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 March 27th, 2026 | 09:15 CET
Gold as a Last Resort? Risks at Blackstone, Core Investment in Barrick Mining, and Top Opportunity in Lahontan Gold
The financial markets are at a critical juncture. While the global economy has long hoped for a soft landing, warning signs from the private credit market and record global debt of around USD 350 trillion are revealing the fragility of the credit-based system. According to data from the World Gold Council (WGC), total demand for gold exceeded the 5,000-ton mark for the first time in 2025. This drove the total volume of the gold market to USD 555 billion, representing a 45% increase. While this development is also due to rising prices, it is nonetheless impressive. Even after the recent correction, the precious metal remains in demand: central banks purchased around 863 tons in 2025, while index funds absorbed 801 tons. Analysts at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs raised their price targets, in some cases above the USD 6,000 mark. In this complex landscape, the connections between the financial industry and precious metals become particularly interesting. While giants like Blackstone grapple with mounting challenges, mining companies such as Barrick Mining are benefiting from the flight to tangible assets. However, the standout opportunity for investors lies with the explorer Lahontan Gold, which impresses with a largely crisis-resilient business model.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 27th, 2026 | 07:30 CET
Gold as a System Anchor: Desert Gold as a Hidden Opportunity, Challenges at Blue Owl Capital and Newmont
The global financial architecture is undergoing a period of profound change. While stock markets appear resilient thanks to AI, alarming imbalances are emerging in the credit sector and government budgets. Global debt has reached the USD 340 trillion mark, which is roughly three to four times the world's economic output. In this complex landscape, gold is proving its role as a store of value: data from the World Gold Council (WGC) shows that demand exceeded the 5,000-ton mark for the first time last year. Even after temporary sell-offs, the precious metal remains in extremely high demand, with central banks from China, India, and Poland acting as buyers. Forecasts from renowned financial institutions see the gold price returning to above the USD 6,000 mark in the medium term. While warning signs from the private credit market are driving investors toward established producers like Newmont, second-tier stocks are also coming into focus. For risk-conscious investors, Desert Gold offers attractive leverage.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 26th, 2026 | 07:15 CET
Defense Industry Under Stress: Bottlenecks at Rheinmetall and Lockheed – Almonty Industries Stands to Reap the Benefits
The war in the Middle East is exposing the vulnerability of the global security architecture. While the US-led coalition's military operations against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, continue, US President Donald Trump's erratic communication is causing extreme uncertainty among military planners. In rapid succession, reports from the White House oscillate between triumphant declarations of victory, the announcement of American ground troops, and, shortly thereafter, the prospect of peace negotiations. This unpredictability collides with an alarming reality: even the arsenals of the world's greatest military power are emptying at a rapid pace. The massive use of precision weapons starkly reveals that the global arms industry is simply not equipped for intense wars of attrition or a further escalation of global tensions following the collapse of the existing world order. The real bottleneck in the arms industry is not a lack of government budgets, but the critical raw materials at the beginning of the supply chain. As a result, the market for tungsten and the producer Almonty Industries are coming into focus for investors. A unique opportunity beckons.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 26th, 2026 | 07:00 CET
What Makes NEO Battery Materials Unique – Drone Defense and Technological Sovereignty: Competing with DroneShield and Amprius
The German Armed Forces are ramping up investments in drone technology, while Ukraine is supporting Middle Eastern countries in strengthening their drone defense capabilities. Small, highly mobile interceptor drones are increasingly becoming the system of choice. At the core of these platforms are batteries, which determine range, climb rate, and payload—and are therefore mission-critical for successful interception. However, supply chains reveal a structural vulnerability: China currently dominates around 80% of global battery production and its critical precursors. This is where the Canadian-South Korean company NEO Battery Materials comes into play. The company is developing high-performance silicon anodes independent of Chinese supply chains and is collaborating with industrial partners such as Taesung and Korea Zinc to scale production. We outline the advantages this solution offers over competitors like Amprius Technologies and explore why vertical integration is crucial and why NEO's batteries can enhance the performance of existing drone systems without requiring major redesigns.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 25th, 2026 | 09:40 CET
Data Ecosystems of the Future: Aspermont, a Newcomer, Follows in the Footsteps of S&P Global and Wolters Kluwer
Specialized professional information is the most profitable business model in the knowledge economy. In a world shaped by technological disruption and geopolitical tensions, simply providing information is no longer enough. The trend is toward decision-making architectures in which proprietary content is monetized through artificial intelligence (AI) and converted into recurring subscription revenue (XaaS). In other words, valuable information at the touch of a button that makes current decisions easier. Studies by the consulting firm McKinsey confirm that data has long since become a kind of asset class for companies. Corporations such as S&P Global Market Intelligence and Wolters Kluwer have already successfully pursued this path and are traded as established blue-chips with correspondingly high valuation metrics. The small-cap company Aspermont is following this exact formula for success, though it is still in an early phase by comparison. As the ongoing commodities boom fuels numerous new project activity and Aspermont attracts fresh capital following its reverse stock split, the company is increasingly coming into focus.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 25th, 2026 | 07:25 CET
Copper and PGMs as Strategic Bottlenecks: Is Power Metallic Mines Coming into Focus for Rio Tinto, Lundin Mining, and Others?
The energy transition and the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure have ushered in a new era in the commodities sector. Copper and platinum group metals (PGMs) have become increasingly expensive. The copper market hit a record high of over USD 14,500/t in January of this year. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns of a significant supply deficit that could reach about 30% of demand by 2035. While capital expenditures in the sector remain well below their peak, demand is exploding due to artificial intelligence (AI) and new data centers. Industry giants such as Rio Tinto are positioning themselves through capital-intensive large-scale projects, while Lundin Mining is investing billions to scale up production in South America. For investors, however, the focus is increasingly shifting toward the quality and jurisdiction of new discoveries. This is where Power Metallic Mines comes into the spotlight: the explorer has identified a polymetallic system in the Canadian province of Québec that significantly exceeds the average grades of major producers, making the company a highly attractive takeover candidate.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 24th, 2026 | 07:15 CET
Energy Crisis Escalates: A.H.T. Syngas Comes to the Rescue of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses – Haffner and Vow Position Themselves
The escalation of the war in the Middle East and the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz are putting energy supply chains and the raw materials they depend on to the test. Since approximately 20% of global LNG trade flows through the strait, European natural gas prices have skyrocketed to record levels. The Dutch TTF benchmark reached a level of over EUR 90 per MWh in early March - a threefold increase within a few days that threatens the upturn in the manufacturing sector. In this market environment, the spotlight is turning to companies that offer immediately available, decentralized solutions for energy self-sufficiency. While many corporations are still stuck in long-term planning for a comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure, players like Haffner Energy and Vow are driving niche solutions for heavy industry and logistics. For medium-sized industrial companies, however, A.H.T. Syngas Technology offers a promising solution. Investors should recognize the dependence on global supply chains and bet on companies that are smartly tackling high energy costs.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 20th, 2026 | 08:25 CET
Decarbonization of Heavy Industry: Challenges for thyssenkrupp and BASF – CHAR Technologies as a Solution Provider
Heavy industry faces technological hurdles in the race to meet climate targets. The full implementation of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in January of this year is exacerbating the economic conditions. Decarbonizing the steel and chemical industries is proving complex, as these sectors require carbon not only as an energy source but also as an essential reducing agent and raw material. While European corporations like thyssenkrupp are focusing on hydrogen-based direct reduction plants, dependence on coke in existing blast furnaces persists. BASF is simultaneously advancing chemical recycling through pyrolysis oils, but faces scaling hurdles. This bottleneck brings the beginning of the recycling chain into focus: without the massive use of biochar as a substitute for metallurgical coal, the goals can hardly be achieved. CHAR Technologies is closing this supply gap with its high-temperature pyrolysis technology, has secured ArcelorMittal as an investor, and is positioning itself as a supplier to industry.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 20th, 2026 | 08:15 CET
Defense Boom on Shaky Ground: Antimony Resources Reaps the Benefits, Risks at RTX and Olin
The defense industry is celebrating record orders, but supply chains for key raw materials reveal a structural weakness: the current defense boom is thus built on shaky ground. One example is the availability of the semimetal antimony. The US Geological Survey classifies antimony as a critical raw material, as there are no alternatives for its applications in modern defense technology. China controls an estimated 60 to 70% of global primary production and has recently dominated downstream processing through strict export controls on dual-use goods. This geopolitical instrumentalization of the raw material led to a price rally in which, according to media reports, antimony rose from USD 13,500 per ton in April 2024 to nearly USD 60,000 per ton at times. Rising prices are forcing the West to shift its focus to the beginning of the supply chain. Investors should shift their attention from the defense industry's multi-billion-dollar order books to securing raw materials, as the industry's giants depend on the development of secure North American deposits. This is where the still-small but promising company Antimony Resources comes into play.
Read
Commented by Nico Popp on March 19th, 2026 | 07:45 CET
Modern Warfare: Can Volatus Aerospace Compete with Industry Leaders Rheinmetall and DroneShield?
The defense industry has been booming for years - that is hardly news anymore. In 2025, global defense spending reached USD 2.63 trillion. In their latest studies, analysts at Forecast International predict that this annual spending will rise slightly by the end of 2026 and reach USD 2.9 trillion by the end of the decade. At the NATO summit in The Hague in 2025, the Allies committed to increasing their defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, with 1.5% specifically earmarked for innovation. In a report, McKinsey highlights the shift from platform-centric hardware toward software-defined warfare and cost-effective, replaceable mass-produced systems. While industry giants like Rheinmetall still rely heavily on traditional defense equipment, DroneShield is addressing the growing niche of drone defense. Volatus Aerospace is leveraging its long-standing civilian expertise with drones and is coming into focus as a supplier to NATO forces.
Read