Buzz on the Bullboards: Much-needed good news

It has been a week of good news for investors.

The Bank of Canada kept interest rates on hold at 4.50 per cent, becoming the first major central bank to suspend its campaign against rising inflation.

Although it has been a volatile season and the TSX sustained losses in February, the index is on track to gain 4.5 per cent for the current quarter.

Then, Statistics Canada reported that the economy logged a trade surplus in January, driven by higher exports of farm, fishing, and intermediate food products, as well as motor vehicles and parts.

As Canada’s largest investor hub, the focus for a large portion of Bullboard investors has understandably been on mining over the past week.

On the Bullboards, small-cap investors continue to look for the current and hot plays to capitalize on during a-still uncertain market. It appears that this has resulted in a perennial favourite cannabis sector gaining some ground. The consistently attractive metals and mining sector sees several attractive opportunities arise in time for the industry to come together virtually for the premier mining networking event of the year.

The most-viewed companies in the sector include some of the hardest hit, and discussions on the Bullboards have been trying to make sense of what comes next, hope or despair?

Let’s dive in and find out who’s at the top this week, who’s new to the conversation, and who’s licking their chops ….

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention just wrapped up to great fanfare, and more than a few mining companies got their word out to potential investors. One company riding high of late is KWG Resources Inc. (CSE:KWG).

The exploration-stage company has completed its magnetotelluric survey over its Ring of Fire chromite Black Horse Project.

Both targets were defined by coincidental gravity and magnetic anomalies supported by multiple drilling intercepts of secondary chromite within the shear zone known as Franks Fault.

KWG believes the Black Horse resource is a deeper, laterally-faulted and displaced part of the Big Daddy and Black Thor deposits occurring near surface to the north. 

Quantec Geoscience Ltd. delivered preliminary interpreted resistivity cross sections and is expected to deliver a final report on the magnetotelluric survey later this month. The magnetotelluric data will be merged in 3D with all other data, and this will form the basis of the design of a drilling campaign to test the identified target areas.

AI and data intelligence company Fobi AI Inc. (TSXV:FOBI) announced that its Qples platform has signed a new reseller deal with bBIG Communications Inc.

bBIG is a full-service agency that offers customized marketing and media solutions. It works with many global Tier 1 CPG brands, including Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, and Red Bull. These brands currently use bBIG services for traditional promotional and coupon campaigns. However, they will now be able to utilize the Qples coupon platform for both print-at-home coupons and the new AI (8112) Universal Digital Coupons.

bBIG has been involved in the couponing industry for more than 25 years. It offers specialized savings and consumer promotions directly to the 1.4 million active U.S. military on duty and the 16.5 million retired military families worldwide. This agreement with bBIG opens up several new opportunities for Fobi to deliver additional digital solutions to the military market.

Qples has an existing business relationship with bBIG as an affiliate partner. Through the Qples Affiliate Marketing platform, partners like bBIG enable Qples to resell coupon prints through affiliate websites and social platforms. It drives additional revenue for Qples through the increased number of coupon prints and clips generated.

In February, Fobi and bBIG signed a referral partnership with the company’s Wallet Pass platform, Passcreator. This partnership provides Fobi with a significant opportunity to expand its Passcreator customer base to various bBIG clients and partners.

Tilray Brands (TSX:TLRY) announced the launch of the latest innovations by its Canadian cannabis lifestyle brand, CANACA.

Introducing Bursts and Darts, CANACA revealed its newly added ‘potently Canadian’ products across Canada. It includes four milled flower-based products.

The four new SKUs include Fruitsplosion and Parmigiano Dankiano Bursts, as well as Fruitsplosion and Magic Mochaccino Darts. The company produces these products from a hand-selected curation of terpene-rich strain combinations. These new CANACA SKUs are more potent and are crafted to feature unique taste profiles and aromas while offering elevated consumer experiences.

The leading global cannabis-lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company also made news this week when its subsidiary, SweetWater Brewing Company, launched Gone Trippin’, a West Coast Style India Pale Ale (IPA).

As per the company, IPA pays tribute to the bold, hoppy beers SweetWater brought to the South more than 25 years ago. Gone Trippin’ is now available nationally year-round on draft and in 6-packs and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans.

Gone Trippin’ contains 7 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV) and is hopped with Cascade, Centennial, Crystal, Chinook and Citra varieties. The company reports that this array of quintessential West Coast hops delivers bitter notes. It is accompanied by pine, citrus and floral aromas that are balanced by a malty backbone and dry finish.

Next week the focus will shift back to the other sectors, as we’ll be able to get a clearer picture of where the markets are headed and which companies will do well in the times to come.

As always, the most important thing for investors is to stay informed, alert, and ready for action. The lingering market uncertainty only strengthens this need, so make sure to catch up on the latest plays on the Bullboards.