Although the Federal Reserve raised interest rates 50 base points as anticipated, markets didn’t really like the near term outlook of Powell, as they hoped for a more dovish stance on inflation and economic developments. This resulted in more volatility, but fortunately the gold price remained at US$1800/oz levels.

We are living in interesting times these days. Just as the world seemed to have overcome the COVID pandemic, China confused the markets again by massive lockdowns, after 28,000 new cases were reported on November 22, 2022 alone. It is estimated that restrictions are affecting productivity up to one fifth of GDP, and in turn this has significant effect on the world economy, and most metal prices for example.

Although a recession seems to be in the cards now as expected by many experts, the Fed rate hike forecasts (25-50 base points) still imply a soft landing, as certain figures didn’t disappoint. The Fed looked at the signs of disinflation at housing and labor, and there has been a serious case of socalled fiscal contraction, contributing to the slow pace of demand growth.

Drilling at Regnault target, Frotet project, Quebec

It was good to meet up in person again after a long time with Kenorland Minerals (KLD.V)(3WQO.FSE) CEO Zach Flood at a great conference in Frankfurt last week (Deutsche Goldmesse, organized by Kai Hoffman), and discuss the latest drill results of their flagship Regnault in Quebec, and further plans of the company.

It was good to see Banyan Gold Corp. (TSXV:BYN)(OTCQB:BYAGF) intercepting economic mineralization at almost all of their step-out drill holes again at their flagship AurMac gold project in the Yukon. This clearly is testament to the great caontinuity of the deposits, and makes life easy for management as they are expanding on a 3.99Moz @ 0.60g/t Au Inferred resource.

After raising C$2.3M @ C$0.06 (including a half 10c 2y warrant) in July of this year, Tectonic Metals (TECT:TSX.V; TETOF:OTCQB; T15B:FSE) recently received so much interest after CEO Tony Reda has been doing the rounds at conferences and roadshows, helped by Quinton Hennigh of Crescat Capital who has quite a bit of clout, that the company announced another financing on October 27, 2022.

Ice drilling at Regnault target, Frotet project, Quebec

Despite the turmoil going on in the world economy, causing many market commentators to forecast a recession, with the Fed desperately trying to control record inflation with more rate hikes coming up soon, and a Russian president using nuclear rhetorics and firing missiles all over Ukraine, scaring investors away from the markets, for Kenorland Minerals (KLD.V)(3WQO.FSE)

As the Yukon as a mining and exploration jurisdiction is becoming more and more attractive, it is also home to one of the, if not the, hottest gold exploration story at the moment (Snowline Gold, SGD.CSE), which certainly helps numerous other explorers in the region.

After raising C$1.25M in March this year, and acquiring several early stage copper-zinc and gold projects in Finland, Avrupa Minerals (TSXV:AVU)(OTC:AVPMF) didn’t have spectacular news to report this summer, as it had to wait on Sandfire (new owner of JV partner MATSA) scheduling/financing covenants for further exploration and upgrade of the Alvalade copper-zinc VMS project in Portugal.

At a time where Russia is annexing four provinces of Ukraine and threatening the rest of the world to use nuclear force to defend these “new territories”, shortages are everywhere from energy to food to materials and inflation isn’t under control yet, the stock markets are waiting for the Fed to pivot on their hawkish interest rate policies.