Last week’s spike in market volatility, fueled by persistent inflation and escalating geopolitical tensions, sent commodity prices lower across the board, with oil the notable exception. Resource equities fared even worse, as investors fled the sector with mouths agape and eyes bulging.

In the Weekly Market Digest, market volatility rose sharply amid stronger-than-expected US inflation, which raised expectations for interest rate hikes; escalating tensions in the Middle East, which pushed oil prices higher; and growing concerns about global economic growth.

Precious and base metals declined amid the broader risk-off sentiment. Mining equities fell even more, reflecting their leverage to underlying commodity prices. 

The Exploration Insights portfolio fell in line with the benchmark resource equity ETFs led by critical mineral explorers, developers, and a producer, reflecting widespread selling pressure across the resource sector.

In Stock Talk, I cover the impacts of an M&A transaction on a gold developer in the western US. I cover the completion of basic engineering for a downstream REE facility in the southeastern US. A royalty generator creates a royalty in the northern US while a prospect generator finds a JV partner. A gold-antimony explorer/developer in Australia is working on multiple fronts. Finally, a grassroots explorer restarts a drill program in northern Europe.