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 fall
8 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 94.090
Low
43.00
Averages
91.68
High
137.00
Current: 94.090
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.
VanEck Increases AST SpaceMobile Holdings by 125%
- Significant Stake Increase: VanEck Associates boosted its holdings in AST SpaceMobile by 125% in Q3 2025, now owning 782,041 shares valued at $69.7 million, indicating strong confidence in the company's future.
- Remarkable Investment Returns: According to SEC filings, VanEck's stake was worth $38.4 million at the time of disclosure, meaning they have already realized an 81% profit in less than six months, reflecting AST's robust growth potential.
- Institutional Investor Interest: With AST SpaceMobile generating revenue for the first time in Q4 2025, institutional investors like Vanguard and Invesco have significantly increased their stakes, signaling optimistic market expectations for the company's future.
- Future Growth Potential: AST plans to increase its satellite count from six to between 45 and 60 by the end of 2026; while profitability remains elusive in the short term, analysts predict the company will achieve its first profit by 2027, further solidifying its market position.
See More
Investment Opportunities Ahead of SpaceX IPO
- IPO Market Cooling: Following a strong performance in 2021, the IPO market has cooled down, yet several unicorns, particularly in the AI sector, are considering public debuts this year, indicating ongoing interest in emerging technologies.
- Impact of SpaceX Merger: Elon Musk's AI startup xAI completed a $1.25 trillion merger with SpaceX, and the anticipated IPO of the combined entity is expected to generate enormous investor demand, although retail investors may be excluded from direct participation.
- Ways to Invest in SpaceX: SpaceX has raised $11.9 billion to date, with notable investors like Google; retail investors can gain indirect exposure to SpaceX by investing in its parent company Alphabet, which mitigates investment risks.
- ETF Investment Options: ETFs such as ARK Venture Fund and KraneShares AI and Technology ETF hold stakes in SpaceX, although investors should be aware of management fees and the diversified nature of these funds, which may dilute direct investment in SpaceX.
See More
Musk Merges xAI with SpaceX, IPO Speculation Rises
- Merger Scale: Elon Musk's AI startup xAI completed a $1.25 trillion merger with SpaceX in late January, which not only enhances the market position of both companies but also sparks widespread speculation about a potential IPO, expected to attract enormous investor demand.
- Funding Status: To date, SpaceX has raised $11.9 billion in funding, with significant contributions from venture capital and private equity firms, and notable brands like Google have been involved since 2015, highlighting its strong influence in the aerospace sector.
- Diverse Investment Avenues: While directly purchasing SpaceX stock is challenging, investors can still gain exposure through ETFs that hold SpaceX shares, such as the ARK Venture Fund and KraneShares AI ETF, which mitigates investment risks and offers a diversified portfolio.
- Market Outlook: With soaring valuations among AI startups, several unicorns are considering public debuts this year, and SpaceX's IPO is likely to become a focal point in the market, drawing increased investor interest in opportunities within the space exploration sector.
See More
Comparative Analysis of Rocket Lab and AST SpaceMobile
- Strong Fundamentals: Rocket Lab demonstrates superior financial health compared to AST SpaceMobile, showcasing stronger profitability and cash flow, which may provide a competitive edge in future market scenarios.
- Diversification Advantage: Rocket Lab's higher level of business diversification compared to AST SpaceMobile allows it to maintain stable revenue streams under varying market conditions, thereby reducing overall risk.
- Lower Valuation Risk: Rocket Lab presents a lower valuation risk than AST SpaceMobile, indicating that investors may prefer Rocket Lab as a safer investment option in their portfolios.
- Market Attention Discrepancy: While AST SpaceMobile garners significant attention due to its ambitious vision, Rocket Lab's robust fundamentals and potential for long-term growth may render it a more attractive investment choice.
See More
Rocket Lab's Potential and Risks Compared to AST SpaceMobile
- Strong Fundamentals: Rocket Lab demonstrates superior diversification and lower valuation risk compared to AST SpaceMobile, suggesting that its stronger fundamentals could make it a more durable winner despite its lower profile.
- Market Performance Comparison: As of March 13, 2026, Rocket Lab's stock price has shown relative stability, indicating resilience amid market volatility, which may attract long-term investors seeking stability.
- Lack of Investment Recommendation: Despite Rocket Lab's solid fundamentals, it was not included in the current top ten recommended stocks by The Motley Fool Stock Advisor, reflecting a cautious market sentiment regarding its future performance.
- Historical Return Comparison: Compared to historically high-performing companies like Netflix and Nvidia, Rocket Lab's investment returns have yet to be fully validated, prompting investors to carefully assess its potential profitability.
See More
Planet Labs Reports Strong Growth in FY 2026 with $900M Backlog
- Backlog Growth: Planet Labs reported a backlog of $900 million, reflecting a 79% year-on-year increase, with approximately 37% expected to be realized within the next 12 months, indicating strong demand and market confidence in its satellite data services.
- Financial Flexibility: The company's cash reserves expanded by 188% year-on-year, ending the year at about $640 million, providing substantial financial support for future investments, with capital expenditures projected between $80 million and $95 million for fiscal year 2027.
- Record Revenue: In the fourth quarter, Planet Labs achieved a 41% year-on-year revenue increase, reaching a record $86.8 million, surpassing Street expectations of $78.17 million, showcasing strong performance in the Defense & Intelligence sector.
- Collaboration with Nvidia: Planet Labs partnered with Nvidia to accelerate the processing and analysis of Earth observation data, leveraging Nvidia's generative AI tool CorrDiff to enhance data processing speeds and develop AI-powered image embedding systems, further strengthening its technological edge.
See More
VanEck Increases AST SpaceMobile Holdings by 125%
- Significant Stake Increase: VanEck Associates boosted its holdings in AST SpaceMobile by 125% in Q3 2025, now owning 782,041 shares valued at $69.7 million, indicating strong confidence in the company's future.
- Remarkable Investment Returns: According to SEC filings, VanEck's stake was worth $38.4 million at the time of disclosure, meaning they have already realized an 81% profit in less than six months, reflecting AST's robust growth potential.
- Institutional Investor Interest: With AST SpaceMobile generating revenue for the first time in Q4 2025, institutional investors like Vanguard and Invesco have significantly increased their stakes, signaling optimistic market expectations for the company's future.
- Future Growth Potential: AST plans to increase its satellite count from six to between 45 and 60 by the end of 2026; while profitability remains elusive in the short term, analysts predict the company will achieve its first profit by 2027, further solidifying its market position.
See More
Investment Opportunities Ahead of SpaceX IPO
- IPO Market Cooling: Following a strong performance in 2021, the IPO market has cooled down, yet several unicorns, particularly in the AI sector, are considering public debuts this year, indicating ongoing interest in emerging technologies.
- Impact of SpaceX Merger: Elon Musk's AI startup xAI completed a $1.25 trillion merger with SpaceX, and the anticipated IPO of the combined entity is expected to generate enormous investor demand, although retail investors may be excluded from direct participation.
- Ways to Invest in SpaceX: SpaceX has raised $11.9 billion to date, with notable investors like Google; retail investors can gain indirect exposure to SpaceX by investing in its parent company Alphabet, which mitigates investment risks.
- ETF Investment Options: ETFs such as ARK Venture Fund and KraneShares AI and Technology ETF hold stakes in SpaceX, although investors should be aware of management fees and the diversified nature of these funds, which may dilute direct investment in SpaceX.
See More
Musk Merges xAI with SpaceX, IPO Speculation Rises
- Merger Scale: Elon Musk's AI startup xAI completed a $1.25 trillion merger with SpaceX in late January, which not only enhances the market position of both companies but also sparks widespread speculation about a potential IPO, expected to attract enormous investor demand.
- Funding Status: To date, SpaceX has raised $11.9 billion in funding, with significant contributions from venture capital and private equity firms, and notable brands like Google have been involved since 2015, highlighting its strong influence in the aerospace sector.
- Diverse Investment Avenues: While directly purchasing SpaceX stock is challenging, investors can still gain exposure through ETFs that hold SpaceX shares, such as the ARK Venture Fund and KraneShares AI ETF, which mitigates investment risks and offers a diversified portfolio.
- Market Outlook: With soaring valuations among AI startups, several unicorns are considering public debuts this year, and SpaceX's IPO is likely to become a focal point in the market, drawing increased investor interest in opportunities within the space exploration sector.
See More
Comparative Analysis of Rocket Lab and AST SpaceMobile
- Strong Fundamentals: Rocket Lab demonstrates superior financial health compared to AST SpaceMobile, showcasing stronger profitability and cash flow, which may provide a competitive edge in future market scenarios.
- Diversification Advantage: Rocket Lab's higher level of business diversification compared to AST SpaceMobile allows it to maintain stable revenue streams under varying market conditions, thereby reducing overall risk.
- Lower Valuation Risk: Rocket Lab presents a lower valuation risk than AST SpaceMobile, indicating that investors may prefer Rocket Lab as a safer investment option in their portfolios.
- Market Attention Discrepancy: While AST SpaceMobile garners significant attention due to its ambitious vision, Rocket Lab's robust fundamentals and potential for long-term growth may render it a more attractive investment choice.
See More
Rocket Lab's Potential and Risks Compared to AST SpaceMobile
- Strong Fundamentals: Rocket Lab demonstrates superior diversification and lower valuation risk compared to AST SpaceMobile, suggesting that its stronger fundamentals could make it a more durable winner despite its lower profile.
- Market Performance Comparison: As of March 13, 2026, Rocket Lab's stock price has shown relative stability, indicating resilience amid market volatility, which may attract long-term investors seeking stability.
- Lack of Investment Recommendation: Despite Rocket Lab's solid fundamentals, it was not included in the current top ten recommended stocks by The Motley Fool Stock Advisor, reflecting a cautious market sentiment regarding its future performance.
- Historical Return Comparison: Compared to historically high-performing companies like Netflix and Nvidia, Rocket Lab's investment returns have yet to be fully validated, prompting investors to carefully assess its potential profitability.
See More
Planet Labs Reports Strong Growth in FY 2026 with $900M Backlog
- Backlog Growth: Planet Labs reported a backlog of $900 million, reflecting a 79% year-on-year increase, with approximately 37% expected to be realized within the next 12 months, indicating strong demand and market confidence in its satellite data services.
- Financial Flexibility: The company's cash reserves expanded by 188% year-on-year, ending the year at about $640 million, providing substantial financial support for future investments, with capital expenditures projected between $80 million and $95 million for fiscal year 2027.
- Record Revenue: In the fourth quarter, Planet Labs achieved a 41% year-on-year revenue increase, reaching a record $86.8 million, surpassing Street expectations of $78.17 million, showcasing strong performance in the Defense & Intelligence sector.
- Collaboration with Nvidia: Planet Labs partnered with Nvidia to accelerate the processing and analysis of Earth observation data, leveraging Nvidia's generative AI tool CorrDiff to enhance data processing speeds and develop AI-powered image embedding systems, further strengthening its technological edge.
See More
