Copper Posts Fresh Rise to Begin 2026 Following Historic Annual Jump Not Seen Since 2009

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Copper rose on the first trading day of 2026, after capping the biggest annual gain since 2009 on prospects for a tighter market.

The red metal resumed its advance on Friday after losing 1.1% in the previous session.

Copper on the London Metal Exchange rallied 42% in 2025, underpinned by mine disruptions and concerns around tariffs, which have led traders to ramp up shipments to the US, creating tightness elsewhere.
Copper notched a series of all-time highs during an end-of-year surge, making it the best performer of the six industrial metals on the LME. Beyond the tariff-driven flows, mines in Indonesia to Chile, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo suffered accidents in 2025, crimping output. The red metal was 0.8% higher at $12,522.50 a ton at 10:45 a.m. Singapore time, after hitting a record of $12,960 on Monday.

Nickel climbed 0.8% to $16,780.00, while aluminum was little changed at $2,995.00. Iron ore futures in Singapore rose 0.2% to $105.60 a ton. Chinese markets are closed for a public holiday. This year, supply chain issues have dominated the metals industry, with accidents occurring in copper mines across Chile, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Zinc mines have also been disrupted, and increased energy costs and supply constraints in China pose a threat to aluminum production. The threat of US import tariffs remains the primary motivator for copper. The Mercuria Energy Group, Ltd. predicted in November that the rest of the world would experience a severe metal shortage in 2026.

According to Natalie Scott-Gray, senior metals analyst at StoneX Financial Ltd., copper is expected “to be led by sentiment from investors over US copper-specific tariffs, with focus on regional levels of global stocks and material entering the US, rather than underlying global fundamentals” in the upcoming months.

Tesla Faces Second Straight Sales Drop Amid Musk’s Bold Robotaxi Bet

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Tesla finished the previous year on a high note. It was another matter entirely to win over actual car buyers as investors began to believe Elon Musk’s optimism about self-driving cars. Shares of the most valuable automobile company surged in the second half because the CEO promoted robotics and artificial intelligence

Tesla stock has fallen sharply as Musk and Trump continue fighting. — The company sold fewer cars in the last six months than a year ago, despite record deliveries in the third quarter, despite the progress Musk boasted about.

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Tesla is projected to report on Friday that it delivered about 440,900 vehicles in the fourth quarter, a decrease of 11% from the same period last year. This week, Tesla made the unusual move of releasing its own average of analyst estimates, which was even more negative and predicted a 15% drop.

Wall Street’s outlook for 2026 has also become increasingly pessimistic. Wall Street’s outlook for 2026 has also become increasingly pessimistic. Analysts predicted that Tesla would deliver more than 3 million cars at this time two years ago. This year’s average delivery estimate has dropped to about 1.8 million.

Itts most popular vehicle, the carmaker’s vehicle sales got off to a terrible start in part due to the company retooling production lines at each of its auto plants for the redesigned Model Y,

The strong criticism of its CEO’s work for US President Donald Trump was another significant contributing factor. Tesla’s stock had fallen 45% by early April, when Musk was openly at odds with administration officials over tariff policy. Musk accelerated the recovery by leaving the government and going back to work on a long-term project: launching a ride-hailing company using vehicles that he claims will eventually be autonomous.

Tesla introduced an invite-only Robotaxi service in Austin in June, and safety operators supervise each vehicle. Tesla introduced an invite-only Robotaxi service in Austin in June. Safety operators are on board to oversee each Model Y that is transporting Musk enthusiasts throughout the Texas capital. Investors have dismissed the safety concerns even though the vehicles broke traffic laws on the first day, attracting the attention of a federal regulator that has launched numerous investigations into the company’s driving systems.

Tesla proposed a new compensation package for Musk that could pay out up to $1 trillion, contingent on reaching milestones like delivering millions of robotaxis. Tesla shares were trading higher for the year shortly after the comeback was complete. In just over eight months, the company’s market capitalization had increased by more than $915 billion when the stock closed at a new all-time high on December 16.

Trump Media Partners with Crypto.com to Reward Shareholders with New Digital Tokens

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. intends to distribute a new cryptocurrency to its shareholders. According to a statement released on Wednesday, the company that runs President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform will distribute the new token to investors in collaboration with cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com. It is expected to run on the Cronos blockchain, a network that Crypto.com supports.

The coin is the latest in a series of cryptocurrencies linked to Trump. The WLFI token and the USD1 stablecoin are run by World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance initiative backed by the Trump family.

Earlier this year, the president also introduced his own TRUMP memecoin, in addition to one that his wife, Melania, was promoting. MELANIA has dropped 99 percent since its all-time high on January 20, while TRUMP has dropped 93 percent since reaching a peak on January 19. According to Trump Media, each shareholder will receive one token per share.

According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Trump owns a 41 percent stake in the company, making him its largest shareholder. New laws to regulate some aspects of the industry were passed in the summer after he returned to the White House in January, creating a more favorable regulatory environment for cryptocurrency companies. Regulators have halted or abandoned several enforcement cases against cryptocurrency companies.

“To implement this first-of-its-kind token distribution, reward Trump Media shareholders, and promote fair and transparent markets, we look forward to utilizing Crypto.com’s blockchain technology and improving regulatory clarity,” stated Devin Nunes, CEO of Trump Media.

UBS Sees Stronger Platinum Demand Lifting Prices $300; Palladium Up $100 on Tight Supply

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

UBS revised its price projections for palladium and platinum following a significant increase in both metals. Platinum prices have risen by almost $500 per ounce over the last four weeks, reaching a 17-year high, in part due to investor excitement over the European Commission’s proposal to relax its 2035 ban on combustion engine vehicles.

According to UBS strategists Giovanni Staunovo and Wayne Gordon, the action, along with slower-than-anticipated adoption of electric vehicles, has raised expectations that demand for platinum in autocatalysts may be sustained for longer.

Citing “higher investment demand and a tighter market,” they increased their platinum projections by $300 per ounce.

The team adopted a more circumspect stance regarding the longevity of platinum’s superior performance. They noted that demand for gasoline vehicle catalysts is more likely to cause palladium as platinum becomes more costly. “We will probably see the car if platinum continues to be significantly more expensive than palladium.”

Palladium has also increased significantly, hitting levels not seen in nearly three years.UBS raised its palladium price projections by $100 per ounce. According to Staunovo and Gordon, supply-side frictions and investment demand have tightened the palladium market more than anticipated. They cited remarks from Russian manufacturer Nornickel stated high lease rates have forced some glass and chemical companies to switch from leasing to direct purchases, further restricting availability. The bank cautioned that short-term volatility could be caused by policy uncertainty.

The results of the US Critical Minerals Section 232 investigation and a related antidumping petition are being closely monitored by investors. UBS noted that platinum and palladium bars shipped to the US may be re-exported to Europe if tariffs are not in place. Such flows could ease supply pressures in key hubs like London and Zurich.

Standard Chartered: XRP Poised for $8 on Regulatory Clarity and ETF Frenzy

Posted on January 2, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Standard Chartered recently published its price forecasts for the cryptocurrency markets in 2026. Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Geoff Kendrick, increased the stakes on the price of XRP.

Ripple’s (XRP) coin was especially favored by the expert panel, which painted a positive picture of 330 percent gains and a $8 year-end price.

He points out that since 2025, there has been regulatory clarity, and two important stablecoin acts are currently underway.

Ripple Labs was able to introduce its own compliance-first stablecoin after the Genius and Clarity Acts got approved.

Shortly after, when the San Francisco-based fintech behemoth applied for a traditional banking license in the United States, it dropped a bombshell. At that point, XRP’s price surged to $3.65, setting a new record after a seven-year wait. Ripple-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the most sought-after altcoin ETF to date, were made possible by this.

Furthermore, following a six-year intense legal battle over alleged sales of unregistered securities, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) settled with Ripple Labs for a $50 million fine paid in escrow, changing the status of XRP’s native coin from ambiguous to legally compliant.

Technically speaking, the price of XRP is currently forming a unique bullish pattern known as the Adam and Eve pattern. The bottoming pattern in this eerie establishment presents two images: the first local XRP price bottom is sharp and triangle-shaped. In the meantime, the subsequent second XRP price bottom is round and has less volatility.

China’s Silver Squeeze Sparks Mayhem: $80 Breakthrough Fuels Bubble

Posted on January 2, 2026January 2, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Silver sank after breaking above $80 per ounce for the first time amid a historic rally driven by speculative trading and a persistent mismatch between supply and demand.

Increased central bank purchases, inflows into exchange-traded funds, and three consecutive rate cuts by the Federal Reserve have made precious metals hot in recent months.

The value of China’s only pure-play silver fund dropped by its daily maximum of 10%, ending a wild bull run that led the fund’s manager to issue rare warnings. The sudden decline in the UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund LOF follows weeks of gains driven by increasing global interest in precious metals, which the manager called “unsustainable.” Spot silver is on track for its best annual performance since 1979 after reaching a record high of $72.70 per ounce on Wednesday.

UBS SDIC Fund Management Co. announced new restrictions after three consecutive days this week of exceeding the 10% upward limit. Starting in December, there will be a cap on new Class C share subscriptions, typically the best option for short-term investors, decreasing from 500 yuan to 26-100 yuan ($14.25), according to a statement on the fund manager’s website. Strong investor interest in precious metals has focused on silver, with a historic short squeeze in October fueling the notable global spot price rally.

Palladium, gold, and platinum have all surged, and other Chinese funds linked to these metals have also seen significant gains, as investors caution. This year, the silver fund has surged by nearly 220%, while Shanghai-traded silver futures have risen about 128%. The premium over the underlying asset jumped from 7% at the start of the month to nearly 62% by Wednesday. As the fund’s value declined and futures rose, this premium is expected to decrease on Thursday.

Commodities that do not pay interest benefit significantly from lower borrowing costs, with traders betting on additional rate reductions in 2026. Physical premiums have hit extreme levels due to relentless industrial demand from solar panels, EVs, AI data centers, and electronics, pushing against dwindling inventories. Elon Musk’s weekend remarks highlighting the growing investor frenzy around precious metals triggered Monday’s early momentum.

“This is not good,” Musk said on X in response to a tweet about Chinese export restrictions.

Many industrial processes rely on silver. The US’s blockade of oil tankers in Venezuela and Washington’s actions against the Islamic State in Nigeria over the past week have increased the appeal of these metals as safe havens. Silver inventories are at their lowest point ever, raising the risk of supply shortages that could impact several industries.

Standard Chartered Drops Bombshell: Ripple (XRP) Could Hit $8 on ETF Boom

Posted on December 31, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Ripple’s (XRP) coin was especially favored by the expert panel, which painted a positive picture of 330 percent gains and a $8 year-end price.

He points out that since 2025, there has been regulatory clarity, and two important stablecoin acts are currently underway.

Ripple Labs was able to introduce its own compliance-first stablecoin after the Genius and Clarity Acts got approved.

From Multi-Year Highs to Higher Targets: UBS Adds $300 to Platinum, $100 to Palladium

Posted on December 31, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Citing “higher investment demand and a tighter market,” they increased their platinum projections by $300 per ounce.

Palladium has also increased significantly, hitting levels not seen in nearly three years.UBS raised its palladium price projections by $100 per ounce. According to Staunovo and Gordon, supply-side frictions and investment demand have tightened the palladium market more than anticipated. They cited remarks from Russian manufacturer Nornickel, stating that high lease rates have forced some glass and chemical companies to switch from leasing to direct purchases, further restricting availability. The bank cautioned that short-term volatility could be caused by policy uncertainty.

Silver Plunges to $70 Low Amid China’s Export Crackdown Bite

Posted on December 31, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

China will impose stricter export regulations on silver, tightening limits on the once-common metal that is vital to the United States’ industrial and defense supply chains. Over the weekend, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, responded to a post on his social media platform X about the impending restrictions by criticizing the action.

“This isn’t good. Many industrial processes require silver,” Musk wrote. The greyish metal traded at the $70 support line at the last trading session of the year, down 5% for the past day.

In October, the same day Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump met in South Korea, China’s Commerce Ministry first announced new steps to improve oversight of rare metals. At that time, the US lowered tariffs while Beijing agreed to a one-year suspension of some rare earth export restrictions.

China, earlier this month,h made public a list of 44 businesses authorized to export silver under the new regulations in 2026 and 2027.

The 2026 regulations also limit exports of antimony and tungsten, two materials whose supply chains are dominated by China. The state-run Securities Times on Tuesday quoted an unnamed industry insider who said the new policy formally elevates silver from an ordinary commodity to a strategic material, placing its export controls on the same regulatory footing as rare earths, even though China hasn’t explicitly announced a blanket ban on silver exports.

The EU Chamber of Commerce in China found that most participants had either experienced or expected to be affected by those Chinese export restrictions. Due to its use in solar cells, batteries, electrical circuits, and antibacterial medical devices, the US added silver to its nationally recognized list of essential minerals in November.

China had one of the largest silver deposits and was one of the world’s top producers in 2024. In the first eleven months of the year, China exported over 4, 4,600 tons of silver, which is significantly more than the approximately 220 tons that were imported.

Crude Oil Retains Advance Amid Venezuela, Russia Risks and Supply Surge

Posted on December 30, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Oil prices saw an increase as traders balanced concerns about a potential glut against geopolitical tensions ranging from Venezuela to Russia and Iran.

West Texas Intermediate was above $58, while Brent, which had increased by 2.1 percent on Monday, remained close to $62 per barrel. Due to a partial US blockade that has hindered exports and caused local storage tanks to fill up, Venezuela has begun to close wells in an area that contains the world’s largest deposits.

President Donald Trump claimed that the US had attacked a drug facility within the nation. That occurred as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he would change his negotiating stance following purported drone attacks on his home, posing new challenges to Trump’s efforts to put an end to the conflict in Ukraine.

The US president, meanwhile, threatened to attack Iran once more if it rebuilt its nuclear program. Concerns that global production will surpass demand after OPEC+ increased output in an effort to regain market share have kept crude on track for a sharp yearly decline. According to Vortexa Ltd., the quantity of oil stored globally on tankers that have been motionless for at least seven days increased by 15% last week, indicating an abundance of supplies. As a result, the total reached its highest point since 2020 in November of last year.

“Geopolitical disruptions have largely diluted, if not overshadowed, the issue of oversupply in the market,” stated Gao Jian, an analyst at Qisheng Futures Co. based in Shandong. “Unless these disputes are resolved, volatility and price support will persist,” he continued, adding that a deepening glut would probably cause the overall market bias to shift lower.

According to US government data, the crucial Cushing, Oklahoma hub saw the largest weekly increase in crude stockpiles since late October during the period ending December 19