Greetings Survivor Contrarian,

This is The Next Big Rush, your daily drop of mining/energy investing news. Where we come together and wonder if 25 bps signals the end of the world.

Here are the hiking points:

👁️ OPEC+ Sticks With Cuts

👁️ USA Wants To Triple Nuclear Capacity

👁️ Gold And Silver Taking Off

🛢️OPEC+ Sticks With Cuts

According to three delegates from OPEC+, the producer group is likely to uphold its deal on output cuts of 2 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of the year, despite the recent banking crisis that sent crude prices plummeting.

While falling oil prices may impact the group's members, who heavily rely on oil revenue, the delegates asserted that no further cuts are planned and that the recent price slump is more a result of financial market speculation rather than market fundamentals.

The heads of major oil traders and hedge funds predict that oil prices will strengthen by year-end as China's continued easing of COVID-19 restrictions boosts demand in the world's biggest oil importer.

OPEC+ is set to hold a virtual ministerial committee meeting on April 3 and a full ministerial meeting in Vienna on June 4.

We’ll believe it when we see it.

🔥 USA Wants To Triple Nuclear Capacity

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a new initiative, Pathways to Commercial Liftoff, aimed at accelerating the commercialization and deployment of clean energy technologies, with a focus on clean hydrogen, advanced nuclear, and long duration energy storage (vanadium, anyone?).

Among these technologies, advanced nuclear has the potential to be a game changer in the fight against climate change.

President Biden’s ambitious goals of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. With recent advances in technology, advanced nuclear reactors have become safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective than ever before.

Transforming coal power plants into nuclear is one aspect of the plan, but what’s interesting is the numbers proposed:

Deploying another 200GW of nuclear by 2050 (this would more than triple US capacity). The USA currently has approximately 92 reactors with 94.7 GW output.

The plan is to tap into strong relations with Australia, USA and other uranium-producing countries, as well as further developing national extraction (clears throat very loudly).

🌟 Gold And Silver Taking Off

Spot gold and silver took off as the Federal Reserve’s Head Honcho Jerome Powell declared an interest rate hike of 25 basis points today.

Gold gained 1.38% at 1969.82, and silver was up 2.42% to reach 22.98 - we haven’t seen a hold above 23 since last month - when some retail investors seemed to capitulate. Buying high and selling low is undefeated.

For comparison, general equities were down in North America roughly -1.60% across all NASDAQ, S&P 500 and the DOW.

The GDXJ, the most quoted gold junior ETF, was up a healthy 2.92%.

Gold bugs are hopeful this is the beginning of the financial Armageddon we've they've been waiting for the last 30 / 20 / 10 years.

Is this finally it?!

Meme of The Day

Happy Speculating!

The Editor

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.