At home in Southern Germany, the passionate stock exchange expert has been accompanying the capital markets for about twenty years. With a soft spot for smaller companies, he is constantly on the lookout for exciting investment stories. That it depends thereby less on large names, but on the future potential and whether the market also recognizes these perspectives, was one of its first learnings at the stock exchange.
On these pages, Nico examines current events at listed companies and takes a closer look at companies that are traded under the radar of the market, in addition to well-known securities.
In order to be able to take advantage of speculative opportunities on the stock exchange, Nico not only focuses on a balanced asset allocation of defensive and opportunity-oriented securities, but also on an intact risk management. "In addition to position size and entry in several tranches, investors should also develop a sense of timing and get to know a stock better before investing," says the columnist.
Commented by Nico Popp
Commented by Nico Popp on May 1st, 2026 | 07:00 CEST
Long-established German companies under pressure: BASF, Lufthansa, and antimony pioneer Antimony Resources
Created and published on behalf of Antimony Resources Corp.
German industry is facing a severe test: recent media reports indicate that production shortages are already emerging due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade. Two crisis hotspots are converging. A military blockade of the world's most important energy trade route has restricted supplies of crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and chemical feedstocks such as methanol. At the same time, China is leveraging its dominance in critical minerals, such as antimony, to impose restrictive export controls, further drying up the market. In this environment, raw material sovereignty is the decisive competitive factor. While giants like BASF and Lufthansa are adapting their business models to the situation, problem solvers like Antimony Resources are moving into the spotlight.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 30th, 2026 | 07:30 CEST
Food Crisis on the Horizon? Nutrien and Nestlé on Edge, MustGrow Biologics Offers Solutions
Created and published on behalf of MustGrow Biologics Corp.
The agricultural sector is currently experiencing an unprecedented crisis, triggered by pervasive geopolitical tensions and the Strait of Hormuz blockade. The latter development, in particular, has exposed the Achilles' heel of modern agriculture: the extreme dependence on fossil fuels for fertilizer production and the fragility of global just-in-time supply chains. Since about 20% of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows through this strait, the blockade not only raises energy costs but also directly threatens nitrogen fertilizer production, for which natural gas is the primary cost driver. If fertilizer becomes more expensive, fields could lie fallow, leading to a decline in food production. This could even lead to hunger, particularly in poorer regions of the world. Fertilizer must be applied to fields in a timely manner to be effective. In this environment, established giants like Nutrien and Nestlé must radically optimize their business models, while players such as MustGrow Biologics are gaining importance as drivers of innovation.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 30th, 2026 | 07:20 CEST
Mining in the Grey Zone: Barrick Mining, B2Gold, and the Unique Opportunity at Desert Gold
The search for raw materials is challenging. Companies are increasingly confronted with the reality that high-quality geological deposits are found in regions with high political volatility. The concept of "Mining in the Grey Zone," coined by Amanda van Dyke, founder of the Critical Minerals Hub, aptly describes this phenomenon: these are areas where weak state sovereignty intersects with the need to secure strategic mineral deposits. In her analyses, Van Dyke argues that traditional risk metrics often fail in these zones, as local power structures, informal networks, and on-the-ground presence are more critical to operational security than official national policies in capitals. For investors who bet on companies with expertise in countries like Mali, this can be an opportunity.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 29th, 2026 | 11:05 CEST
Powering the AI Revolution: OpenAI, Amazon, and Nuclear Pioneer American Atomics
The global economy is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation that experts describe as the beginning of a new infrastructure supercycle. While software innovations and platform economies have been at the forefront in recent decades, the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted the focus to the tangible prerequisites of digitalization: energy and computing power. The hunger for electricity triggered by the next generation of Large Language Models (LLMs) and autonomous AI agents is forging new alliances: Leading technology conglomerates and the nuclear industry have long been joining forces. According to recent analyses by Goldman Sachs, data center energy demand worldwide will more than double by the end of the decade, making the search for CO₂-free baseload power an existential issue for Silicon Valley. We shed light on this trend and highlight opportunities.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 29th, 2026 | 11:00 CEST
Industrial Energy Transition: Air Liquide, Forgent, and SME Favorite A.H.T. Syngas
Today, more than ever, the industrial climate transition requires a technological mix of suitable infrastructure and highly efficient, decentralized gasification solutions. This need is further exacerbated by the current geopolitical situation and the ongoing energy crisis resulting from the Iran conflict. Since the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has led to a significant loss of global liquefied natural gas supply, companies are desperately seeking alternatives to secure their energy supply. According to forecasts by the International Energy Agency (IEA), fossil fuel procurement costs will remain high, further increasing the urgency of industrial decarbonization. In this market environment, a two-way split is emerging. While market leader Air Liquide offers suitable solutions for heavy industry through the establishment of hydrogen hubs and CO₂ capture, specialized providers are competing for the enormous opportunities in the energy utilization of waste and other residual materials. We present the opportunities.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 28th, 2026 | 11:30 CEST
AI Infrastructure and Mining Data: The Trio of Meta, Anthropic, and Aspermont
The global economy is currently undergoing a profound transformation. While the past two decades were primarily shaped by software scalability, the coming decade will be defined by the availability of tangible raw materials. The insatiable energy appetite of artificial intelligence (AI), coupled with ambitious goals in space exploration and nuclear fusion, has ushered in a new race for resources. Hyperscalers like Meta Platforms and AI pioneers like Anthropic are at the center of this, as their need for computing power and a stable energy supply is directly linked to the availability of critical raw materials. In this interplay of high technology and geopolitics, well-founded information becomes a valuable commodity. Companies like Aspermont ensure the necessary transparency in the supply chain with their data treasures. We shed light on the new raw materials hype and highlight opportunities.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 28th, 2026 | 07:10 CEST
Linde, Amazon, and Pure One: The New Alliance Against Fossil Fuel Dependency
The energy crisis is highlighting the global economy's dangerous dependence on fossil fuels. In particular, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the vulnerability of industrial supply chains, as critical feedstocks such as ammonia and methanol are becoming scarce alongside oil and gas. According to analyses by Wood Mackenzie, such a disruption leads to significant price spikes in the chemical industry and threatens the global supply of raw materials. In this unstable environment, hydrogen is gaining new significance as a tool for national security and industrial resilience. Innovative processes, such as the direct reduction of iron ore or the electrification of chemical reactors, enable the industry to gradually break free from fossil fuel imports. We examine the business models of Linde, Amazon, and Pure One, highlighting how these players are driving the hydrogen transition in the EU and Germany, and how investors can capitalize on these opportunities.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 27th, 2026 | 07:45 CEST
No Security Without Drones: Volatus Aerospace, Helsing, and Rheinmetall Under Review
No drones, no security — that bluntly summarizes the strategic doctrine in today's geopolitical environment. Success in modern defense increasingly hinges on resilient supply chains and software sovereignty. Dependence on Chinese components is now widely seen as a critical vulnerability. As a result, new value chains are emerging. Software pioneers like Helsing are delivering the AI backbone for autonomous swarm technologies and securing billion-dollar contracts, while defense heavyweight Rheinmetall is rapidly scaling production for large-scale orders, including the FV-014 Kamikaze Drones. Meanwhile, Canadian drone veteran Volatus Aerospace is positioning itself as an indispensable partner that bridges the gap between civilian logistics and military readiness through its consistent "dual-use model." It is precisely this versatility that is considered crucial for scaling up even in peacetime.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 24th, 2026 | 07:30 CEST
Gold Heading for Another Record High? Lahontan Gold, Coeur Mining, and Commerzbank's USD 5,000 Forecast
The gold market remains under the influence of the price increases seen at the start of the year and a generally volatile geopolitical situation. According to analyses by the World Gold Council (WGC), global debt has reached levels increasingly viewed as unsustainable, significantly raising the risk of a sovereign debt crisis as a potential "black swan" event in this decade. Given the circumstances, gold remains an anchor of stability. The fiscal policies of many Western nations, particularly the US, face the challenge of rising interest rates despite a massive debt burden. At the same time, significant tensions are emerging in the private credit markets, where companies must also refinance. Leading institutions such as Commerzbank, therefore, expect the gold price to head back toward the USD 5,000 per ounce mark. While this does not represent a significant increase from current levels, it indicates that gold is stabilizing at a high level following its rally. While banks see opportunities in gold, both established producers and emerging explorers are leveraging the current market environment to set the course for the future. We highlight these opportunities.
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Commented by Nico Popp on April 23rd, 2026 | 07:35 CEST
Automotive Supply Chain Reset: Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and ESG Leader Power Metallic Mines
The automotive industry is under immense pressure: its supply chains for essential battery raw materials such as nickel, copper, and cobalt urgently need to become independent of Chinese imports. According to reports from the International Energy Agency (IEA), China currently controls around 80% of global production capacity for lithium-ion batteries and as much as 97% of the value chain for anode materials. A one-month supply stoppage would result in losses of over USD 8.5 billion in the European Union alone, according to the agency. While automakers such as Ford are transitioning production at their Cologne plant to all-electric fleets and require secure sources of raw materials in stable jurisdictions to do so, Mercedes-Benz is pursuing a strategy of direct participation in mining projects to ensure compliance with the strict environmental standards of its Ambition 2039 initiative. In this tense market environment, Power Metallic Mines is specifically exploring copper, nickel, and platinum group metal deposits in Canada. The flagship project is the Nisk project in Quebec, which is set to supply the entire range of key metals. By utilizing modern exploration technologies, the company is precisely identifying the resources that are indispensable for the next generation of high-performance batteries and catalysts for the automotive giants.
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