Uneasy days as the Iran ceasefire comes under pressure with Israeli action in Lebanon - stay a way week
Portfolio News
In a week where S&P 500 rose 3.6% and Europe rose 4.6%, my pension portfolio rose a more modest 1.79%. Of note is the personal portfolio went up more in line at 3.5% as it has much more commodities exposure.
Big movers of the week were OD6 Metals (OD6.AX) (75%), Resolution Minerals (RML.AX) (50%), Tiger Gold Corp (TIGR.V) (32.8%), Elixir Energy (EXR.AX) (29.2%), Heavy Minerals (HVY.AX) (27.8%), Strategic Minerals (SML.L) (27.4%), DevEx Resources (DEV.AX) (22.9%), Evolution Energy Minerals (EV1.AX) (20%), Miramar Resources (M2R.AX) (20%), Alliance Aviation Services (AQZ.AX) (18.2%), Power Minerals (PNN.AX) (18.2%), BPM Minerals (BPM.AX) (18.2%), Northern Dynasty Minerals (NAK) (18.1%), SK Hynix Inc (HY9H.SG) (18%), Advance Metals (AVM.AX) (16.7%), Sunrise Energy Metals (SRL.AX) (16.1%), Laramide Resources (LAM.AX) (15.9%), Lodestar Minerals (LSR.AX) (15.8%), Power Solutions International (PSIX) (14.9%), TDK Corporation (6762.T) (14.8%), Mithril Silver and Gold (MTH.AX) (14.7%), Star Minerals (SMS.AX) (14.6%), CleanSpark (CLSK) (14%), Cactus (WHD) (13.7%), Vulcan Energy Resources (VUL.AX) (13.4%), Global X Japan Semiconductor ETF (2644.T) (13.3%), Nufarm (NUF.AX) (13.3%), iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) (12.9%), Cauldron Energy (CXU.AX) (12.5%), AuKing Mining (AKN.AX) (12.5%), New Frontier Minerals (NFM.AX) (12.5%), Lynas Rare Earths (LYC.AX) (12.2%), Underwood Capital (UWC.AX) (12.2%), Locksley Resources (LKY.AX) (12.1%), West Coast Silver (WCE.AX) (12.1%), Fortuna Metals (FUN.AX) (12%), Northern Star Resources (NST.AX) (11.7%), Domino's Pizza Enterprises (DMP.AX) (11.4%), Zinc of Ireland NL (ZMI.AX) (11.1%), American Rare Earths (ARR.AX) (10.8%), Paladin Energy (PDN.AX) (10.6%), LINTEC Corporation (7966.T) (10.6%), Condor Energy (CND.AX) (10.5%), Silex Systems (SLX.AX) (10.4%), SuRo Capital Corp (SSSS) (10.4%), Ivanhoe Mines (IVN.TO) (10.1%)
46 stocks in the big movers lists heralds a change in sentiment. The big themes begin to run harder - from the top - rare earths (12 stocks), alternate energy metals (5 stocks)uranium (5 stocks), gold/silver mining (7 stocks), oil services (1 sotck), marijuana (1 stock)
The week best described as a flakey week with Iran ceasefire holding, not holding, Israel bombing Hezbollah, Straits open and no ships moving kind of week. It did end up on the week.
Crypto Finds Buyers
Bitcoin price pushed lower and then found buyers finishing the week 2.6% higher than the open with a trough to peak range of 8.8% - was trying to hold above the upper resistance line to form a new support level.
Ethereum price did much the same push lower and then found buyers finishing the week 3.6% higher lower than the open with a trough to peak range of 12.9%. Price did hold above the resistance line after the break above.
Enjin (ENJETH) bounces 157% on a short squeeze.
Nuclear Energy Holdings
One sale and partial redeployment plus the monthly auto-invest additions in a quiet week with a 2.7% increase in valuations taking holdings back over $1 million
Paladin Energy (PDN.AX) and IsoEnergy (ISO.TO) swap places in the Top 10 in slots 8 and 9. More telling are the subtle changes with the share of top holding Uranium Royalty Corp (UROY) coming down half a point with stocks in slots 3 and 4 rising 0.4 points each. Share of portfolios drops a little to 31.3%.
Holdings by Stage sees subtle change with Physical going up 0.5 points, 2027 On comes down 0.4 points and the biggest change is in Technology down a whole point
Alternate Energy Holdings
One small change in holdings shifting Rio Tinto (RIO.L) from London listing to US listing and a 1.4% increase in valuations.
ChargePoint Holdings (CHPT) and JinkoSolar Holding Co (JKS) swap places in slots 1 and 2 after a 1.7 point drop in JinkoSolar Holding Co (JKS). Invesco Solar ETF (TAN) and Largo (LGO) swap places in slots 4 and 5.
Precious Metals Holdings
One small addition in gold and through auto-invest and a 5.8% increase in valuations. Note the opening balances are now correct (I think) - the updated charts for the previous two reports have been added to the comments on the posts rather than editing the posts.
One change in ranking in the Top 10 with Kairos Minerals (KAI.AX) and Barrick Mining Corporation (B) changing places in slots 9 and 10. Share of portfolios stands at 11%
Bought
Rio Tinto US ADR (RIO): Base Metals. Replacement holding in pension portfolio - see sale below. Dividend yield 4.25%. Purpose of switching was to be able to write covered calls on 100 share lots vs 1000 share lots in London. Wrote covered call for 0.33% premium with 5.2% price coverage - one week exposure.
Elevate Uranium (EL8.AX): Uranium. Deployed profits from sale below in personal portfolio into this low depth uranium deposit in Namibia.
Miramar Resources: (M2R.AX). Gold Mining. Company announced sale of a gold asset east of Kalgoorlie
the divestment of Randalls is part of Miramar’s strategy to rationalise its portfolio of exploration projects in the Eastern Goldfields and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia.
Always happy to see a team focus in one few projects. Scaled into small holding in personal portfolio
Sold
Rio Tinto UK (RIO.L): Base Metals. Closed out London listing to switch to US ADR listing to get access to more liquid options market with 100 share multiplier. Locks in 17.8% profit since January 2026. Interest is in the growing lithium holding following the acquisition of Arcadium Lithium. Did collect the last dividend.
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L): UK Bank. Assigned early on covered call for breakeven but not enough to cover stamp duty. Call premium was not enough either - use the replacement sold put for that.
Cauldron Energy (CXU.AX): Uranium. Price popped on the inclusion in the Betashares Uranium ETF (URNM.AX) - took out a portion in personal portfolio for 176% blended profit since September 2024. The company does hold rights to a substantial uranium deposit in Western Australia, which still has a ban on uranium mining.
Elixir Energy (EXR.AX): Australian Oil and Gas. Trimmed position size taking out profits made to date locking in 242% profit since February 2025. Exit price is same as option exercise price for options expiring October 2026. Many investors close out the entire holding and exercise options in situations like this - making the option exercise essentially free. Might round up to match the size of the options holding (another 20k shares). Options are listed - could just sell those.
ASX Portfolio
The segment reports trading in ASX fractional share portfolio. Trade entries are made based on stock screens looking for undervalued stocks (price to book, price earnings, price to sales) that are showing technical signs of breaking a downtrend. Exits are made at 35% profit or 25% if 52 week high is lower than 35% advance. New buys are in $500 lots. Scale ins and top ups in $250 lots
Top Ups
Bank of Queensland (BOQ.AX): Bank. Dividend yield 5.30%
Chart shows price raced to exit point in mid-2025 and then giving a lot of that away offer two new entry points off the last 2025 cycle lows.
TPG Telecom Ltd (TPG.AX): Telecom. Dividend yield 4.30%
Chart shows a massive drop in late 2025 when the company paid a massive dividend which came out of the price. Price is now recovering - hard pressed to see this getting to breakeven - will need a few more averaging down trades. Note the broker target in the middle of that gap.
Kogan.com Ltd (KGN.AX): Retail. Dividend yield 3.50%
Chart shows 2nd and 3rd entry after price cycled lower and bounced off support on a weekly chart from way back. Also going to take some time to recover the early entries.
Auto-Invest
Two sets of auto-invests added this week
$600 spread across 4 uranium stocks, one gold ETF and two index ETFs - in personal portfolio. Some reducing cost base this week in uranium
Uranium
- Silex Systems Limited (SLX.AX): Uranium Enrichment.
- Global X Uranium ETF AUD (ATOM.AX): Uranium.
- Deep Yellow Limited: Uranium.
- Elevate Uranium (ELV.AX): Uranium.
- Terra Uranium (T92.AX): Uranium.
Indexes
- VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX.AX): Gold Mining. Yield 0.4%
- Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS.AX): Australian Index. Yield 3.1%
- Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS.AX): International Index. Yield 2.6%
For my kids portfolio - lowering some cost bases - 6th month
- Bannerman Energy (BMN.AX) - Namibia explorer
- BetaShares Global Uranium ETF (URNM.AX)
- Aura Energy (AEE.AX) - Mauritania developer plus Sweden explorer
- Cauldron Energy (CXU.AX) - Western Australia explorer
Sold
No sales
Hedging Trades
Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK): Europe Index. With price opening at $83.03 (Apr 7), price has traded below the 87/84 ratio put spread set up in February. Sold the bought put (87) for 146% profit and bought a replacement 82 strike put option to convert the trade to a diagonal credit spread.
Income Trades
Covered Calls
12 covered calls written across 3 portfolios (US 10 Canada 2).
Naked Puts
Sold puts happy to own at lower prices
- Uranium Royalty Corp (UROY): Uranium. Return 15% Coverage 26% - 7 months
- Commerzbank AG (CBK.DE): German Bank. Return 1.38% Coverage 4.9%
- Deutsche Bank AG (DBK.DE): German Bank. Return 1.9% Coverage 2%
- enCore Energy Corp (EU): Uranium. Return 16% Coverage -7.5% - ITM by choice = 9% discount.
Sold puts on stocks that might get assigned on covered calls
- Lloyds Banking Group plc (LLOY.L): UK Bank. Return 3.4% Coverage 2.6%
- NatWest Group plc (NWG.L): UK Bank. Return 1.3% Coverage 3.1%
- Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NAK): Gold Mining. Return 10% Coverage 10%
- Sigma Lithium Corporation (SGML): Lithium. Return 5% Coverage 3.5%
- Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (RR.L): Aerospace/Defense. Return 2.4% Coverage 7.4%
- SuRo Capital Corp. (SSSS): Asset Management. Return 1.6% Coverage 3%
Kicked the can down the road on sold puts that could get assigned
- Deutsche Bank AG (DBK.DE): German Bank. 62% profit on buy back. 26% cash positive
- ASP Isotopes Inc. (ASPI): Nuclear Technology. 97% loss on buy back. 1.4% cash positive
- NuScale Power Corporation (SMR): Nuclear Technology. 65% loss on buy back. 2.4% cash positive
Credit Spreads
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA): Aerospace/Defense. With price opening at $222.38 (Apr 6), 235/225 credit spread is trading just short of TTB. With an inkling there may be a truce coming in the war chose to sell the bought put (225) for a 104% profit and kick the can down the road on the sold put (235). Once the war story settles that stock has to improve - the war does have to be paid for and these will be the beneficiaries. Incurs a 169% loss on the buyback and is 14.1% cash positive.
Mastercard Incorporated (MA): Payment Services. With price opening at $493.75 (Apr 6), 500/480 credit spread is trading just in-the-money. Did not want to run the risk of early assignment - chose to kick the can down the road on the sold put (500) and leave the bought put (480) in place for now - it can be sold later. Incurs a 15% loss on the buyback and is 71% cash positive.
Somehow managed to replicate the trade structure later in the week - short May 500 strike put option and long April 480 strike put option. Unravelled that by selling the bought puts at a loss and rolling down and out the bought put. That leaves a 490 strike June expiry sold put with adjusted return of 1.57% and 1.8% price coverage. Gives another month for the ceasefire negotiations to work through.
Resources
Cautions: This is not financial advice. You need to consider your own financial position and take your own advice before you follow any of my ideas
Images: I own the rights to use and edit the Buy Sell image. News headlines come from Google Search. All other images are created using my various trading and charting platforms. They are all my own work
Tickers: I monitor my portfolios using Yahoo Finance. The ticker symbols used are Yahoo Finance tickers. Crypto tickers come from TradingView
Charts: http://mymark.mx/TradingView - this is a free charting package. I have a Pro subscription to get access to real time forex prices
Investing: Interactive Brokers provides comprehensive global markets coverage with very competitive commissions. Open an account to earn up to USD 1,000 in IBKR stock. https://mclnks.com/ibkr
Crypto Trading: Binance offers a wide range of coins to trade, tight spreads and low fees if you use BNB to pay https://mymark.mx/Binance
Kucoin offers a wider range of altcoins than many of the other exchanges. I do like to diversify my holdings in case an exchange gets knocked over. Grab 15% discount on your trades when you open an account on this link https://mclnks.com/kucoin15
Gate.io offers a solid range of coins many of which have been delisted elsewhere. Have chosen to share the commission rebates. 40% is the rate - split 30% for me and you get to keep 10% for any people you invite. https://mclnks.com/gateio
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April 6-10, 2026
Been doing this a long time. Volatility is your friend - trade options when you work that out