The article highlights three dividend stocks trading under $30 that offer yields above 4% and can serve as portfolio anchors. AT&T offers a ~5% yield while investing in AI-ready networks; Vale provides deep value with emerging markets exposure and a ~4% yield despite China headwinds; Energy Transfer boasts a 7%+ yield with strong growth visibility from pipeline expansion projects through 2030.

Lithium Ionic Corp. announced the appointment of Clovis Torres to its Board of Directors. Torres brings over 30 years of experience in Brazilian mining, energy, and infrastructure, including 17 years as Executive and General Counsel at Vale S.A. and current leadership at Belo Sun Mining Corp. His appointment aims to strengthen the company's governance and advance its Bandeira Lithium Project in Minas Gerais toward construction readiness.

United Steelworkers union members at Vale's Port Colborne refinery ratified a five-year collective agreement featuring wage increases of 20.5% to 25.7%, a $4,000 ratification bonus, restoration of retiree health-care benefits for employees hired since 2021, and enhanced pension and health coverage. The agreement was negotiated jointly with USW Local 6500 at Vale's Sudbury operations.

The global cobalt market is projected to expand from USD 16.12 billion in 2025 to USD 34.73 billion by 2035, with a CAGR of 7.23%. Growth is driven by increasing demand in electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, and industrial applications. Cobalt sulfate currently dominates the market, while industrial chemicals and aerospace sectors are expected to accelerate growth. Asia-Pacific leads in market share, though North America is anticipated to experience higher growth rates.

RWC Asset Advisors completely liquidated its Li Auto position, selling 1,638,544 shares worth approximately $33 million in Q4 2025. The exit represents a full abandonment of a holding that comprised 6.8% of the fund's assets. Li Auto shares have declined 38% over the past year amid weak earnings, declining revenue, and challenges in the Chinese EV market.

The cobalt market is projected to grow from 258.99 million tons in 2026 to 398.2 million tons by 2031 at an 8.98% CAGR, driven by rising EV battery production, aerospace superalloys demand, and 5G infrastructure deployment. The DRC dominates global supply at 76%, while new production from Indonesia and North America is expected to ease supply constraints.

Kawa Capital Management fully liquidated its $6.49 million position in Gerdau S.A. (2,094,404 shares) in Q4, reducing exposure from 11.8% to 0% of assets under management. This comes after Gerdau shares surged 47% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 14% gain. The fund's exit appears driven by portfolio risk management following the sharp rally, despite the company's strong fundamentals including steady cash generation, capital returns, and balance sheet strength.

Vale (VALE) closed up 4.29% at $15.57 on January 21, 2026, with trading volume surging 74% above its three-month average to 57.9 million shares. The mining and materials sector rebounded as investors reacted positively to President Trump's Davos speech, which eased tensions regarding potential tariffs and a U.S. takeover of Greenland. Peer mining stocks BHP Group and Rio Tinto Group also gained significantly on the day.

Leverage Shares by Themes launched seven new 2X leveraged single-stock ETFs on December 18, 2025, offering 200% daily performance exposure to stocks including Nio, Snap, Baidu, Centene, KLA, Petrobras, and Vale. These products carry a 0.75% expense ratio and are designed for short-term traders rather than long-term investors. The expansion brings Leverage Shares' total single-stock daily leveraged ETF offerings to 60.

A BMI study suggests iron ore prices will gradually decline due to rising seaborne supply, macroeconomic pressures in China, and a shift towards less steel-intensive sectors, with prices expected to fall from $95/ton in 2026 to $78/ton by 2034.

Serabi Gold reported strong financial and operational performance in Q3 2025, with gold production increasing 19% to 32,634 ounces, EBITDA rising 95% to $48.2 million, and cash balance growing to $38.8 million.

Contrarian Capital Management acquired a new stake in Baidu, signaling the company's strategic transformation from a search engine to an AI-focused technology provider with promising developments in cloud services and AI models.