Gold and Silver Prices Hit Record Highs, Mining Stocks Surge
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 22 2025
0mins
Should l Buy ASTS?
Source: Benzinga
- Gold Price Surge: Gold prices jumped 2.3% to $4,440 per ounce, marking the strongest daily gain in over a month, with a year-to-date increase of 67%, indicating strong investor demand for safe-haven assets that could further boost related mining stocks.
- Silver's Strong Performance: Silver prices rose 2.1%, nearing the psychological $70 level, with a year-to-date increase of 133%, reflecting robust market interest in precious metals that may attract more investors to related ETFs.
- Mining Stocks Rally: The VanEck Gold Miners ETF and Global X Silver Miners ETF surged 3.6% and 5%, respectively, indicating increased investor confidence in mining companies, which could drive capital inflows and enhance overall industry valuations.
- Overall Market Strength: Major U.S. equity benchmarks extended gains for the third consecutive session, with the S&P 500 rising 0.8% and approaching record highs, suggesting a rebound in market risk appetite that may support investor sentiment ahead of upcoming economic data releases.
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Analyst Views on ASTS
Wall Street analysts forecast ASTS stock price to rise
8 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 85.760
Low
43.00
Averages
91.68
High
137.00
Current: 85.760
Low
43.00
Averages
91.68
High
137.00
About ASTS
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. is engaged in building a global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on its intellectual property (IP) and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. The Company is engaged in designing and developing the constellation of BlueBird (BB) satellites and has planned space-based Cellular Broadband network distributed through a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Its SpaceMobile Service is being designed to provide high-speed cellular broadband services to end-users who are out of terrestrial cellular coverage using existing mobile devices. The Company intends to continue testing capabilities of the BW3 test satellite, including further testing with cellular service providers and the government. The Company has operations in India, Scotland, Spain, and Israel.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Performance Expectations: Over the past two years, AST SpaceMobile has only beaten EPS estimates 25% of the time and revenue estimates 25% of the time, indicating challenges in profitability that may affect investor confidence moving forward.
- Contract Acquisition: The company recently secured a $30 million contract with the U.S. SDA to provide satellite communication solutions, which not only strengthens its market position but also lays the groundwork for potential future revenue growth.
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- Performance Expectations: Over the past two years, AST SpaceMobile has only beaten EPS estimates 25% of the time and revenue estimates 25% of the time, indicating challenges in profitability that may affect investor confidence moving forward.
- Contract Acquisition: The company recently secured a $30 million contract with the U.S. SDA to provide satellite communication solutions, which not only strengthens its market position but also lays the groundwork for potential future revenue growth.
- Market Competition Landscape: Among communication service stocks, Sphere Entertainment and EchoStar have the highest short interest, while the Atlanta Braves and IHS show the lowest exposure, highlighting varying levels of market confidence that AST SpaceMobile must navigate.
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- Video Content Overview: The video covers analysis on 10 stocks, discussing their bullish and bearish theses, aimed at providing investors with a diversified market perspective.
- Publication Date: Released on February 21, 2026, the video ensures viewers receive the latest market analysis and investment advice.
- Trading Data Timing: Stock prices referenced in the video are from the trading day of February 20, 2026, reflecting the market conditions at that time.
- Subscription and Offers: The video encourages viewers to subscribe to the channel and click the special offer link below for more investment-related information and resources.
See More
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- Investment Opportunity Analysis: The video highlights 10 stocks deemed the best for investors currently, with Amazon notably absent, indicating a shift in market focus towards emerging companies that could impact Amazon's market position.
- Historical Return Comparison: Citing Netflix and Nvidia, which were recommended in 2004 and 2005 respectively, an investment of $1,000 has grown to $456,188 and $1,133,413, showcasing the potential high returns of these recommendations and attracting more investor interest.
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- Investor Community Building: The Motley Fool aims to create a community of individual investors by providing the latest stock recommendations and investment advice, enhancing interaction and support among investors while promoting information sharing.
See More
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- Ownership Proportion: Following this purchase, NuScale now accounts for 1.3160% of ONCE Capital Management's 13F AUM, reflecting the firm's confidence in the company's future growth potential.
- Market Performance: As of February 9, 2026, NuScale's shares were priced at $17.68, with a one-year price increase of approximately 35.62%, suggesting that a reassessment of nuclear energy demand is driving stock price growth.
- Investor Focus: The success of NuScale hinges on securing necessary permits, meeting construction timelines, and controlling costs, with investors needing to monitor progress through concrete project milestones to ensure the reactors' competitiveness in reliability and economics.
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Recent Contract Award: AST SpaceMobile shares have surged over 9% following the announcement of a $30 million prime contract awarded by the U.S. Space Development Agency for the HALO Europe Program, marking a significant milestone for the company.
Emerging Government Contractor: AST SpaceMobile is positioning itself as a major government contractor, leveraging its partnerships with various telecommunications companies to enhance its capabilities in delivering rapid communication services via its Bluebird satellite constellation.
Future Launch Targets: The company aims to launch 45 to 60 Bluebird satellites into orbit by the end of 2026, with ongoing discussions about its ability to meet these ambitious targets amidst market skepticism.
Investor Sentiment: Despite short-term concerns regarding its upcoming earnings report and previous revenue misses, institutional investors have shown strong interest, with significant inflows into AST SpaceMobile, indicating confidence in its long-term growth potential.
See More
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- Global Connectivity Partnership: Microsoft announced a collaboration with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service to enhance global internet coverage through low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity and community deployment models, indicating its willingness to collaborate within Elon Musk's business ecosystem.
- Kenya Community Connectivity: Microsoft plans to work with Starlink and an internet service provider in Kenya to connect 450 community hubs, a move that will not only improve local internet access but also increase demand for SpaceX, further driving its business growth.
- Market Expansion Potential: This partnership could open new market opportunities for SpaceX, especially in light of its existing contracts with the Department of Defense and NASA, potentially supporting its future IPO plans and boosting investor confidence.
- Technology Accessibility Goals: Microsoft set a goal in 2022 to provide internet access to over 250 million people by the end of 2025, and it has already extended coverage to over 299 million people, demonstrating its proactive role and strategic positioning in the global digital transformation.
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