US Establishes $5 Billion Fund for Critical Minerals
U.S. Fund for Critical Minerals: The U.S. is set to launch a $5 billion fund through the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) in partnership with Orion Resource Partners to secure critical mineral supplies, with both parties committing at least $600 million.
Strategic Investments and Partnerships: This initiative aims to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains and includes significant past investments, such as loans to Syrah Resources and upgrades to the Lobito Corridor rail line, highlighting the DFC's role in supporting strategic overseas investments.
Urgency and Long-term Concerns: The initiative addresses immediate concerns over China's dominance in processing key minerals and anticipates long-term shortages due to declining ore grades and underinvestment in mining.
Broader Government Involvement: The U.S. government is increasing its engagement in critical minerals through various agencies, including a recent $67 million financing interest from the Export-Import Bank for a major scandium project in Australia.
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VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF Overview: The ETF invests in 30 companies involved in the production, refining, and recycling of rare-earth and strategic metals, providing a diversified investment option in a sector critical for modern technology and military strategies.
Market Dynamics and Performance: The ETF has faced mixed long-term performance and price volatility due to its focus on commodities, with concerns about its risk-reward profile compared to broader market indices like the S&P 500.
Investment Strategy and Structure: The ETF employs a market cap weighting methodology with a maximum holding limit of 8% for any single stock, aiming to reduce dependency on individual stock performance while maintaining a diversified portfolio.
Analyst Recommendations: Despite the ETF's niche appeal, analysts suggest that investors may find better opportunities in broader market investments, as the VanEck ETF was not included in a list of top stock recommendations by the Motley Fool's Stock Advisor.
- ETF Performance: The VanEck Semiconductor ETF is underperforming, down approximately 2.9% in Wednesday afternoon trading.
- Weakest Components: Key contributors to this decline include Broadcom, which fell by about 5.2%, and ASML Holding, which decreased by around 4.4%.
- Market Context: The performance of the ETF reflects broader market trends affecting semiconductor stocks.
- Author's Perspective: The views expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Nasdaq, Inc.

Pax Silica Initiative: The U.S. is launching the Pax Silica initiative to strengthen supply chains for semiconductors and AI by forming agreements with eight allied nations, including Japan and the UK.
Inaugural Summit: The first Pax Silica Summit will take place at the White House on December 12, bringing together key partners that are crucial to the global AI supply chain.
Strategic Goals: The initiative aims to reduce dependencies on coercive sources, protect essential materials for AI, and enable aligned nations to develop transformative technologies collaboratively.
Historical Context: Pax Silica builds on previous efforts from the Trump administration and is part of the U.S. strategy to decrease reliance on China for critical minerals and technologies.

JPMorgan's Strategic Move: JPMorgan Chase has hired Todd Combs to lead its $10 billion Strategic Investment Group, part of a broader $1.5 trillion initiative focused on U.S. national security and economic resilience, which includes sectors like manufacturing, energy, and defense technologies.
Impact on ETFs: The Security and Resiliency Initiative (SRI) is expected to drive investor interest in ETFs related to defense, strategic minerals, and advanced technology, with specific funds like the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF and VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF likely to benefit.
Long-Term Investment Focus: JPMorgan's initiative is framed as a multi-year effort, supported by a high-profile External Advisory Council, indicating a long-term commitment to enhancing U.S. industrial capacity and technological leadership.
Portfolio Implications for Investors: As JPMorgan aligns its spending with national security and industrial resilience, thematic ETFs in these sectors may become increasingly important for investors looking to capture future capital flows.
ETF Performance: The iShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF is underperforming, down approximately 1.7% in Monday afternoon trading.
Weakest Components: Notable declines among ETF components include Axogen, which fell by about 4.9%, and Procept Biorobotics, down by about 4.2%.
Market Context: The article provides insights into the performance of specific ETFs and their components, reflecting broader market trends.
Author's Perspective: The views expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Nasdaq, Inc.
Uranium ETF Performance: The Uranium ETF is underperforming, down approximately 2.9% in Friday afternoon trading.
Weakest Components: Key contributors to the ETF's decline include Nexgen Energy, which fell by about 5.6%, and Centrus Energy, down by about 5.5%.
Market Context: The performance of the Uranium ETF contrasts with other ETFs on the same day.
Author's Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Nasdaq, Inc.








