Wednesday's Top Sectors: Precious Metals and Apparel Retailers
Apparel Stores Performance: Apparel store shares increased by approximately 3.2% overall, with Childrens Place rising by 11.8% and Urban Outfitters by 9.9% on Wednesday.
Sector Leaders: Precious metals and apparel stores were highlighted as sector leaders in the market on Wednesday.
Market Commentary: The views expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Nasdaq, Inc.
Video Feature: A video segment was included, focusing on the sector leaders for the day, specifically precious metals and apparel stores.
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- Earnings Disappointment: PennyMac Financial Services reported quarterly earnings of $1.96 per share, significantly missing the analyst consensus estimate of $3.24, indicating a notable decline in profitability that could undermine investor confidence.
- Sales Miss: The company's quarterly sales totaled $538.005 million, falling short of the analyst consensus estimate of $642.528 million, reflecting weak market demand that may pressure future performance.
- Stock Price Volatility: Following the earnings report, PennyMac's shares plummeted 21.8% to $117.00 in pre-market trading, highlighting investor concerns over financial health that could trigger broader market reactions.
- Market Sentiment Impact: Despite a 0.1% gain in Dow futures, PennyMac's negative earnings report may influence other financial stocks, affecting investor risk appetite amid overall market instability.
- Strong Earnings Report: SanDisk's second-quarter results exceeded expectations, leading to a 20.9% surge in pre-market trading, with shares reaching $652.00, indicating strong market confidence in its financial health.
- Optimistic Q3 Guidance: The company forecasts third-quarter revenue between $4.4 billion and $4.8 billion, with non-GAAP diluted earnings per share expected to be between $12 and $14, suggesting ongoing improvement in growth potential and profitability.
- Joint Venture Extension: SanDisk announced the extension of its joint venture with Japan's Kioxia Corp. until December 31, 2034, further solidifying their strategic partnership in storage technology and enhancing market competitiveness.
- Positive Market Reaction: The significant rise in stock price reflects investor optimism about the company's future prospects, which may also attract more institutional investors, thereby elevating the company's standing in the industry.
Silver Corp Metals Performance: Silver Corp Metals has reported a significant increase in its silver production, rising by 6.1%.
Endeavour Silver Growth: Endeavour Silver has also experienced a similar growth in silver production, matching the 6.1% increase.
- Price Surge: Silver prices surpassed $100 per ounce in early 2026, with analysts predicting a rise to $124 in the next 30 days, indicating strong market demand and investor confidence.
- Supply-Demand Imbalance: The silver market has faced global deficits for four consecutive years, with a cumulative shortfall of nearly 820 million ounces from 2021 to 2025, highlighting ongoing supply pressures.
- Industrial Demand Explosion: Nearly half of global silver consumption now stems from industrial applications, particularly in solar panels and electric vehicles, underscoring silver's growing importance as a strategic industrial commodity.
- Investment Opportunities: Silver mining companies like First Majestic, Endeavour, and Pan American have seen significant stock price increases of 45%, 46%, and 19% respectively in 2026, reflecting optimistic investor sentiment towards the silver market.
- Transaction Overview: On January 22, Azarias Capital disclosed the sale of 536,928 shares of Endeavour Silver, amounting to approximately $4.55 million based on average pricing for the fourth quarter, indicating a cautious stance towards the stock.
- Position Value Change: Following this sale, the value of Endeavour Silver's position decreased to $5.92 million, down $3.23 million from the previous filing, reflecting Azarias' reassessment of the company's future performance.
- Stock Performance: As of January 22, Endeavour Silver shares were priced at $13.60, representing a staggering 281% increase over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's roughly 14% gain, showcasing its strong position in the precious metals market.
- Future Outlook: Endeavour Silver anticipates silver equivalent output of 14.6 to 15.6 million ounces in 2026, with cash costs projected at $12 to $13 per ounce, as CEO Dan Dickson emphasizes that 2026 will be a pivotal turning point for the company, highlighting lower cash costs and operational leverage to support future growth.

- Gold Price Surge: Gold prices have surpassed $4,700 per ounce for the first time, reaching $4,735.50, a 3.1% increase, reflecting strong investor demand amid a weaker dollar and escalating trade tensions.
- Silver Price Hits Record: Silver prices also reached an all-time high, with March delivery rising 7.9% to $95.54 per ounce, indicating robust performance in the precious metals market and attracting increased investor interest.
- Mining Stocks Rally: Precious metals mining stocks, including Iamgold, Hecla Mining, and Gold Fields, saw significant gains, with Iamgold up 7.5%, showcasing optimism in the precious metals sector and potentially driving future investment inflows.
- Shift in Investor Preference: Rising U.S. debt levels and increased policy unpredictability have led investors to favor gold and silver over currencies and government bonds, reflecting a sustained demand for precious metals as a safe haven.










