Earlier this year, I discussed a "critical type of material" ... Rare earth elements.

Pay Attention to This Rare Metal Helping Power AI By Ethan Goldman, junior analyst, Chaikin Analytics Earlier this year, I discussed a "critical type of material" ... Rare earth elements. As I explained, these materials are critical for modern technology. But I also noted the materials themselves are not actually rare...   What we call a "rare earth element" is a misnomer... The term "rare" refers to the fact that while we can often find these materials in nature, the process that we need to make them usable is expensive... and often difficult. But today, I'll discuss a metal that is rare. And it's worth paying attention to – because it's helping underpin the AI boom... Recommended Links: Could Trump's 'AI Action Plan' Crash the Market? A new crisis brewing in the AI market now threatens 65 million Americans and the entire U.S. economy. But if you move quickly, you could use this to triple your money (or more) in the weeks ahead. See how this could impact you and how to prepare. Here's What You Missed Last Week The man who called the 2025 crash three months before it unfolded says another nasty surprise is coming to the markets on July 30. But if you know what's coming, a little-known "green day" vehicle could double your money (as he has already shown six different times this year). Click here to learn more. Data-Storage Devices Need This Little-Known Metal This "mythical" metal is ruthenium. It allows for efficient data storage, which AI needs to exist. A ruthenium coating less than a nanometer thick gives a hard-disk drive ("HDD") much higher data density.  You might have heard of HDDs before. These devices store and retrieve digital data – like what all that AI is using. They are less expensive and can a larger capacity than newer solid-state drives ("SSDs"). While SSDs are faster, they can cost more than double a similar-sized HDD.  My first computer had a 500-gigabyte HDD in it. Today, you can easily find 16-terabyte HDDs. That's 32 times bigger capacity than my old computer. HDDs grew in storage capacity while maintaining the same physical size... all thanks to ruthenium. But as I said, ruthenium is rare. It's in concentrations of the Earth's crust at about 0.001 parts per million. And the annual global supply is only about 30 tons. In fact, it's mainly produced as a byproduct of platinum mining. The amount of ruthenium needed to make a single HDD varies per capacity. Still, it doesn't take much to work its magic. We're talking less than a gram per HDD. But the sheer volume of storage needed for a data center is staggering. And that means tens of thousands of these high-end HDDs. Just consider that Meta Platforms' (META) Facebook produces about 4,000 terabytes worth of data each day. That would suck up 250 of those 16-terabyte drives I mentioned earlier to store the data. A year's worth of Facebook's data production would call for 91,250 of them. If you know anything about AI, you can understand the scope of this issue... Like any disruptive technology, AI has its share of problems. And as the demand for it grows, so will the demand for data storage. Longtime readers know that the amount of global data generated will just keep growing in the years ahead. Meanwhile, ruthenium helps power the data storage that feeds the AI boom. As the demand for data grows, keep an eye on what's happening with this commodity. Good investing, Ethan Goldman Marc Chaikin: 'Ask Me Anything' In August, Marc Chaikin is doing something he has never done before. After a wild six months for stocks, Marc knows you may have many lingering questions. So, he'll be going on camera – NOT to discuss a specific opportunity, but instead to devote his time to answering YOUR most pressing questions. But to do that, we need to hear from YOU. If something is keeping you up at night (whether it worries or excites you), we want to hear from you. Marc will answer as many questions as possible during his "Ask Me Anything" event next month. Click here to submit your question(s). Market View Major Indexes and Notable Sectors     # Hld:     Bullish     Neutral     Bearish Dow 30 -0.15% 10 14 6 S&P 500 -0.03% 125 271 101 Nasdaq +0.31% 28 60 11 Small Caps -0.12% 648 1116 325 Bonds -0.65% Energy +1.14% 1 16 5 — According to the Chaikin Power Bar, Small Cap stocks and Large Cap stocks are Bullish. Major indexes are mixed. *  *  *  * Sector Tracker Sector movement over the last 5 days Energy +3.55% Health Care +3.2% Industrials +2.56% Consumer Discretionary +1.33% Financial +1.3% Information Technology +1.09% Materials +0.39% Real Estate +0.12% Consumer Staples -0.27% Utilities -0.48% Communication -0.53% *  *  *  * Industry Focus Mining Services 19 12 0 Over the past 6 months, the Mining subsector (XME) has outperformed the S&P 500 by +24.07%. Its Power Bar ratio, which measures future potential, is Very Strong, with more Bullish than Bearish stocks. It is currently ranked #2 of 21 subsectors. Top Stocks NEM Newmont Corporation CMC Commercial Metals Co ZEUS Olympic Steel, Inc. *  *  *  * Top Movers Gainers SMCI +10.24% AMD +4.32% FANG +4.09% NKE +3.89% WSM +3.59% Losers ALB -10.71% RVTY -8.32% CNC -5.39% CMG -4.06% DECK -3.82% *  *  *  * Earnings Report Earnings Surprises RITM Rithm Capital Corp. Q2 $0.54 Beat by $0.02 RVTY Revvity, Inc. Q2 $1.18 Beat by $0.04 BOH Bank of Hawaii Corporation Q2 $1.06 Met estimate *  *  *  * You have received this e-mail as part of your subscription to PowerFeed. If you no longer want to receive e-mails from PowerFeed, click here. You're receiving this e-mail at STEVENMAGALLANES520.NIMS@BLOGGER.COM. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, call +1 (877) 697-6783 (U.S.), 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern time or e-mail info@chaikinanalytics.com. Please note: The law prohibits us from giving personalized financial advice. © 2025 Chaikin Analytics, LLC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from Chaikin Analytics, LLC. 201 King Of Prussia Rd., Suite 650, Radnor, PA 19087. www.chaikinanalytics.com. Any brokers mentioned constitute a partial list of available brokers and is for your information only. Chaikin Analytics, LLC, does not recommend or endorse any brokers, dealers, or investment advisors. Chaikin Analytics forbids its writers from having a financial interest in any security they recommend to our subscribers. All employees of Chaikin Analytics, LLC (and affiliated companies) must wait 24 hours after an investment recommendation is published online – or 72 hours after a direct mail publication is sent – before acting on that recommendation. This work is based on SEC filings, current events, interviews, corporate press releases, and what we've learned as financial journalists. It may contain errors, and you shouldn't make any investment decision based solely on what you read here. It's your money and your responsibility.