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July 26, 2025

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Palantir stock hits all time high: here’s what happened

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Palantir stock hit its all-time high in trading on Friday.

Piper Sandler has initiated coverage on Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR) with an Overweight rating and a bullish price target of $170, positioning the data analytics firm as a potential long-term winner in the artificial intelligence revolution.

In a research note published Friday, analysts praised Palantir’s unique growth and margin profile, calling it a “one-of-a-kind growth+margin model” that could scale to a $24 billion run-rate by calendar year 2032 if the company maintains its trajectory.

According to the analysts, Palantir stands out as an “AI secular winner,” capitalizing on structural demand for AI across two total addressable markets (TAMs) exceeding $1 trillion each.

While the firm acknowledged that Palantir’s valuation remains elevated, it maintained that the stock could deliver transformative returns, provided the company continues its expansion and margin sustainability.

From market lows to AI all-star

Palantir’s journey has been anything but smooth. Piper Sandler noted that it has followed the company for over five years, tracking its evolution from a “coveted late-stage private” firm to its direct public listing in 2020, through a “trough of disillusionment” in 2022 when shares plummeted to $6.

That downturn has since been replaced by a dramatic resurgence.

Analysts described the comeback as a “rise of the phoenix” moment, positioning Palantir as an AI All-Star on the back of accelerating growth.

Despite the optimism, Piper Sandler emphasized the high-risk nature of investing in Palantir.

The firm warned that shares are “hyper-volatile,” with multiple historical drawdowns in the 20-29% range.

As such, it recommended a “buy on a drawdown” strategy for investors seeking exposure.

Still, the firm’s bullish outlook is underpinned by Palantir’s robust profitability, growing demand across government and commercial sectors, and strong execution in the AI space.

Contracts, partnerships, and record highs

Palantir’s stock recently reached an all-time high of $160.39.

The company boasts impressive gross profit margins of 80% and a staggering 496% 1-year return, reinforcing investor enthusiasm.

The firm has also achieved major contract wins and strategic partnerships.

Notably, the US Army awarded Palantir a $100 million contract for its Next-Generation Command and Control prototype, part of a broader $3 billion Department of Defense request for fiscal 2026.

The company also signed a two-year agreement with Knightscope Inc. through its FedStart program and partnered with Accenture Federal Services to deliver AI-driven solutions to US federal agencies.

Additionally, a collaboration with Tomorrow.io will allow Palantir to integrate weather data into its platforms, enhancing automated decision-making capabilities across multiple sectors.

Other analysts are also taking notice. Wedbush recently raised its price target to $160, citing confidence in Palantir’s expanding AI capabilities and its growing relevance in federal and commercial markets.

As Palantir continues to scale both technically and financially, the debate among investors will likely center on whether its valuation is justified by long-term growth—or vulnerable to the volatility that has defined its past.

The post Palantir stock hits all time high: here’s what happened appeared first on Invezz

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In World news

Editor’s Picks: Miners Rescued, US Mine Waste Strategy, Ontario Expands CIMF

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Here’s a quick recap of some of the most impactful resource sector news items for the week.

The period saw three miners rescued after 60 hours underground at the Red Chris mine in BC, the US announce a mine waste recovery strategy and the Ontario government add C$7 million to boost critical minerals innovation.

Red Chris rescue: Three miners freed after 60 hours underground

Three miners trapped underground at Newmont’s (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) Red Chris copper-gold mine in British Columbia have been safely rescued after more than 60 hours.

The workers were sheltered in a MineARC chamber with access to food, water, and communication, following a series of rockfalls.

The rescue effort, which included drilling a 100-meter access tunnel, concluded successfully, with all miners reported in good health.

We are relieved to share that all three individuals are safe, and in good health and spirits. They had consistent access to food, water, and ventilation whilst they remained in place in a refuge chamber underground over the last two days,” a Newmont statement read. They are now being supported by medical and wellness teams. Their families have been notified.”

Investigations into the cause of the rockfalls are ongoing.

US prioritizes critical mineral recovery from mine waste

The US government is ramping up efforts to recover critical minerals from mine waste, with the Department of the Interior announcing plans to map legacy tailings across federal lands.

The initiative is part of a broader push to secure domestic supplies of essential minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earths.

By tapping into existing waste sites, the US hopes to reduce reliance on foreign imports while minimizing new environmental disruptions.

“By streamlining regulations for extracting critical minerals from mine waste, we are unleashing the full potential of America’s mineral resources to bolster national security and economic growth,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of Lands and Minerals Adam Suess. “This proactive approach will attract private investment, support environmental reclamation, and pave the way for mineral independence.”

The move aligns with ongoing federal investment into clean energy and supply chain resilience.

Zijin leads bid for Barrick’s Tongon mine in West Africa

Chinese mining giant Zijin Mining Group (OTC Pink:ZIJMF,HKEX:2899,SHA:601899) is reportedly leading the race to acquire Barrick Mining’s (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) Tongon gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire.

Barrick has tapped TD Securities and Australia-based Treadstone Resource Partners to advise on the sale of Tongon. The operation produced 148,000 ounces of gold in 2024.

With resources depleting, the mine is expected to enter care and maintenance by 2027.

Sources say the bid could be valued near US$500 million as Barrick shifts its focus toward copper and lithium assets.

The potential deal signals ongoing Chinese interest in African gold assets and underscores Barrick’s strategic pivot toward energy transition materials.

No final agreement has been announced.

Panther Minerals exits Boulder Creek uranium project in Alaska

Panther Minerals (CSE:PURR,OTC:GLIOF,FWB:2BC) has officially ended its option to acquire the Boulder Creek uranium project in Alaska’s Cape Nome District.

The company chose not to proceed with its next annual payment, leading to the automatic termination of the agreement signed in April 2024.

All 140 associated mining claims have been returned to Tubutulik Mining Company LLC via a quitclaim deed.

While Panther completed preliminary assessments and a site review, it opted not to advance the project further, citing seasonal, logistical, and capital constraints.

The project had drawn criticism from local Indigenous groups concerned about environmental impacts.

Ontario adds C$7 million to Critical Minerals Innovation Fund

The Ontario government is committing over C$7 million to expand its Critical Minerals Innovation Fund (CMIF), aiming to boost research, development and commercialization across the province’s mining sector.

The new funding round—open for applications from July 23 to October 1—targets innovation in deep exploration, mineral recovery, battery supply chains and mining technologies.

This latest investment brings total CMIF funding to C$27 million since its 2022 launch, supporting more than two dozen projects to date.

The CIMF also aligns with Ontario’s broader Critical Minerals Strategy, which seeks to strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign sources, especially amid growing global demand and looming US tariffs.

“With global demand for critical minerals soaring – and new US tariffs targeting Canada’s mining and manufacturing sectors – Ontario is taking action to accelerate growth and innovation in Ontario’s mining sector,’ said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines.

He added: “Through the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund, we are putting Ontario first, building a made-in-Canada supply chain that attracts investment and creates good-paying jobs here at home.”

Looking down the supply chain, the Ontario government is also investing C$500 million in the creation of a new Critical Minerals Processing Fund to “provide financial support for projects that accelerate the province’s critical mineral processing capacity and made-in-Ontario critical minerals supply chain.”

Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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In Business

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella says job cuts have been ‘weighing heavily’ on him

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Microsoft has laid off over 15,000 people so far in 2025. The stress of the belt-tightening has gotten to CEO Satya Nadella.

“Before anything else, I want to speak to what’s been weighing heavily on me, and what I know many of you are thinking about: the recent job eliminations,” Nadella wrote in a memo to employees Thursday.

After Microsoft’s latest labor reductions, investors pushed the stock’s closing price above $500 for the first time on July 9. The company announced the layoffs of about 9,000 people a week earlier. Microsoft employed 228,000 people as of June 2024. It hasn’t provided a new figure that takes into account its layoffs this year, but Nadella wrote that headcount is basically flat.

“This is the enigma of success in an industry that has no franchise value,” he wrote. “Progress isn’t linear. It’s dynamic, sometimes dissonant, and always demanding. But it’s also a new opportunity for us to shape, lead through, and have greater impact than ever before.”

The cuts at Microsoft are reflective of an overall trend across the tech industry, with over 80,000 positions eliminated to date in 2025, according to one count. Recruit Holdings announced earlier this month that it would lay off 1,300 people from its human resources technology segment that includes the Indeed and Glassdoor websites. The company’s CEO pointed to artificial intelligence in a memo, Bloomberg reported.

On social media in recent months, some Microsoft employees have become disheartened about the company’s cutbacks, given its stature.

“I have loved working for this company, still do, but this has done so much damage to that loyalty because it has shown that Microsoft’s espoused values do not apply to business decisions at the macro level,” a person who lists themselves as a Microsoft directed on LinkedIn posted last week.

Microsoft is the world’s most valuable public company after Nvidia, whose chips have become a critical piece of the AI arms race. Microsoft’s Windows and Office franchises remain dominant, and its Azure cloud services have seen faster growth in recent years as OpenAI and other companies rent out Nvidia graphics cards to run AI models.

In the memo, Nadella touched on Microsoft’s mission for the past 10 years, which has been to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and how the rise of AI is changing it.

“We must reimagine our mission for a new era,” he wrote. “What does empowerment look like in the era of AI? It’s not just about building tools for specific roles or tasks. It’s about building tools that empower everyone to create their own tools. That’s the shift we are driving — from a software factory to an intelligence engine empowering every person and organization to build whatever they need to achieve.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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In Politics

Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship blocked by another federal appeals judge in latest ruling

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A federal appeals judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship for the children of people in the country illegally or temporarily. 

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that a nationwide injunction on the Trump administration’s effort to end birthright citizenship that he issued earlier this year and that was granted to more than a dozen states can stand. 

Sorokin said the ruling was an exception to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited lower courts’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions. The issue is expected to return to the Supreme Court.  

Trump and the administration ‘are entitled to pursue their interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and no doubt the Supreme Court will ultimately settle the question,’ Sorokin wrote in his ruling. ‘But in the meantime, for purposes of this lawsuit at this juncture, the Executive Order is unconstitutional.’

The Trump administration has argued that children born in the U.S. to parents in the country illegally and temporarily are not ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States and therefore not entitled to citizenship. 

Trump signed the birthright citizenship executive order, along with a slew of other orders, on his first day in office in January. 

On Wednesday, the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals also affirmed the lower court’s nationwide injunction, and, earlier this month, a New Hampshire federal judge issued a ruling prohibiting Trump’s executive order from taking effect nationwide in a new class-action lawsuit.

Sorokin disagreed with the Trump administration’s argument that the Supreme Court’s ruling warranted a narrower ruling. 

The plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit argued that Trump’s executive order is unconstitutional because the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, and it also threatens millions of dollars in state funding for ‘essential’ health insurance services contingent on citizenship status. 

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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