Investing News Network
- After Major Gold Payout, Bian Ximing Turns Bearish Sights on Silver (2026-02-06)
A Chinese billionaire trader known for profiting from gold’s multi-year rally has turned sharply bearish on silver, building a short position now worth nearly US$300 million as prices slide.
Bian Ximing, who earned billions riding gold’s multi-year rally and later turned aggressively bullish on copper, is now positioned for a sharp reversal in silver—a bet that is already paying off as prices retreat from record highs.
According to exchange data analyzed by Bloomberg and people familiar with his positions, Bian has assembled the Shanghai Futures Exchange’s largest known net short position in silver, held through Zhongcai Futures Co.
The position, composed of roughly 30,000 contracts, or about 450 metric tons, has swung sharply into profit following silver’s more than 16 percent drop since late January.
The contrast with Bian’s copper strategy just a year ago could hardly be sharper.
In 2024, Bian emerged as China’s most prominent copper bull, building the largest net long position on the Shanghai Futures Exchange at a time when many traders were retreating amid trade tensions and growth concerns.
His thesis then centered on copper’s central role in electrification, grid expansion and industrial upgrading. That trade was built patiently and scaled over months, with Bian accumulating long positions across multiple contracts.
By the time copper prices surged, the position had generated hundreds of millions of dollars in gains.
Silver, by contrast, appears to have triggered Bian’s skepticism. While silver often trades alongside gold, its recent surge was increasingly viewed by market participants as driven by speculative positioning rather than fundamental shifts in industrial demand.
Unlike copper, where supply bottlenecks and electrification narratives were front and center, silver’s rally accelerated rapidly by drawing in leveraged traders and momentum funds.
Exchange data show that Bian began building silver shorts in the final week of January, as prices pushed into record territory in Shanghai. His exposure expanded quickly from about 18,000 contracts on January 28 to roughly 28,000 two days later, even as prices continued climbing.
The timing was costly at first, as volatility forced partial liquidations and earlier losses trimmed gains from prior silver longs.
However, Bian’s patience was rewarded when silver broke sharply lower.The short is now estimated to be worth roughly 2 billion yuan (US$288 million) in paper gains. After accounting for earlier losses, Bian’s net profit is estimated at around 1 billion yuan based on recent prices.
Whether the current selloff proves lasting remains an open question. Bian, who resides largely in Gibraltar and rarely speaks publicly, did not respond to requests for comment. Zhongcai Futures also declined to comment.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- Top Australian Mining Stocks This Week: Solstice Minerals Soars on Strong Copper Drilling Results (2026-02-05)
Welcome to the Investing News Network's weekly round-up of the top-performing mining stocks listed on the ASX, starting with news in Australia's resource sector.
In global news, Australia is taking part in a ministerial meeting hosted by the US aimed at exploring a strategic critical minerals alliance alongside over 50 countries, including New Zealand, the UK, Japan, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Canada.
Discussions are set to focus on strengthening supply chain resilience, supporting clean energy transitions and deepening cooperation on strategic critical minerals.
Corporate updates were also shared this week, such as mining giant BHP's (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) record 10 companies selected for its 2026 Xplor program.
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) subsidiary Energy Resources of Australia (ASX:ERA) was issued a new rehabilitation authority to continue rehabilitation activities at the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory, which ended production in 2021.
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians, approved the agreement. “We want to see rehabilitation completed and for the land to be returned to the Mirarr Traditional Owners,” McCarthy said.
Continue reading to find out how markets moved this week, and the news and operations of this week's top performing mining stocks.
Market and commodities price round-up
The S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) opened at 8,821.10 on Monday (February 2) and closed at 8,889.20 on Thursday (February 5), reflecting a 0.77 percent increase over the period.
After plummeting to end last week, gold and silver prices moved further down this week by Thursday's close of Australian stock markets.
The gold price decreased 0.8 percent in both US and Australian dollars. In US dollars, gold moved from US$4,891.32 on Monday to US$4,852.05 Thursday, and in Australian dollars, it fell from AU$7,024.37 to AU$6,967.29.
The silver price posted much larger decreases, falling 11.13 in both US and Australian dollars. Silver dropped from US$85.38 on Monday to US$75.88 on Thursday in USD, and from AU$122.61 to AU$108.96 in AUD over the period.
Top ASX mining stocks this week
How did ASX mining stocks perform against this backdrop?
Take a look at this week’s best-performing Australian mining stocks below as the Investing News Network breaks down their operations and why these companies are up this week.
Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:10 p.m. ADST on Thursday using TradingView's stock screener and reflects price movements between Monday and Thursday. Only companies trading on the ASX with market capitalisations greater than AU$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.
1. Solstice Minerals (ASX:SLS)
Weekly gain: 148.35 percent
Market cap: AU$109.1 million
Share price: AU$1.130Solstice Minerals is a gold and copper focused explorer with headquarters in Subiaco, Western Australia.
Its four core projects are the Yarri, Nanadie, Kalgoorlie and Ponton projects, which collectively host gold, copper, base metals and uranium.
This week, Solstice shared results from the company’s first reverse circulation drilling at the wholly owned Nanadie project, which is located 95 kilometres south-east of Meekatharra in the Murchison District.
The company reported that the first five holes demonstrated wide zones of mineralisation and high-grade mineralisation extending outside the current mineral resource estimate (MRE), and highlighted an interval of 62 metres grading 1.55 percent copper and 0.66 grams per tonne (g/t) gold that ran from 256 metres until the end of the drill hole.
Nanadie has an existing JORC-compliant inferred MRE of 40.4 million tonnes at 0.4 percent copper and 0.1 g/t gold for 162,000 tonnes of contained copper and 130,000 ounces of gold.
“The system is clearly wide open at depth, and drill chip logging in the remaining holes has opened new geological targets and confirmed our belief that the MRE can be materially increased,” CEO and Managing Director Nick Castleden said in the Tuesday (February 3) release.
“We’ve made a cracking first step toward growing this asset and look forward to reporting the balance of our Phase 1 drilling results, and our future plans.”
Solstice said that the second phase of the RC program is now in design, with drilling scheduled to commence as soon as possible. It has AU$13.4 million in cash on hand to fund its work at the project.
Shares of Solstice soared from the prior week’s close of AU$0.455 to AU$1.130 by Thursday.
2. MEC Resources (ASX:MMR)
Weekly gain: 75 percent
Market cap: AU$11.23 million
Share price: AU$0.007MEC Resources operates as an investor in mineral and energy companies, setting it apart from other companies on this list. It has offices in South Perth and Sydney.
The business positions itself as a platform that provides carefully selected companies that are looking to advance their projects and list on the ASX with development and exploration funding.
MEC’s principal investment is a 37.95 percent interest in the unlisted gas and hydrogen company Advert Energy, alongside BPH Energy (ASX:BPH), which holds a 35.8 percent interest in Advent.
Advent itself is focused on the PEP 11 joint venture, an offshore gas project in Australia’s Sydney Basin in which it holds an 85 percent stake.
The joint venture’s application to renew the PEP 11 permit was rejected in January 2025. They are now awaiting a review of the decision in mid-February, seeking to have it declared void and the permit renewal applications reconsidered.
On January 29, MEC Resources released its operational update for the quarter ended December 31, which included an update on Clean Hydrogen Technology, in which Advent holds a 4.3 percent interest.
The hydrogen company has a pilot plant in India that has produced turquoise hydrogen and a carbon composite from natural gas hydrocarbon feedstock. It is currently seeking US$2.5 million in funding to build its initial Stage 1 plant in India, followed by one in the US.
Looking forward, the two day court hearing for the PEP 11 permit is set to take place on February 20 and 23.
Shares of MEC went from a close of AU$0.004 last week to a Thursday peak of AU$0.007.
3. Alma Metals (ASX:ALM)
Weekly gain: 72.73 percent
Market cap: AU$31.57 million
Share price: AU$0.019Subiaco-based Alma Metals is an Australian copper explorer focused on the development of its flagship Briggs copper project in Queensland, Australia. The project covers 245 square kilometres across three exploration permits.
The Briggs copper deposit contains a JORC-compliant inferred mineral resource estimate of 415 million tonnes at 0.25 percent copper and 31 parts per million molybdenum for 1.03 million tonnes of contained copper and 28.6 million pounds of molybdenum.
The latest update on Briggs came on January 27, when the company shared assays for the 2025 drill program. Results included an interval of 620 metres grading 0.25 percent copper, the longest recorded in Briggs’ history, and aligned with the company’s geological model.
“We look forward to building on this momentum as we move into a significant year of drilling and PFS advancement during 2026,” Managing Director Frazer Tabeart said. “Drilling is expected to recommence within two months, providing continuous news flow throughout the remainder of the year.”
On January 29, Alma released its quarterly update, noting that the company is commencing prefeasibility studies and that the recent results support extending the current indicated MRE.
No further project updates were shared by Alma Metals this week.
Shares of the company rose from an AU$0.011 close last week to an AU$0.019 peak on Thursday.
4. FirstAU (ASX:FAU)
Weekly gain: 63.64 percent
Market cap: AU$42.78 million
Share price: AU$0.018First AU is an Australia-focused exploration company exploring its flagship Gimlet gold project near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
Gimlet hosts an inferred resource of 120,000 ounces of gold from 1.17 million tonnes of ore grading 3.2 g/t gold.
On January 29, FirstAU announced a strategic refocus to its Western Australia projects, including Gimlet. As part of the change, it plans to exit the Nimba gold project joint venture in Liberia, receiving a 2 percent net smelter royalty for its 35 percent interest. It optioned out its Eastern Victorian Goldfield project last October.
On Monday, the company shared that it has completed an AU$5.6 million capital raising to advance its Western Australian gold strategy.
Proceeds will be used to advance exploration programs at Gimlet and for general working capital.
“The funds received from this raising will allow us to consider expanding our project portfolio,” Chairman Danil Raihani stated. “In the meantime, we will concentrate capital and management effort on Gimlet as a single, high-quality opportunity.”
Shares of First AU saw a rising slope following the announcement, going from an AU$0.011 the prior week’s close to a weekly high of AU$0.018 on Thursday.
5. BMG Resources (ASX:BMG)
Weekly gain: 41.67 percent
Market cap: AU$35.33 million
Share price: AU$0.034BMG Resources is another Western Australia focused exploration company.
It is currently developing its portfolio of fully owned projects: Abercromby, Invincible, Bullabulling and South Boddington, mainly focusing on gold and lithium.
Abercromby currently holds a maiden MRE of 11.12 million tonnes at 1.45 g/t gold for 518,000 ounces gold.
Its Bullabing project is adjacent to Minerals 260’s (ASX:MI6,OTCPL:MTSZF) Bullabulling gold mine, at which the contained gold resource recently doubled from 2.3 million ounces to 4.5 million ounces. According to the company, “gold lodes from the Bullabulling Gold Mine (are) interpreted to extend into the BMG tenure.”
On Tuesday, BMG announced firm commitments to raise AU$2.5 million via a placement of fully paid ordinary shares at AU$0.021 per share, which will be used for drilling at Abercromby and Bullabulling.
Cornerstone commitments were reportedly made by international investment company Tribeca Investment Partners, alongside European strategic investors.
Additionally, BMG appointed Ben Pollard, who has a long history in Western Australia’s gold sector, as its new CEO.
“With new funding secured, we are ready to hit the ground running in 2026,” Pollard stated. “Expansion and resource definition at Abercromby will commence shortly, while at Bullabulling we will do work to refine targets ahead of a major drill campaign in Q2.”
Following the news, shares of the company jumped to a AU$0.034 close on Tuesday from AU$0.024 its prior trading day.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: MEC Resources and BPH Energy are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.
- Experts: Gold's Fundamentals Intact, Price Could Hit US$7,000 in 2026 (2026-02-05)
Gold took center stage at this year's Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC), coming to the fore in a slew of discussions as the price surged past US$5,000 per ounce.
Held from January 25 to 26, the conference brought together diverse experts, with a focus point being the "Gold Forecast" panel hosted by Daniela Cambone, global media director and lead anchor at ITM Trading.
The panel brought together GoldMining (TSX:GOLD,NYSEAMERICAN:GLDG) CEO and co-founder Alastair Still, Gold Royalty (NYSEAMERICAN:GROY) chair and CEO David Garofalo, Von Greyerz partner Matthew Piepenburg, "Rich Dad Poor Dad" author Robert Kiyosaki and Incrementum partner Ronald-Peter Stöferle for a wide-ranging discussion.
Central banks supporting gold price
Gold's price gains through 2025 and into early 2026 have been driven by several factors. One of the most impactful has been ongoing purchases by central banks around the globe.
According to the World Gold Council’s latest gold demand trends report, central banks bought a total of 863 metric tons of the precious metal last year. While the amount falls short of the more than 1,000 metric tons purchased in each of the past three years, it remains well above historical averages.
Both the World Gold Council and the VRIC panelists believe that central bank buying of gold will remain elevated in 2026, providing critical support for the yellow metal's price.
Behind these movements is a desire to diversify foreign reserves away from US-dollar-denominated assets such as treasuries. Once considered a stable and reliable investment for central banks, high deficit spending and trillions in debt have dulled the luster of these instruments over the past two decades.
Adding to a deterioration in confidence are US actions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“Since 2014, central banks have been net selling US treasuries and net stacking gold, which became exponential when the US dollar was weaponized against Russia," Piepenburg said.
"Weaponizing a neutral reserve asset was a big no-no in terms of respect, trust and admiration for an already overly issued and indebted US treasury, and by proxy, US dollar," he added.
However, Piepenburg was clear that he doesn’t see this accumulation of gold by central banks as a move away from the US dollar, but more as a means to prepare for a repricing of the dollar.
He also believes there will be greater usage of gold as a net settlement asset.
For his part, Garofalo said that the US debt-to-GDP ratio over the past 50 years has climbed to 350 percent, up from 100 percent in the 1970s. It has created a tricky situation for the US Federal Reserve, which must walk a fine line between how high it can raise interest rates without triggering a significant currency reset. Overall, US debt of over US$34 trillion, combined with trillions in annual deficit spending, is eroding central banks’ confidence in holding US debt.
Garofalo went on to explain that gold isn’t a commodity; its value isn’t driven by supply and demand fundamentals.
“It’s a monetary instrument, and monetary instruments stay relative to each other based on relative interest rates. So it’s that lack of confidence that’s really driving capital out of sovereign debt into central banks by Tether, by individuals, into gold as a monetary instrument,” he said.
Stablecoin issuers pursue gold
The panelists also pointed to interest in gold from stablecoin issuers.
For example, Tether now holds 16 metric tons of gold in reserves, worth over US$2.5 billion.
“Issuers of these stablecoins give citizens their electronic dollar, the issuers then take that dollar to buy US treasuries — good for Uncle Sam — they then arbitrage the yield on those treasuries for themselves and take a profit. The key thing to look at with Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL), Tether or JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) is that they’re taking the profits from the stablecoin and they’re buying gold. That’s the great irony,” Piepenburg said.
He explained that stablecoins were introduced to support the US dollar, but creators have since added new products backed by gold, which is fundamentally more stable than fiat currencies.
Overall, Piepenburg and Garofalo agreed that the crypto market's entry into gold is a positive sign and will catalyze consolidation in the sector's business side, while also making it more accessible to investors.
“Having another player, another pool of capital that traditionally has not been in the space, is part of the same phenomenon that’s driving generalists for the first time in many decades back into our sector,” said Garofalo.
Gold's long-term drivers intact
The panel made several key points that should be important to investors.
With gold’s historic run, some investors are worried that they missed the boat and now it’s too expensive.
Cambone asked Garofalo about this issue, noting that investors need to learn to focus more on gold's role as a stable store of value and recognize the erosion of fiat currencies.
“Every fiat currency ever created has ultimately failed, and the US dollar will too. It’s like that saying about bankruptcy, it happens gradually and then suddenly," Garofalo said.
"That’s what’s going to happen with the US dollar — that erosion of trust will be settled."
Although the panelists agreed that the gold bull market will end at some point, none believe that will happen soon. They noted that the drivers of the current market show no signs of abating.
US foreign and trade policy has emphasized traditional western trade alliances and has pushed Russia, China and the rest of the BRICS nations to distance themselves from the US dollar.
This is in addition to a looming debt crisis in several major economies, especially in the US.
Is it time for gold juniors to shine?
It's not to say that the group was advocating jumping directly on the bandwagon — they also agreed that investors could expect a significant pullback in gold, an event that occurred just days after VRIC ended.
However, they stressed the importance and safety of holding gold-linked assets during the current cycle.
This could be in the form of physical gold or exchange-traded products. They also noted that, due to gold's price run, the junior exploration sector has seen a resurgence.
Garofalo said juniors have spent years severely undercapitalized. “Gold reserves in the ground have declined 40 percent since 2012,” he said, adding, “We can’t turn on supply to meet the increased gold price. All we can do is mine lower-grade material that otherwise would have been wasted on a lower gold price environment.”
His sentiment was echoed by Still, who sees a wave of mergers and acquisitions coming as industry majors look to fill pipelines. “If you’re a major producer, you’re trying to find gold; it might take you five or 10 years to find it. You’re going to spend millions to do so. Or do you go buy it from a junior explorer or developer?” he said.
Still explained that on a per-ounce basis, the cost to buy a company that’s put in the exploration and development work is likely cheaper than conducting the exploration themselves.
Gold price forecasts for 2026 and beyond
With various options available to investors seeking exposure to gold, the discussion turned to price forecasts.
Garofalo was blunt when he stated US$7,000, while Piepenburg was slightly more nuanced.
“I think we’re only halfway through an eight year cycle in gold, so you could see US$7,000, US$8,000, but that’s notwithstanding the unforeseeable legislative or other black swans," he said.
"Based on fundamentals, gold’s direction, secular, is north,” he said.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- CSE, NSX Team Up to Boost Australia's Venture Market (2026-02-05)
Anna Serin of the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) and Eduardo Carmona of the National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSX) discuss the CSE's recent acquisition of the NSX, outlining what it means for both companies and investors.
"What we're hoping to create, and where we think the opportunity lies in Australia, is creating the venture market a little bit like the CSE's done (in Canada)," Carmona explained.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- 5 Biggest AI ETFs for Investors in 2026 (2026-02-05)
For investors who want to gain exposure to artificial intelligence stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a popular avenue, because AI ETFs allow investors exposure to the overall market rather than individual AI stocks.
AI investing has exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly with the proliferation and advancement of generative AI technology. Today, many of the world's largest tech stocks are focused on increasing their AI capabilities, or developing and supplying the hardware and technology needed to support the industry.
However, the sector has a long history. The phrase "artificial intelligence" has been around since 1955, when it was used to describe a new computer science subdiscipline. Today, we use AI to describe simulated intelligence in machines. In other words, machines with AI are capable of simulating thinking like people and mimicking their actions.
As applications for AI rapidly expand, it's clear that this market isn't going away anytime soon.
Here the Investing News Network looks at five AI ETFs to invest in. This list is based on the largest ETFs with a primary focus on artificial intelligence companies included in ETFdb's AI ETF category. All data on assets under management, holdings and expense ratios for each ETF was current as of February 4, 2026.
1. Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (NASDAQ:AIQ)
Assets under management: US$7.97 billion
The Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF is passively managed, tracking the Indxx Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Index. The Global X fund, which was established in May 2018, has an expense ratio of 0.68 percent.
"AIQ is passively managed to invest in developed market companies that are involved in the use of artificial intelligence to analyze big data, whether for their own operations, as a service to other companies, or through the production of related hardware," according to ETF.com.
The Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF's 87 holdings include Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU).
2. Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:QTUM)
Assets under management: US$3.67 billion
The Defiance Quantum ETF launched in September 2018. It tracks an index composed of 84 companies that derive at least half of their annual revenues from quantum computing and machine learning technology development activities.
The fund has the lowest expense ratio of the five AI funds on this list at 0.4 percent.
Some of the ETF's top holdings include Quantum Emotion (TSX:QNC), Micron Technology and MKS (NASDAQ:MKSI).
3. Dan IVES Wedbush AI Revolution ETF (ARCA:IVES)
Assets under management: US$1.04 billion
The newest addition to this list, the Dan Ives Wedbush AI Revolution ETF launched on June 4, 2025, as Wedbush Fund's inaugural ETF. The ETF's holdings are based on the research of Dan Ives, Wedbush's Global Head of Technology Research, and on the IVES AI 30 list, which is updated on a quarterly basis. It has an expense ratio of 0.75 percent.
The Dan Ives Wedbush AI Revolution ETF has 32 holdings comprising mostly large-cap tech stocks based in North America. Its top holdings include Micron Technology, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA).
4. Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF (ARCA:CHAT)
Assets under management: US$1.036 billion
The Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF launched on May 13, 2023, and focuses on companies that will benefit from the growth of generative AI. Companies must derive 50 percent of their revenue from generative AI or tech to qualify for its portfolio.
This AI ETF is actively managed and does not track an index. It has an expense ratio of 0.75 percent.
The ETF has 49 holdings, with 98 percent being large-cap companies. Its top holdings include Alphabet, NVIDIA and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), and it offers exposure to North American and Asian tech firms.
5. Invesco AI and Next Gen Software ETF (ARCA:IGPT)
Assets under management: US$715.8 million
The last AI ETF on this list is the Invesco AI and Next Gen Software ETF. It is the longest running compared to the other ETFs on this list, having launched in June 2005. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.58 percent.
It is based on the STOXX World AC NexGen Software Development Index and tracks the performance of companies that derive a direct revenue from technologies or products that contribute to future software development.
The Invesco AI and Next Gen Software ETF's 100 holdings include Micron Technology, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD).
This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2017.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Technology for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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