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 June 9th, 2026 | 08:40 CEST
Gold Market: Rising Inflation Fears Force Mining Giants Like Barrick Into Acquisitions – S&P Global Provides Tailwind for DRC Gold
An escalating US debt crisis exceeding USD 39 trillion, geopolitical shocks in the Middle East, and a resurgent inflation trend have shaped capital markets in the first half of the year. While more speculative digital assets such as Bitcoin have experienced significant corrections after reaching historic highs, physical gold is increasingly establishing itself as a stable store of value against fiat currency debasement. The precious metal has reached an all-time high of USD 5,589 per ounce and is seeing strong inflows into gold ETFs. This ongoing trend is forcing established mining companies to expand declining resources at existing mines and in surrounding areas. For investors, this environment presents opportunities.
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Commented by Nico Popp on June 9th, 2026 | 08:15 CEST
Hydrogen Ramp-Up: High Costs Are Slowing the Industry – Investors Turn to First Hydrogen, Plug Power, and Nel
According to the think tank Agora Energiewende, greenhouse gas reductions in Germany stagnated in 2025, with emissions falling by only 1.5% to 640 million metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. Although renewable energy already covers 55.3% of electricity demand, high investment costs are slowing the transformation of energy-intensive industries. While the production cost of grey hydrogen ranges between approximately EUR 1.50 and EUR 3.30 per kg depending on the price of natural gas, green hydrogen currently costs around EUR 7.00 per kg. New regulations for renewable fuels of non-biogenic origin are likely to drive these production costs even higher by 2030. Fraunhofer experts in energy infrastructure and geotechnologies have calculated that economic viability without government demand stimulation requires a CO₂ price of well over EUR 200 per tonne—clearly an unrealistic level. So how can the hydrogen ramp-up succeed nonetheless? We take a look at companies driving innovation in the hydrogen sector.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 29th, 2026 | 09:10 CEST
Methane Shock in Energy Sector: Schlumberger & Montauk Renewables Under Regulatory Pressure – Zefiro Methane in Unique Position
The US energy sector is facing headwinds: The Inflation Reduction Act calls for imposing draconian fines on methane emissions. Although Donald Trump has suspended the law and is relying on government incentives, this does not change the fact that the industry stands to benefit from the immediate remediation of abandoned drilling sites. At the same time, the European Methane Regulation will extend its strict requirements to all fossil fuel imports into the EU starting in January 2027. American producers must therefore plug methane leaks directly at the source for several reasons. A billion-dollar market is emerging. We explain why Zefiro Methane has positioned itself as a unique beneficiary.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 28th, 2026 | 07:25 CEST
Gold Consolidation in Africa: Barrick Mining and Harmony Gold Under Pressure – North Arrow Minerals Fills the Strategic Niche
Rapidly dwindling mineral reserves, a lack of major discoveries in historically developed areas, and drastically increased geopolitical risks—the situation in the gold industry demands action. Leading companies must realign their portfolios to avoid valuation discounts. The search is on for deposits in stable jurisdictions that can be brought into production quickly with state-of-the-art infrastructure. According to regular analyses by the Fraser Institute, Botswana is emerging as the primary target area in Africa. The junior company North Arrow Minerals is positioning itself in a promising geological niche to systematically define a virtually untouched system with the Kraaipan Gold Project.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 27th, 2026 | 08:00 CEST
Energy Security in Southeast Asia: Import Dependency Weighs on Toyota and Intel — dynaCERT Benefits
The countries of Southeast Asia are under pressure: geopolitical instability in the Middle East, soaring fuel costs, and regulatory requirements for decarbonization are forcing established industrial giants to reevaluate their production sites and supply chains. Vietnam's economy, which recorded robust growth of around 8% last year, is revealing significant vulnerability in the current crisis. Since processed crude oil must be imported almost entirely from Kuwait, transportation disruptions have led to shortages, driving diesel prices up by 70% or more since February. This price shock directly impacts the export-oriented manufacturing industry and also drives up logistics costs. For example, rail transport has become more expensive. Since the power grid also faces significant capacity constraints, agile solution providers offering immediate relief are coming into focus.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 26th, 2026 | 06:50 CEST
Meta and Cameco's Hunger for Uranium—Solutions from Sandstone: Why America's AI Infrastructure Also Depends on American Atomics
AI's energy appetite is enormous—and is reaching its limits in many areas. While the exponential increase in the computing power of AI models is pushing the capacity limits of power grids, the US Department of Energy forecasts that data centers could account for up to 12% of the total grid load in the US by 2030. Since volatile renewable energy sources cannot guarantee the baseload for gigawatt-class data centers, nuclear power is taking center stage. We examine how Meta and others view nuclear energy, the challenges hyperscalers must overcome, and why there are strong arguments for uranium from the US.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 25th, 2026 | 08:25 CEST
M&A Fever in West Africa: Dwindling Reserves Drive Perseus Mining and Barrick Mining – Kobo Resources Gains Momentum
Despite short-term corrections, the gold price remains elevated, leading to consolidation in the West African Gold Belt. Major mining companies are under pressure due to dwindling raw material reserves, rising operating costs, and political friction in traditional jurisdictions. The need to profitably utilize existing infrastructure, such as processing plants, and to extend the life of mines is forcing established players to make changes. In this phase, companies are increasingly seeking high-grade projects for acquisitions to secure their production and withstand growing pressure from well-capitalized Asian competitors.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 25th, 2026 | 08:05 CEST
Tungsten Crisis and Only One Solution: Supply Chains of SpaceX and Sandvik Under Pressure – Almonty Industries Perfectly Positioned
An unprecedented price shock, no meaningful new supply in sight, and continued Chinese export restrictions are forcing Western industry to act in the tungsten market. This year, the price of ammonium paratungstate exploded from USD 920 per metric ton unit (MTU) at the Rotterdam trading hub to well over USD 3,000. With China controlling nearly 80% of global production and the United States set to implement a strict procurement ban on Chinese tungsten for the defence sector starting in 2027, the risk of a serious supply bottleneck is growing. From traditional metal-processing industries and semiconductor manufacturing to aerospace applications, corporations depend on stable supply chains for this essential and virtually irreplaceable metal. In this unique market environment, the US-focused mining company Almonty Industries is building a new, geopolitically independent raw materials empire. The odds are in its favour: Almonty is currently the only producer meaningfully expanding tungsten production capacity.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 22nd, 2026 | 07:15 CEST
Are Dividend Strategies on the Brink? Restructuring Pressure at Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola – Hidden Gem: RE Royalties
Inflationary pressures and geopolitical upheavals are forcing even market leaders in traditional dividend sectors to make structural adjustments. The era of purely volume-driven revenue growth is slowing, which is why companies such as Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble are required to invest heavily to defend their operating margins. In this volatile market environment, investors are increasingly seeking reliable cash flows and stable dividend profiles. While established dividend aristocrats struggle with digital transformation and the divestment of non-core businesses, agile niche providers are moving into focus. The Canadian company RE Royalties applies a low-risk financing model inspired by the mining sector to the renewable energy industry, thereby generating scalable income streams. We explain how the model works and why investors have several good options with RE Royalties.
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Commented by Nico Popp on May 22nd, 2026 | 07:00 CEST
Panic in the Steel Sector - Geopolitical Dependencies Threaten Production: Strategic Resources, ArcelorMittal, and thyssenkrupp in Focus
Enormous regulatory pressure to decarbonize, escalating punitive tariffs, and a looming supply shortage of critical alloy metals are driving profound changes in the steel industry. The conversion of traditional blast furnaces to electric arc furnaces powered by electricity poses a challenge for corporations. The recycling of simple steel scrap can cause disruptive copper impurities to accumulate in the melt. The industry urgently requires massive quantities of high-purity pig iron for dilution to continue producing high-quality steel. However, since the supply chains for vanadium, a critical metal for the energy transition and alloys, are almost entirely controlled by autocratic states, Western companies are under pressure to act. Fortunately, the Canadian commodities company Strategic Resources is positioning itself as a supplier from multiple secure jurisdictions.
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