Trump's Section 232 Probes into US Critical Minerals, $DJT Soars on Market Manipulation? NVIDIA Hammered After Chinese Sales Restrictions

Featured Article this week:

• 🔒 Trump’s Tariff Probe Targets China’s Mineral Grip: President Trump has launched a Section 232 investigation into all U.S. critical mineral imports to assess national security risks tied to foreign dependency—especially China. The U.S. lacks domestic refining capacity for cobalt, nickel, and rare earths, while China controls over 50% of global antimony and dominates rare earth magnet exports.

• 📈 North American Standouts: Trump’s probe shines a spotlight on key domestic players:

  • Military Metals Corp (MILI) with antimony assets in Canada and Slovakia

  • United States Antimony Corporation (UAMY) the only vertically integrated antimony producer in North America

  • USA Rare Earth (USAR) with a massive Texas deposit

  • MP Materials (MP) the U.S.’s sole rare earth oxide producer

• 🌐 Strategic Realignment Underway: The move accelerates resource nationalism amid global instability. Expect rising costs for U.S. manufacturers, increased investment in North American mineral projects, and major lobbying efforts. The probe reshapes trade policy around minerals as the “oil of the 21st century,” positioning critical materials as core to military, tech, and energy independence.

• Is America Ready to Ditch China for Critical Minerals?
  Trump’s latest trade probe is shaking up global supply chains—and spotlighting North American mining companies. Is this a smart move toward resource independence or a costly gamble? Share your take on LinkedIn and join the debate shaping the future of mineral security.

Trump’s “BUY!!! DJT” Tweet Ignites Stock Frenzy

DJT Soars on Tariff Twist, Sparks Manipulation Buzz

• Trump’s Post and Tariff Pause Spiked TMTG Stock: Trump’s April 9, 2025, 6:37 a.m. PST Truth Social post (“BUY!!! DJT”) preceded a 90-day tariff pause announced at 10:18 a.m. PST, lifting the S&P 500 9.5% ($4T recovered). TMTG (DJT) surged 22.67% ($16.69 to $20.40), with 5,105 SPY call options traded pre-announcement, signalling speculative frenzy.

• Meme Stock Frenzy Fueled by Trump’s Influence: TMTG, a meme stock with an $8.7B market cap despite a $19.2M Q3 2024 loss, soared 21%—its best 2025 day—driven by Trump’s 53% stake ($415M gain) and “DJT” post. Stocktwits ranked it top-trending; high short interest sparked a squeeze.

• Manipulation Concerns Prompt Calls for Probe: Senators Schiff, Schumer, and Warren urged an SEC investigation, citing Trump’s post and “early morning” tariff pause decision. Ethic experts like Kathleen Clark noted “suspicious” pre-announcement Nasdaq trades, but legal expert Adam Pritchard sees no clear insider trading violation.

• Happy Accident or Master Move?: Do you think Trump’s April 9, 2025, Truth Social post (“BUY!!! DJT”) and tariff pause were a coincidental market boost or a calculated strategy to spike Trump Media’s stock and his $415M stake? Join the discussion on Linkedin

Market Snapshot This Week:

🔻 1. Tech & Semiconductors Tumble

• NVIDIA (NVDA -6.01%), Microsoft (MSFT -2.71%), and Meta (META -8.20%) led the drop amid broader tech selloffs.

• Catalyst: The U.S. announced new export restrictions targeting advanced AI chips and software sold to China, sparking fears of lost revenue and escalating tech decoupling. This hit semiconductors and AI-focused firms particularly hard, while Meta dropped on weaker ad guidance.

📈 2. Healthcare & Energy Surge

• Eli Lilly (LLY +18.42%) soared after clinical trial data showed breakthrough results for its weight-loss drug.

• ExxonMobil (XOM +7.87%) and Chevron (CVX +3.17%) rose on stronger-than-expected oil prices driven by Middle East tensions and OPEC supply cuts.

⚖️ 3. Financials & Consumer Stocks Hold Ground

• JPMorgan (JPM +2.63%) and Visa (V +2.50%) climbed after strong Q1 earnings and positive guidance.

• Apple (AAPL +3.60%) bucked the tech downtrend on solid iPhone 16 sales forecasts and new AI chip integration buzz.

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