NYSE:VMC

Copper at $5.88 sets up a busy week for basic materials stocks as jobs, CPI loom

The S&P 500 materials sector closed up 1.77% at 645.93 Friday, bringing its 2026 gain to 12.45%. Miners led gains, with Freeport-McMoRan up 2.45% and Newmont up 6.26%. Copper rose 1% to $5.88 per pound. U.S. markets will watch for key Labor Department data next week, including jobs and inflation reports.

7 February 2026

NYSE:FCX·NYSE:LIN·NYSE:MLM·NYSE:NEM·NYSE:VMC·Stock Market

Why Martin Marietta stock just hit a record — and what basic materials traders watch next

Martin Marietta shares surged 4.6% to a record $666.67 Friday after President Trump ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds. Vulcan Materials rose 4.2%. The moves followed a softer U.S. jobs report and bets on steady Fed rates. Investors now await Tuesday’s CPI data for clues on interest rate direction.

10 January 2026

NYSE:MLM·NYSE:VMC·Stock Market

Basic materials stocks jump to start 2026 — XLB rises as copper steadies and miners climb

U.S. basic materials stocks rose on the first trading day of 2026, with the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB) up 1.7% to $46.12. Freeport-McMoRan gained 2.25%, Dow Inc climbed 3.81%, and copper futures settled 0.18% higher at $5.64 a pound. The S&P 500 added 0.19%. Investors are watching next week’s labor data and Fed rate cut signals.

3 January 2026

NYSE:APD·NYSE:DOW·NYSE:FCX·NYSE:LIN·NYSE:MLM·NYSE:NEM·NYSE:VMC·Stock Market

Basic materials stocks today: XLB ends 2025 lower as silver slumps, China PMI surprise in focus

Spot silver fell 7.1% and spot gold dropped 0.78% Wednesday as U.S. basic materials ETFs XLB and IYM lost 0.83% and 0.98%. Freeport-McMoRan slid 1.21%, Newmont 1.97%. China’s official PMI rose to 50.1 in December, signaling expansion for the first time in eight months. U.S. markets are closed Thursday for New Year’s Day.

1 January 2026

China Economy·NYSE:FCX·NYSE:MLM·NYSE:NEM·NYSE:VMC·Silver Prices·Stock Market

RTX Shares See 52% Gain in Year - Is It Overvalued at $200?
March 20, 2026, 1:45 AM EDT. RTX's share price rose 51.8% over the past year but dropped 1.4% last month, trading around $200.73. A Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis values RTX at $183.11, suggesting the stock is about 9.6% overvalued based on projected free cash flows. Despite promising aerospace and defense sector positioning, valuation signals are mixed, with a 3 out of 6 score indicating both undervaluation and fair pricing factors. Investors should watch RTX closely for market shifts and updates to fundamentals that could affect its value.