1. Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM)

TSX market cap: C$88.43 billion
NYSE market cap: US$64.53 billion

Wheaton Precious Metals is the world’s biggest precious metals streaming company.

Its business model involves making upfront payments to precious metals companies in order to gain the right to purchase all or a portion of their metal production at a low, fixed cost. Investors benefit from gaining exposure to a wide range of precious metals companies operating in politically stable jurisdictions, while reducing the risk associated with investing in individual mining stocks. The company pays a quarterly dividend.

Wheaton currently has streaming agreements in place for 23 operating mines and 25 development-stage projects across five continents. This includes investments in Newmont’s (NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM) Peñasquito mine in Mexico, Sibanye Stillwater’s (NYSE:SBSW) Stillwater and East Boulder mines in Montana, US, and Glencore’s (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF) Antamina silver mine in Peru.

2. Pan American Silver (TSX:PAAS,NASDAQ:PAAS)

TSX market cap: C$33.3 billion
NASDAQ market cap: US$23.67 billion

Pan American Silver holds interest in five silver-producing mines located in four Latin American countries.

This includes its three wholly owned mines: Huaron in Peru, Cerro Moro in Argentina and La Colorada in Mexico — its largest silver-producing asset. The company also holds a 95 percent interest in the San Vicente mine in Bolivia and a 44 percent stake in the Juanicipio mine in Mexico, operated by Fresnillo (LSE:FRES,OTCPL:FNLPF). Pan American’s gold-producing segment includes its second largest silver mine by production, the El Peñon gold-silver mine in Chile.

Ranked among the world’s largest primary silver producers, Pan American’s 2025 silver production total came in at 22.8 million ounces, alongside 742,200 ounces of gold. It’s set its silver production guidance for 2026 to between 25 million and 27 million ounces, white its expected gold production for the year is 700,000 to 750,000 ounces.

3. Industrias Penoles (OTCPL:IPOAF)

OTC market cap: US$26.14 billion

Founded in 1887, Mexico-based Industrias Peñoles is a vertically integrated metals company and a global leader in refined silver production. The company holds a majority stake in Fresnillo, the world’s leading primary silver producer.

Industrias Peñoles is also a top producer of refined gold and lead in Latin America, and one of the world’s leading producers of refined zinc and sodium sulfate. Its mining portfolio includes the Sabinas mine in Zacatecas, the Tizapa mine in Zacazonapan and the Velardeña mine in Durango. In the first half of 2025, Industrias Peñoles’ overall silver production from its mining operations came in at 30.3 million ounces of the metal.

4. AbraSilver Resource (TSXV:ABRA,OTCQX:ABBRF)

TSXV market cap: C$2.15 billion
OTC market cap: US$1.57 billion

Canadian junior Abrasilver Resource’s wholly owned flagship asset is the advanced-stage Diablillos silver-gold project in Salta, Argentina. It hosts five significant deposits: Oculto, JAC, Fantasma, Laderas and Sombra.

In December 2024, the company published an updated prefeasibility study for Diablillos, outlining a net present value (NPV) of US$747 million after tax at a 5 percent discount, as well as a 27.6 percent internal rate of return (IRR) and a two year payback period. An updated mineral resource estimate from July 2025 totals approximately 199 million ounces of silver and 1.72 million ounces of gold in the measured and indicated category.

Abrasilver has been busy expanding the upside potential at Diablillos via a Phase 6 drill program. The 15,000 meter campaign is aimed at extensions across various exploration targets. Results coming in from previous campaigns continue to demonstrate the potential for identifying gold and silver resources outside of the current resource estimate.

5. Vizsla Silver (TSXV:VZLA,NYSEAMERICAN:VZLA)

TSX market cap: C$1.73 billion
NYSEAMERICAN market cap: US$1.25 billion

Vizsla Silver is advancing toward production at its Panuco silver-gold project in Sinaloa, Mexico. Its expected to reach first silver production in the second half of 2027. In May 2025, the company acquired the producing Santa Fe silver-gold mine and property located to the south of Panuco. Production at the mine between 2020 and 2024 amounted to 370,366 metric tons of ore, with an average head grade of 203 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver and 2.17 g/t gold.

At Panuco, Vizsla completed a feasibility study in November 2025, outlining over 17.4 million ounces of silver equivalent production annually over an initial 9.4 year mine life, an after-tax NPV of US$1.8 billion at a 5 percent discount, an 111 percent IRR and a seven month payback at US$35.50 silver and US$3,100 per ounce gold.

The company has several upcoming catalysts for 2026. In the first half of the year, management is focused on completing detailed engineering, underground drilling, geophysical surveys and optimization work in order to make a construction decision in the second half of 2026 once permits are received. Throughout 2026, Vizsla is expecting to conduct 60,000 meters of diamond drilling across the Panuco district. A fifth phase of metallurgical testwork to optimize silver and gold recoveries using material from a 10,000 tonne bulk sample program is also planned.

After the interview with Rule took place, 10 workers were abducted from Panuco. Mexican authorities have since recovered 10 bodies as part of an investigation into the incident, with five being identified as Vizsla workers. The company has suspended operations at the site, although engineering-based remote work continues.

Silver supply in 2026

On the supply side, total global silver output is forecast to increase by 1.5 percent in 2026 to 1.05 billion ounces, the highest level in a decade. Mine production is expected to edge up 1 percent to 820 million ounces, supported by stronger output from existing operations and newly commissioned projects.

Mexico is forecast to deliver much of the growth from primary silver mines. In China, higher output is expected from China Gold International Resources’ (TSX:CGG,OTCPL:JINFF) Jiama polymetallic mine as expansion continues.

Canada is projected to see gains from projects such as Hecla Mining’s (NYSE:HL) Keno Hill and New Gold’s (TSX:NGD,NYSEAMERICAN:NGD) New Afton, which is being acquired by Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE). Morocco’s Zgounder mine is also ramping up production, while Peru is expected to record declines at certain operations.

By-product silver from primary gold mines is forecast to increase. Contributions are expected from Barrick Mining’s (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic, Gold Fields’ (NYSE:GFI) Salares Norte in Chile and the Nezhda project in Russia, owned by SolidCore (formerly Polymetal International).

Output from primary silver mines is expected to remain largely flat, accounting for 28 percent of total mine supply.

Silver recycling supply is projected to rise 7 percent, exceeding 200 million ounces for the first time since 2012, as elevated price levels encourage scrap flows, particularly from silverware.

Although the silver price has cooled since this year’s highs, the Institute notes that it’s established technical support and remains underpinned by tight physical supply and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.

Many forces that drove silver in 2025 remain in place. Constrained physical availability in London, geopolitical tensions, US policy uncertainty and concerns about the US Federal Reserve’s independence continue to provide support.

Silver demand in 2026

On the demand side, total global silver consumption is forecast to remain broadly flat in 2026. Gains in physical investment are expected to offset weakness in jewelry, silverware and some industrial segments.

Meanwhile, industrial fabrication, the largest component of silver demand, is projected to decline by 2 percent to around 650 million ounces, marking a four year low.

As in 2025, the drag is seen coming primarily from the photovoltaic (PV) sector.

Although solar installations worldwide are expected to continue expanding, manufacturers are reducing silver use per panel through thrifting and substitution, resulting in lower silver demand from PV applications.

Other industrial uses offer partial relief. Growth in data centers, artificial intelligence technologies and automotive electronics is expected to sustain silver consumption across several end uses, mitigating some of the PV losses.

Consumer demand, however, remains under pressure from record-high prices. Jewelry demand is forecast to fall more than 9 percent to 178 million ounces, marking the lowest level since 2020.

In contrast, physical investment demand is set to strengthen considerably.

The Institute projects a 20 percent rise to a three year high in physical investment to 227 million ounces.

After three consecutive annual declines, western retail demand is expected to rebound as investors respond to silver’s price momentum and persistent macroeconomic risks.

Exchange-traded product holdings currently stand at an estimated 1.31 billion ounces, and coin and bar demand has firmed in recent months. As of February 9, the silver price was up 11 percent year-to-date.

Silver deficit to persist

Even with higher supply and recycling, the silver deficit is set to persist. The Institute notes that the global silver market will continue to rely on the drawdown of aboveground bullion inventories to bridge the gap.

While volatility is likely to continue, the Institute forecasts that strength in gold and sustained physical tightness may help cushion risks for silver as it navigates another year defined by deficit and demand.

Bullet briefing — Top takeover candidates

Merger talks between commodities giants Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) and Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF) have fallen through, nixing what would have been the mining industry’s biggest-ever deal, but M&A activity in the space continues to heat up.

A new survey from TD Cowen identifies IAMGOLD (TSX:IMG,NYSE:IAG) as the year’s top takeover candidate, with close to 20 percent of the 58 respondents pointing to the company.

Artemis Gold (TSXV:ARTG,OTCQX:ARGTF) was in second place at 11 percent, while Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (TSX:ASCU,OTCQX:ASCUF) was third at 7 percent.

Almost all of the respondents, who included institutional investors and mining executives, said they expect to see more gold, silver and copper M&A in 2026 compared to last year.

We’ll have to wait and see how any potential deals play out, including Barrick Mining’s (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) planned initial public offering for its North American gold assets.

Newmont (NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM), Barrick’s partner at the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture, said it is concerned about the management of the operation, and wants to see improvements — a clash between the two miners could end up disrupting Barrick’s plans.

From staking rush to global player

The modern diamond era in the NWT began in November 1991, when geologists Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson discovered 81 small diamonds at Lac de Gras. The find triggered the largest diamond staking rush in North American history and led to the development of the EKATI Diamond Mine, Canada’s first.

By 2004, more than 28 million hectares across the NWT and Nunavut had been staked. Canada rose to become the world’s third-largest diamond producer by value, behind Botswana and Russia, largely on the strength of the NWT’s output.

For decades, the sector generated thousands of high-paying jobs and helped build Indigenous-owned businesses across the territory. At its peak, more than 3,000 Indigenous workers were employed at the region’s three diamond mines.

Today, that foundation is starting to show cracks.

All pressure, no diamonds

Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) Diavik mine, one of the pillars of the industry, is scheduled to close next month.

Although the company recently unveiled a rare 158.2-carat yellow diamond from the site last year, described by COO Matt Breen as a “miracle of nature,” the symbolic discovery cannot reverse the mine’s finite life.

In addition, De Beers ( a subsidiary of Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY)) and Mountain Province Diamonds’ (TSX: MPVD,OTC:MPVD) Gahcho Kué mine has paused a project that would have extended operations from 2027 to 2030, raising concerns about its longevity.

Meanwhile, EKATI, owned by Australia’s Burgundy Diamond Mines (ASX:BDM), is battling financial distress after diamond prices fell at least 20 percent following its acquisition of the asset.

In the legislature this week, Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong warned of the consequences.

“The closure of Diavik and Gahcho Kué will have a significant impact on Tłı̨chǫ communities and today, the GNWT has no meaningful alternative,” she said.

Premier R.J. Simpson acknowledged the challenge. “We’re at a point now where we know the diamond mines are winding down, and the question has been: ‘OK, well, what’s next?’” he said in a recent interview.

Market headwinds multiply

The industry’s struggles are not simply a matter of geology. Natural diamond prices have been under sustained pressure, battered by several macroeconomic forces converging at once.

For instance, lab-grown diamonds—chemically identical to natural stones and available at a fraction of the price—have rapidly gained acceptance among consumers. What was once a niche product is now mainstream, particularly among younger buyers drawn to lower costs.

Canadian diamonds long marketed themselves as ethical alternatives to so-called “blood diamonds.” But synthetic stones can make similar claims, weakening one of the natural industry’s key selling points.

Luxury spending has also softened, and new trade barriers have added further strain. A 50 percent US tariff on Indian imports has disrupted the global polishing pipeline, since most rough diamonds are cut and finished in India before being sold into the US market.

The owner of EKATI has linked its financial difficulties in part to those tariffs, as well as to the broader collapse in natural diamond prices. The company recently received a C$115 million federal loan under a facility designed to assist businesses affected by US trade disruptions.

Even so, EKATI suspended parts of its operations last year and has faced criticism from workers over layoffs and severance payments. Burgundy has publicly acknowledged serious financial problems and indicated it may need additional funding if prices fail to recover.

At Gahcho Kué, Mountain Province Diamonds is navigating its own funding challenges. Acting president and CEO Jonathan Comerford said the company’s difficulties reflect “the prolonged weakness in the diamond sector.”

“In this environment, our focus remains on carefully managing costs, protecting liquidity, and making measured decisions to support the long-term sustainability of our operations,” Comerford said.

The company has received in-kind funding notices from joint-venture partner De Beers totalling approximately C$49.2 million related to unpaid cash calls.

Political pressure builds

Territorial leaders are also under growing pressure to respond.

Minister of Industry Caitlin Cleveland described the Gahcho Kué announcement as “serious news for the Northwest Territories.”

“Prices are weak, costs are high, and companies are having to make difficult calls,” Cleveland said in a recent statement. She emphasized that while the GNWT cannot control global markets, it will work to ensure worker supports are accessible and employers meet labour standards if job impacts occur.

But some structural issues are harder to address. Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan questioned how the government can enforce socio-economic commitments made by mining companies when they established operations.

Simpson conceded that those agreements lack enforcement clauses such as fines.

“This is about building relationships and ensuring that we’re staying on top of this,” he said.

Meanwhile, calls for diversification are growing louder. “This announcement also reinforces a broader reality for our territory: our economic base remains too dependent on a single commodity,” Cleveland said.

Searching for the next chapter

There are hopes that critical minerals could help fill the gap. Exploration for rare earths and other strategic metals is increasing, reflecting global demand tied to electrification and defense technologies.

Weyallon Armstrong has argued that infrastructure, including expanded road connections from the Tłı̨chǫ region, could unlock new development corridors.

“We may not have a Ring of Fire, but we could have a frosty circle,” she said, referencing Ontario’s mineral-rich region.

Yet even optimistic observers acknowledge that no single project is likely to replicate the scale and stability diamonds once provided. For community leaders, the uncertainty is deeply personal.

“It’s kind of a scary situation,” Chief Fred Sangris of the Yellowknife Ndilo community of the Dene First Nation told the New York Times last year. “Where do we go from here? What’s the next project?”

Diamonds have long symbolized permanence. In the Northwest Territories, especially this Valentine’s season where icons of everlasting love dominate the market, that symbolism now feels more strained than ever.

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$68,987.01, up 5.2 percent over the last 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, February 13, 2026.

Chart via TradingView.

A constructive scenario over the next three to six months depends on gradual improvement in global liquidity, moderation in yields and steady exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows.

According to Tran, if financial conditions tighten or additional liquidity stress occurs, the market may need another washout to rebalance leverage. Ultimately, the return of confidence, reflected through durable and sustainable capital inflows, is what matters most for the transitional phase.

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,054.76, up by 7 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

• XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.41, up by 4.7 percent over 24 hours.

• Solana (SOL) was trading at US$85.01, up by 10.2 percent over 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Coinbase posts US$667 million Q4 loss

Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) reported a fourth quarter net loss of US$667 million as falling crypto prices weighed on its revenue and the value of its investment portfolio. The company’s revenue came in at US$1.78 billion, below analysts’ expectations, making a 22 percent decline from a year earlier.

The firm attributed much of the loss to a US$718 million drop in portfolio value, largely unrealized, alongside weaker transaction activity. Shares slid ahead of the release and have fallen more than 55 percent over the past six months as cryptocurrencies retreated. Despite the surprise slide, CEO Brian Armstrong sought to reassure investors, saying the firm remains “deliberately well capitalized” with US$11.3 billion in cash and equivalents.

He added that retail customers are largely holding rather than selling, even as volatility persists.

Bitcoin ETFs lose US$410 million

Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw US$410 million in outflows on Thursday (February 12), extending a rocky stretch that has drained nearly US$1.5 billion over two weeks.

The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:IBIT) led the pullback, followed by Fidelity and Grayscale products, as institutional investors recalibrated positions amid macro uncertainty.

Treasury chief pushes CLARITY Act as crypto selloff deepens

US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent urged Congress to pass the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act this spring, arguing that it will provide stability to markets rattled by volatility.

Speaking on CNBC and later before the Senate Banking Committee, Bessent said the bill will give “great comfort to the market,” and warned that parts of the crypto industry are resisting what he called “very good regulation.”

“There seems to be a nihilist group in the industry who prefers no regulation over this very good regulation,” he told lawmakers, drawing support from Senator Mark Warner.

The legislation has stalled amid disputes over stablecoin yield, DeFi oversight and token classifications, with critics — including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong — raising objections. Bessent cautioned that a bipartisan coalition backing the bill could fracture if Democrats retake the House in November. Warner, meanwhile, stressed unresolved concerns around illicit finance and national security risks tied to DeFi.

HIVE’s BUZZ HPC platform secures US$30 million in AI cloud contracts

BUZZ High Performance Computing (HPC), a Hive Digital Technologies (TSXV:HIVE,NASDAQ:HIVE) platform, announced that it has signed customer agreements valued at approximately US$30 million over two year fixed terms for artificial intelligence (AI) cloud contracts. The new contracts will support the initial phase of BUZZ’s AI-optimized GPU deployment at its Canada West location in Manitoba, with compute capacity expected to be online during the quarter ending on March 31, 2026. This phase consists of 504 liquid-cooled Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) server-based GPUs.

This initial phase is expected to generate about US$15 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to BUZZ’s cloud business once fully operational, increasing HIVE’s total annualized HPC segment revenue to roughly US$35 million.

HIVE said it aims to scale its HPC GPU AI cloud business toward approximately US$140 million in ARR over the next year. The company is using vendor financing and strategic partnerships to scale efficiently and pursue a “dual-engine strategy” of hashrate services and GPU-accelerated AI computing across its facilities in Canada, Sweden and Paraguay.

Taurus and Blockdaemon partner to expand institutional staking

Taurus, a Swiss fintech firm that provides digital asset infrastructure for banks and financial institutions, announced an agreement with blockchain infrastructure company Blockdaemon that will allow banks to offer staking yields to their clients without having to move those assets out of tightly controlled, regulated custody.

Taurus will integrate Blockdaemon’s staking infrastructure into its custody product, Taurus‑PROTECT, which is designed to keep digital assets safe inside banks’ own systems under financial regulator rules.

Taurus also has an agreement to provide digital asset custody, tokenization and node management technology that State Street uses to power its full‑service digital asset platform for institutional investors. Additionally, BNY Mellon (NYSE:BK) is broadening its digita asset platforms by partnering with infrastructure providers, including Blockdaemon.

This week’s tech sector performance

The Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) ended in the green on Monday (February 9) despite a weaker open.

A rally in tech companies drove US stocks higher ahead of an economic data release, while Asian indexes also rose, led upward by Japan’s tech‑heavy Nikkei 225 (INDEXNIKKEI:NI225).

It hit new record highs after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party secured a landslide victory in the Lower House, clearing the path for tax cuts and higher defense spending.

Tax planning and wealth management stocks fell on Tuesday (February 10) after financial software provider Altruist unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI) tool for creating tax strategies, echoing last week’s selloff in legal software stocks following the debut of a lawyer-focused AI platform.

Broader tech‑driven weakness and softer‑than‑expected retail‑sales data dragged the Nasdaq down in Tuesday’s session. The index rose again on Wednesday (February 11) after January data showed labor market stability, potentially allowing the US Federal Reserve to keep interest rates steady as it monitors inflation.

Software stocks resumed their slide, with Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) at one point down more than 2 percent, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) falling over 2.5 percent and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) slipping about 1 percent.

Personal computer makers also fell after Lenovo Group (HKEX:0992,OTCPL:LNVGF) warned of shipment pressure from a memory chip shortage. HP (NYSE:HPQ) and Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) each lost about 4.5 percent.

After a muted close, investors turned their AI disruption fears to yet another corner of the market on Thursday (February 12). This time, it was logistics and trucking stocks, which plummeted after AI logistics firm Algorhythm Holdings (NASDAQ:RIME) said it has scaled freight volumes by 300 to 400 percent without increasing headcount.

This event showed traders that AI is now affecting sectors previously thought to be resistant to automation and AI‑driven efficiency gains, leading to selloffs that also spilled into real estate and drug distribution.

All three major indexes closed lower, with the Nasdaq hit hardest.

A softer-than-expected US consumer price index report released on Friday (February 13) morning reinforced beliefs that the Fed is likely to cut interest rates this year, while global concerns about potential AI-driven disruptions kept investors cautious. European and Asian indexes lost ground, tracking Wall Street’s losses.

While the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) closed slightly ahead on the day, mega-cap tech stocks dragged on the Nasdaq, which closed the week 1.77 percent below Monday’s open.

3 tech stocks moving markets this week

1.Cloudflare (NYSE:NET)

Cybersecurity firm Cloudflare saw its share price surge after its sales guidance for the current quarter exceeded expectations. Shares closed 13.07 percent higher for the week.

2. Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT)

Applied Materials, a provider of materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor sector, saw its share price rise sharply after reporting better-than-forecast quarterly financial results. Shares advanced 10.05 percent.

3. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company rose after D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria gave it a ‘buy’ rating with a US$450 price target and called it a top AI foundry name. Shares advanced 5.02 percent.

Cloudflare, TSMC and Applied Materials performance, February 9 to 13, 2026.

Chart via Google Finance.

Top tech news of the week

• Alphabet completed two bond sales this week, raising a combined total of nearly US$52 billion. On Monday, the company sold US$20 billion in US dollars, followed by a nearly US$32 billion multi‑currency bond sale in British pounds and Swiss francs completed within 24 hours on Tuesday.

Tech ETF performance

Tech exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track baskets of major tech stocks, meaning their performance helps investors gauge the overall performance of the niches they cover.

This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) advanced by 2.56 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) advanced by 1.89 percent.

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also increased by 2.19 percent.

Tech news to watch next week

Tech stocks face a quieter earnings backdrop next week, with no mega‑cap AI giants reporting; instead, the sector will be trading on macro cues and any guidance hints from mid‑tier semis and software names.

Key US data includes jobs‑related releases and consumer confidence surveys.