
Global nickel prices have surged to near US$18,000 per tonne on supply concerns, particularly around potential production cuts in Indonesia and regulatory uncertainty. The rally has been amplified by speculative flows and broader base-metals momentum, despite elevated inventories and mixed demand fundamentals.

Waratah Minerals, an Australian gold-copper explorer in NSW, has rebounded strongly from last year’s lows. A clear pattern of higher lows suggests growing accumulation, easing selling pressure and sustained market interest, positioning the stock to potentially break higher if a catalyst emerges.

Arafura Rare Earths (ASX: ARU) is trading near a key support zone after recent volatility, where buyers have previously stepped in. Strength in rare earth prices adds sector momentum. While this mix may signal opportunity, confirmation depends on support holding and the company delivering meaningful project progress.

European Lithium (ASX: EUR) has rebounded from a well-established support level on its daily chart, a move that suggests buyers continue to defend this key zone. While the company’s Wolfsberg project underpins its long-term European battery supply narrative, the recent lift is largely technical, driven by market psychology and historical buying interest.

Atlantic Lithium has managed to hold its uptrend despite broader market turbulence, a sign of underlying strength in a weak environment for resource stocks. Steady buying at key support levels suggests confidence has not collapsed, supported by progress at its Ewoyaa lithium project in Ghana. This combination of solid fundamentals and constructive chart behaviour highlights resilience in a volatile, sentiment-driven sector.

Rio Tinto appears to be entering a strategically attractive new phase, evolving beyond its historic reliance on Pilbara iron ore into a diversified, multi-commodity growth platform. With expanding exposure to copper, lithium, high-grade iron ore and aluminium, alongside a stabilising cost base and strong balance sheet, the company increasingly looks positioned for asymmetric upside through 2026–2028 rather than a mature, iron ore–centric producer.