Author: Fiona Craig

Seraphim Space Investment Trust (LSE:SSIT) reported accelerating momentum across its portfolio in its January 2026 update, with a number of investee companies landing significant commercial and defence-related wins, fresh funding rounds, and key technical breakthroughs. Portfolio businesses including ICEYE, LeoLabs, D-Orbit, Voyager Technologies, Xona, Tomorrow.io, Pixxel and Astroscale continue to advance capabilities spanning SAR imaging, space domain awareness, in-orbit manufacturing and servicing, and commercial Earth observation.

The update also points to a broader recovery in the global space investment cycle. Seraphim’s Space Index recorded a record level of funding activity during 2025, alongside landmark industry developments such as the proposed $1.25tn SpaceX–xAI merger. Against this backdrop, SSIT has been increasing its own market profile through expanded media engagement, industry events, and enhanced investor-facing content via platforms such as Curation Connect, reinforcing its role as a core participant in the rapidly scaling space economy.

Despite the operational progress, the trust’s outlook continues to be constrained by weak earnings quality and limited cash generation, even as it maintains a notably conservative balance sheet. From a technical perspective, the share price trend remains strong but appears stretched. Valuation metrics also look demanding, with a high earnings multiple and no stated dividend, though these concerns are partly balanced by a steady stream of positive portfolio news led by major defence-related contract awards.

More about Seraphim Space Investment Trust Plc

Seraphim Space Investment Trust Plc is a London-listed investment company dedicated to the SpaceTech sector. It focuses on early- and growth-stage businesses developing satellite constellations, in-orbit services, Earth observation capabilities, and space-based data and infrastructure, targeting applications across defence, climate monitoring, connectivity, and emerging space-enabled digital services worldwide.

Panther Metals (LSE:PALM) has completed a £1.19m fundraising after a heavily oversubscribed placing of 1.7m new shares priced at 70p. The issue represents roughly 24.3% of the company’s existing share capital and was completed at a small discount to the prevailing market price. The placing attracted strong demand from both new and existing institutional investors, bolstering the company’s balance sheet ahead of a proposed dual listing in North America.

The capital raised will be directed toward accelerating drilling at the Wishbone VMS discovery within the Obonga Project, progressing feasibility studies at the Winston tailings project for the recovery of multiple high-value metals, and carrying out magnesium-focused metallurgical test work on Dotted Lake core samples. A portion of the proceeds will also be allocated to general working capital.

Management views the financing as a key enabler to fast-track development across its Canadian portfolio, reinforcing an exploration-driven growth strategy while improving Panther Metals’ positioning within the critical minerals and gold exploration sectors.

From a market perspective, the company’s outlook continues to be weighed down by its pre-revenue status, ongoing losses, and cash burn, resulting in a valuation profile dominated by negative earnings metrics and the absence of dividend visibility. These factors are partially offset by supportive technical signals, including a strong trend relative to moving averages, although an overbought RSI suggests near-term caution.

More about Panther Metals Plc

Panther Metals plc is a London-listed mineral exploration company focused on base, precious, and critical metals projects in Canada, with a particular emphasis on Ontario. Its asset portfolio includes the Obonga Project targeting volcanogenic massive sulphide and critical minerals, the Dotted Lake gold project near the Hemlo mining camp, and the Winston tailings project, all located within established mining regions supported by strong infrastructure.

U.S. equity futures were pointing to a higher open on Friday, signaling a potential rebound after stocks slid sharply over the past several sessions.

Some investors appear ready to step back into the market, picking up shares at cheaper valuations following the recent technology-driven selloff that dragged the Nasdaq to its lowest close in more than two months. Still, trading could be relatively quiet after the U.S. Labor Department postponed the release of its highly anticipated monthly jobs report until next Wednesday.

Any upside may be restrained by lingering unease over heavy spending on artificial intelligence, alongside a steep premarket drop in Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN). The e-commerce and cloud computing giant was down about 8.5% ahead of the opening bell after reporting slightly weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and unveiling capital expenditure plans for 2026 that far exceeded market expectations.

“All the hyperscalers are competing to win the AI race, for which the prize could be significant,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. “However, investors are being asked to countenance enormous amounts of cash going out the door in service of this goal.”
He added, “With the exact direction and trajectory of artificial intelligence still uncertain there is understandable concern that this money could be wasted.”

Wall Street suffered broad losses on Thursday, extending the choppy tone seen a day earlier. Technology shares led the decline, with the Nasdaq sliding to its weakest close in over two months.

Although the major indices pared some losses before the close, they still finished decisively lower. The Nasdaq fell 1.6%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average also lost 1.2%.

Pressure on tech stocks was compounded by a sharp fall in Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM). The chipmaker sank 8.5% after delivering better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter results but issuing disappointing guidance for the current quarter.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), the parent of Google, also weighed on sentiment. While it recovered from earlier lows, the stock still ended down 0.5% after the company reported solid fourth-quarter results but flagged a substantial increase in capital spending planned for 2026.

Recent sessions have seen technology stocks retreat sharply as investors reassess stretched valuations and the longer-term returns from AI-related investments.

On the economic side, data from the Labor Department showed first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits jumped far more than expected in the week ended January 31. Initial claims rose to 231,000, up from 209,000 the prior week and well above forecasts for around 212,000, marking the highest level since early December.

A separate report also showed U.S. job openings unexpectedly fell in December to their lowest level in more than five years.

Sector performance was broadly negative on Thursday. Gold mining shares tumbled alongside a drop in bullion prices, sending the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index down 6.3%. Software and computer hardware stocks also sold off heavily, with their respective indices falling more than 4%.

Oil service stocks weakened as crude prices slid, while financials, retailers and pharmaceutical names also posted notable declines, leaving most major sectors under pressure by the end of the session.

Flowtech Fluidpower (LSE:FLO) has received shareholder approval for a package of resolutions that unlocks fresh funding, clears the path for a planned acquisition and reshapes its capital base.

Flowtech Fluidpower said all proposals were passed at its general meeting, enabling the company to move ahead with a £9 million institutional placing alongside a £0.6 million retail offer. The enlarged share capital is expected to be admitted to trading on AIM on 9 February 2026.

The vote also satisfies the final shareholder condition linked to Flowtech’s proposed acquisition, which is expected to complete once the placing proceeds are received. In parallel, investors approved a capital reorganisation that will subdivide each existing 50p ordinary share into a 5p voting ordinary share and a 45p deferred share. Following the reorganisation, Flowtech will have approximately 81.4 million ordinary shares in issue, a step intended to simplify the group’s capital structure and support future fundraising and growth initiatives.

From a market standpoint, Flowtech’s shares continue to reflect underlying financial pressures, particularly around profitability and recent revenue trends. Technical indicators remain bearish, but recent corporate developments are seen as supportive, pointing to improving revenue momentum and a stronger sales pipeline. Valuation metrics remain challenging, however, given the company’s negative earnings profile and lack of dividend support.

More about Flowtech Fluidpower

Flowtech Fluidpower is an AIM-quoted specialist distributor and engineering services provider focused on hydraulics, pneumatics and process engineering solutions. The group serves industrial customers across the UK, Ireland and the Benelux, supplying components, systems and technical expertise to a broad manufacturing and processing client base.

Oil prices rose on Friday, recovering part of the losses from the previous session, but were still set to record their first weekly decline in almost two months as easing supply concerns and diplomatic developments weighed on sentiment.

Brent crude futures climbed 78 cents, or 1.2%, to $68.33 a barrel by 06:58 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude added 80 cents, or 1.3%, to $64.09 a barrel.

Even with the rebound, Brent was heading for a weekly loss of about 3.3% and was down roughly 4.8% from the highs reached in late January. WTI was also on track to fall around 1.8% for the week and remained about 3.4% below last month’s near six-month peak, which followed warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump of possible action against Iran.

Markets remained cautious amid uncertainty over the agenda for talks between the United States and Iran scheduled to take place in Oman later in the day. Tehran has signalled it wants discussions confined to nuclear issues, while Washington is pressing to broaden the talks to include Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its backing of armed groups across the region.

“The two sides remain well apart, leaving tensions elevated,” ANZ analyst Daniel Hynes said in a note. “This should see the geopolitical risk premium remain in place.”

Any renewed escalation could pose risks to global oil supplies, as roughly 20% of the world’s oil consumption moves through the Strait of Hormuz between Oman and Iran. Major exporters including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq rely on the route, as does fellow OPEC member Iran.

However, analysts noted that a reduction in geopolitical risk could expose weaker market fundamentals. “We think that geopolitical fears will give way to weak fundamentals,” Capital Economics analysts said in a note, citing a rebound in Kazakhstan’s oil output that could help drive prices toward $50 a barrel by the end of 2026.

Gold and silver prices turned higher during Asian trading on Friday, attracting some bargain hunting after a volatile week marked by sharp swings and heavy losses.

Silver continued to lag and was still on course for a weekly drop of roughly 14%, having largely erased a recent rebound. Gold, while also heading for a weekly decline, held up relatively better but was still trading around $800 an ounce below the record highs reached last week.

Easing geopolitical concerns also weighed on demand for safe-haven assets, with signs of cooling tensions between Iran and the U.S. ahead of planned talks in Oman later in the day.

Gold set for modest weekly fall after rebounding from near one-month low

Spot gold slipped 0.9% to $4,825.31 an ounce by 22:56 ET (03:56 GMT), while April gold futures fell 1% to $4,842.44 an ounce.

On a weekly basis, spot gold was down about 0.9%, after struggling to sustain levels above $5,000 an ounce. Still, prices remained comfortably above a near one-month low touched earlier in the week.

“The selloff in the gold market was a little bit more contained due to greater liquidity and less aggressive positioning by investors,” ANZ analysts wrote in a note.

Silver heads for steep weekly loss as rebound loses momentum

Spot silver rose 2.8% to $72.9655 an ounce, while silver futures were down 5.1% at $72.760 an ounce.

Silver prices had plunged as much as 16% on Thursday before paring some of those losses by the close. Even so, the metal was down around 14% for the week, following an almost 18% collapse from record highs seen last week.

“We continue to reiterate that 70–90 region now represents a critical stabilisation zone; sustained failure to hold above this area may risk deeper correction towards USD 58/60 levels,” OCBC analysts said in a note. “But should prices hold up in this range, then bullish momentum may rebuild at some point later.”

Other precious metals remained under pressure as well. Spot platinum fell 1.8% to $1,953.17 an ounce and was down nearly 10% for the week, following a steep 22% drop last week.

The broader metals complex has been under sustained selling pressure since last week, initially triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair to succeed Jerome Powell.

Warsh is widely viewed as less dovish, a perception that has supported a rebound in the U.S. dollar and weighed on metal prices. The greenback was heading for its strongest weekly performance since early October, with weaker labor market data doing little to slow its advance.

Bitcoin staged a modest rebound during Asian trading on Friday after touching its weakest level in 16 months, but the move was not enough to offset heavy losses over the week, as a risk-off backdrop and uncertainty around U.S. monetary policy continued to pressure cryptocurrency markets.

The broader tone in crypto remained fragile after major corporate holder Strategy Inc (NASDAQ:MSTR) reported a dramatically wider fourth-quarter loss on Thursday, driven largely by the fall in the value of its Bitcoin holdings.

Bitcoin was last up around 5% at $66,145 by 01:48 ET (06:48 GMT), recovering from an intraday low near $60,187. Even with the bounce, the world’s largest cryptocurrency has now shed more than half of its value from the record high reached in October and has given up all gains made since Donald Trump’s election victory in late 2024.

Bitcoin faces third straight weekly decline

Despite Friday’s recovery, Bitcoin was on track for a third consecutive weekly loss and was down close to 16% over the period.

Recent weeks have seen a broad retreat from higher-risk assets, with pressure on crypto intensifying after Trump named Kevin Warsh as his preferred candidate to lead the Federal Reserve. Warsh has previously criticised the Fed’s asset-purchase programmes, prompting concerns that monetary policy could remain tighter for longer under his leadership.

Expectations of a smaller central bank balance sheet have weighed on speculative assets, and investors have responded by cutting exposure to risk-sensitive markets. The selloff in U.S. technology shares—often closely correlated with crypto price moves—has added to the downside pressure.

Strategy’s losses deepen as Bitcoin weakens

Strategy Inc (NASDAQ:MSTR) said its fourth-quarter loss widened to $12.4 billion, compared with a loss of $670.8 million a year earlier, highlighting the impact of Bitcoin’s prolonged weakness.

The company has struggled as Bitcoin failed to regain momentum following a sharp selloff in late October, which unsettled broader markets. As of February 1, Strategy held 713,502 Bitcoins at a total cost of $54.26 billion, or an average of $76,052 per coin.

With Bitcoin trading below that average purchase price, investors have grown increasingly concerned that the company could be forced to liquidate part of its holdings to meet debt obligations. Strategy, led by long-time Bitcoin advocate Michael Saylor, has funded its accumulation largely through debt issuance and share sales.

Altcoins mirror Bitcoin but weekly losses mount

Other cryptocurrencies followed Bitcoin higher on Friday but remained under pressure on a weekly basis.

Ether rose nearly 5% to around $1,917, yet was still down roughly 22% for the week. XRP and BNB posted daily gains of about 7% and 3%, respectively, but both were nursing weekly losses of around 20%.

Solana was heading for a weekly decline of roughly 24%, while Cardano was down about 13.5%. Among meme tokens, Dogecoin was off around 13% for the week, while $TRUMP had fallen by roughly 23%.