegal fentanyl. 

      During his address, Trump also highlighted the U.S.’s help in capturing drug kingpin ‘El Mencho’ earlier this month in Mexico. Ruben ‘Nemesio’ Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho,’ the leader of the CJNG, was killed Sunday in a Mexican military operation in Tapalpa, Mexico, authorities said. Though the operation was carried out by Mexican forces, the United States laid the groundwork, making El Mencho’s fall possible.

      On President Donald Trump’s first day in office, he signed an executive order directing the State Department to designate several cartels and international criminal groups ‘foreign terrorist organizations’ (FTOs), a designation unlocking military-grade surveillance and ‘material support’ prosecutions. Though lesser known than MS-13 or Tren de Aragua, CJNG was one of the groups designated an FTO by the administration.

      Shortly after Trump’s executive order, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a policy memorandum to all Department of Justice employees, announcing a ‘fundamental change in mindset and approach’ to cartels and transnational criminal organizations to a policy of ‘total elimination.’

      The Trump administration has engaged in an aggressive bombing campaign against cartel boats throughout both 2025 and 2026. The U.S. has also conducted non-lethal maritime drug interdiction efforts as well.

      In early 2026, Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro was captured by U.S. forces and extradited to New York on drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges, with Trump accusing him at the time of being a ‘kingpin of a vast criminal network.’

      The recent violence and capture of El Mencho this month has led American tourists to be trapped in Mexico. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the State Department has been taking ‘hundreds of calls a day’ providing Americans with travel support and advice.

      ‘We are unaware of any reports of any Americans being hurt, kidnapped, or killed, and the Mexican drug cartels know not to lay a finger on a single American or they will pay severe consequences under this president – and they already are,’ Leavitt told Fox News. 

      Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

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      Trump’s Iran ultimatum enters decisive stretch after State of the Union

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      President Donald Trump has drawn his line. Now the clock is running.

      After publicly giving Iran roughly 10 days to 15 days to reach a nuclear agreement, Trump used his State of the Union address to make clear the deadline is backed by force. 

      ‘I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror … to have a nuclear weapon,’ he told lawmakers Tuesday night.

      The president first outlined the short timeline Feb. 19, saying the world would know within ‘probably 10 days’ whether Tehran was prepared to strike what he called a meaningful deal. 

      ‘I would think that would be enough time — 10, 15 days, pretty much maximum,’ Trump said, warning that absent an agreement, ‘it’s going to be unfortunate for them.’

      On Tuesday, he reinforced the pressure from the House chamber, telling Congress negotiations are underway, but Iran has not met his core condition. 

      ‘We are in negotiations with them,’ Trump said. ‘They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words: ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon.”

      He also pointed back to the 2025 U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, describing Operation Midnight Hammer as having ‘obliterated Iran’s nuclear weapons program.’ 

      After that operation, he said, Tehran was warned ‘to make no future attempts to rebuild its weapons program,’ adding that Iran is now ‘starting it all over again.’

      The combination of a defined diplomatic window and a public reminder of U.S. military action marks a sharper phase in the standoff, as talks in Geneva unfold under mounting pressure.

      Trump has not detailed what specific action would follow if Iran refuses his terms. But he told reporters in mid-February that if a meaningful agreement does not materialize, ‘bad things will happen,’ and acknowledged he is considering further steps.

      With the State of the Union complete and the president’s timeline already in motion, the coming days are likely to determine whether the administration secures a nuclear concession — or shifts toward a more confrontational path in the Middle East.

      The diplomatic ultimatum is underscored by the largest assembly of U.S. naval power in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. 

      The world’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrived at Souda Bay, Crete, Monday. The Ford joined the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been conducting 24-hour flight operations in the Arabian Sea since late January.

      Between the two strike groups, the U.S. now commands a fleet of 14 major warships, including nine Arleigh Burke-class destroyers armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles.

      Meanwhile 12 U.S. F-22 Raptor stealth fighters touched down at Ovda Airbase in southern Israel. 

      As national security analyst Joe Funderburke noted in the Small Wars Journal, ‘The F-22 is not a simple show-of-force aircraft. It is designed to suppress enemy air defenses and protect penetrating strike platforms like the B-2 Spirit bomber, the same combination used to devastate Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz nine months ago.’

      The president’s reminder of Operation Midnight Hammer — which utilized B-2 bombers to drop 30,000-pound ‘bunker buster’ munitions — serves as the tactical blueprint for what follows the current deadline. 

      While the 2025 operation was a ‘surgical’ surprise strike, the current buildup suggests a far broader mission set, potentially due to Iran’s threat of an aggressive response. 

      Iran’s response to Operation Midnight Hammer was measured and the U.S. had warning. This time, Iran has vowed a more forceful response and says any U.S. troops operating in the Middle East could be open targets. 

      Amid his sharper diplomatic timeline, Trump also asserted that Iranian authorities had killed some 32,000 protesters in weeks of demonstrations that began in early January — a number far above independent estimates and Tehran’s own death toll. 

      ‘Just over the last couple of months with the protests, they’ve killed at least, it looks like, 32,000 protesters — 32,000 protesters in their own country,’ the president said. ‘They shot them and hung them.’ 

      Administration officials have signaled that any agreement would require Iran to halt all uranium enrichment and provide verifiable guarantees that its program cannot be reconstituted — terms Iran repeatedly has objected to.

      Both Washington and Iran appear to believe the other is bluffing. 

      Trump has framed the timeline as a final opportunity for diplomacy backed by overwhelming force. Iranian leaders, meanwhile, have publicly dismissed U.S. threats and warned that any strike would trigger retaliation against American forces and regional allies.

      Still, U.S. negotiators will meet with Iranian envoys once again in Geneva Thursday.

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