The 4.99% VIX-Bond Yield Convergence That Hasn’t Happened Since 2008

March 15, 2026 

The 4.99% VIX-Bond Yield Convergence That Hasn’t Happened Since 2008 

When fear and rates meet, something breaks. History says it’s coming. 

When the Fed Cuts, These Go First

The rate-cut rally is already taking shape, and our analysts just pinpointed 10 stocks most likely to lead it.

They’ve dug through every chart, sector, and earnings trend to find companies positioned for explosive upside once the Fed eases. 

From AI innovators to dividend aristocrats, these are the names attracting billions in early institutional money. 

Miss them now, and you’ll be chasing the rally later. 

Get the Top 10 Best Stocks to Own in 2026 — free today before the next leg higher begins >>

Markets Process a Perfect Storm ⚡

Here’s a number that should make you pause: VIX at 25.39 while the 10-year yield sits at 4.24%. That 0.85-point gap is the narrowest we’ve seen since the financial crisis.

When fear and bond yields converge, markets are pricing two contradictory outcomes simultaneously. Investors are buying Treasuries for safety while the VIX screams about volatility ahead. This week’s brutal combination — GDP revised down to 0.7%, core inflation still at 3.1%, and oil’s wild ride from $93 to nearly $100 — has created the textbook setup for what bond traders call “the big break.”

WEEKLY DAMAGE REPORT

S&P 500: -1.52% Friday, -2.8% for week

Russell 2000: -2.12% Friday, -4.1% for week

Treasuries: 10Y yield down 75 basis points

Investor Signal: The last time VIX and 10-year yields were this close, Lehman Brothers collapsed six weeks later. That’s not a prediction — it’s a reminder that when markets price fear and flight-to-safety simultaneously, something structural is shifting.

Fear gauge spikes as markets process stagflation signals

Elon Musk: “The Only Thing That Can Solve It”

In a bombshell interview, Elon Musk declared that AI and robotics are “the only thing” that can solve America’s $38 trillion debt crisis.  

He predicts it will happen within three years.  

One Wall Street veteran has identified a single fund at the center of this AI buildout – and you can get in for less than $20.  

See what Musk didn’t tell you >>

The Stagflation Signal Gets Louder

Treasury bonds surge on economic slowdown fearsTLT Chart

Friday’s economic data dump painted the clearest picture yet of what economists have been whispering about for months. Fourth-quarter GDP growth revised down from 1.2% to 0.7%— that’s not a minor adjustment, that’s an economy hitting the brakes hard. Meanwhile, core PCE inflation stuck at 3.1% refuses to budge toward the Fed’s 2% target.

The bond market’s reaction was immediate and brutal. TLT surged as yields collapsed, with the 10-year Treasury diving 75 basis points in a single session. That’s the kind of move that happens when institutional money managers suddenly realize they’ve been pricing the wrong scenario entirely.

THE 1970S PLAYBOOK

GDP Growth: 0.7% (target: 2.5%)

Core Inflation: 3.1% (target: 2.0%)

Oil: $93.43 (up from $70 in January)

Investor Signal: When growth slows and inflation persists, traditional portfolio allocations break down. The 60/40 stock-bond split assumes bonds hedge equity risk — but in stagflation, both assets can fall together.

History offers a roadmap. During the 1970s stagflation period, energy and utilities were among the few sectors that delivered positive real returns. This week’s sector performance hints at that rotation beginning: XLE up 0.93% while the S&P dropped 1.52%, and XLU gaining 0.71% in a sea of red.

SECTOR ROTATION SIGNALS

Energy (XLE): +0.93% vs S&P -1.52%

Utilities (XLU): +0.71% defensive play

Tech (XLK): -1.84% growth premium shrinks

Investor Signal: The early signs of stagflation positioning are already visible. Smart money isn’t waiting for the textbooks to confirm what the data already shows — they’re rotating into real assets and inflation-resistant sectors while growth multiples still hold.

LEAKED:

April 30th: The Trump Finale No One Saw Coming

Trump has signed 220 Executive Orders in one year…more than almost every U.S. president in history. 

Now, on April 30th…He’s preparing to sign what sources say will be his final one

A White House leak suggests this won’t just erase Biden’s legacy… 

It will trigger a $2 trillion initiative to radically reshape America forever. 

While making fortunes for those who are prepared for what’s coming. 

The details are shocking. But you can’t miss this. 

See what Ian King uncovered.

What March Brings Next

The week ahead brings three catalysts that could push this VIX-bond convergence to its breaking point. Tuesday’s Producer Price Index will show whether January’s inflation was a fluke or the new baseline. Wednesday’s Fed meeting minutes from their last session could reveal how seriously policymakers are taking the stagflation risk. And Friday’s retail sales data will confirm whether consumers are finally pulling back as economic growth stalls.

MARCH CATALYSTS

Tuesday: PPI data (inflation check)

Wednesday: Fed minutes (policy pivot?)

Friday: Retail sales (consumer strength)

The institutional positioning for this scenario is already underway. Energy stocks with pricing power, utilities with regulated returns, and Treasury bonds as the ultimate hedge against economic contraction. The 2026 playbook might look surprisingly similar to 1974 — and that’s not necessarily bearish if you’re positioned correctly.

Investor Signal: Watch that VIX-bond yield gap. When fear and flight-to-safety converge below 0.5 points, something structural breaks. History says we’re closer than most investors realize.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.
— David Mercer, Senior Market Analyst

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here

1013 Centre Road Suite 403-D
Wilmington, DE 19805, United StatesTerms of Service 

2 Stocks to Buy to “Future-Proof” Your Portfolio

Ad Image
InvestorPlace Digest Logo

2 Stocks to Buy to “Future-Proof” Your Portfolio

VIEW IN BROWSER

Tom Yeung here with your Sunday Digest.

Last fall, InvestorPlace Senior Analyst Eric Fry made the call:

It was time to sell… sell… sell the first wave of AI stocks.

In Fry’s Investment Report, his flagship stock-picking service, that meant getting out of:

  • Oracle Corp. (ORCL) for a 27% gain 
  • Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) for a 110% gain 

And in Leverage, his options trading service, that meant taking partial or remaining gains on:

  • Coupang Inc. (CPNG) calls for a 100% gain 
  • Teradyne Inc. (TER) calls for a 600% gain 
  • Corning Inc. (GLW) calls for a 1,000% gain 

The timing was spot-on. Since then, we’ve seen shares of hundreds of AI-related stocks get crushed. Companies that were once considered AI leaders, like Salesforce Inc. (CRM) and Intuit Inc. (INTU), are down roughly a third. Even the mighty AMD and ORCL have seen their valuations fall back to Earth as the early bottlenecks of the AI Revolution come unstuck. Oracle now trades at half of its peak prices.

Image

Oracle stock

At its core, the former gatekeepers of AI technologies are quickly seeing their dominance vanish … some from supply chains catching up, and others due to AI itself. If two CNBC reporters could use AI to build a clone of project management firm Monday.com Ltd. (MNDY), what’s stopping all of us from replacing other software firms? Building new database management software? Designing new chip architectures?

That’s triggered a mad rush into “HALO” stocks, short for high assets, low obsolescence companies.

Railways… utilities… miners… not to mention oil and gas stocks.

Now, I must emphasize that most of these HALO picks will underperform over the long term. They’re mostly low-returning, zero-growth companies that offer little beyond quarterly dividends. They’re supposed to be dull… which means their returns are too.

But here’s the thing: Eric has spent decades identifying these exact types of future-proof companies that trade at enormous discounts… and then rise 100% … 500% … 1,000% or more. Many are exotic companies that trade across the globe, hiding beyond Wall Street’s sights. I know the concept might give you pause. Who wants to own the over-the-counter stocks of an Australian gold company or a South African platinum miner?

Well, Eric’s subscribers were certainly happy when he recently sold thoseWestgold Resources Ltd. (WGXRF) sharesfor 1,014% gains and Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. (IMPUY) shares for 310% profits.

And on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET, Eric will expand on this idea in a free online presentation he’s calling FutureProof 2026.

In it, he will outline how a new wave of overlooked companies will replace the first wave of AI darlings … and how they will help protect your portfolio from what an AI-powered future might bring.

You can click here to reserve your seat.

Now, allow me to illustrate how simple these investment ideas can be with two prime examples …

Recommended Link

WARNING: $7 TRILLION Event Imminent. Most Americans Unprepared

This isn’t a boom where everyone wins. It’s a transfer from one group to another – like railroads (1800s) and internet (1990s). Louis Navellier, who spent 46 yrs on Wall St., built the grading system institutions paid $24,000/yr for him to evaluate stocks with. Now, his system shows exactly where the $7 trillion is flowing. And it’s not AI. Click here for the full story.

The Second-Order Fertilizer Winner

The Middle East isn’t just an energy hub… it’s a major supplier of nitrogen-based fertilizers too.

In fact, the Persian Gulf region produces so much of these nutrients that it’s responsible for up to 40% of all global exports – making it even more dominant in nitrogen-based fertilizers than in oil and gas.

Conflict in the Middle East has since sent prices of nitrogen-based fertilizers skyrocketing. Urea prices are up around 55% from the start of the year and will likely keep climbing as the spring planting season gets underway.

The most direct beneficiaries have already seen the news reflected in share prices. CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF)has surged more than 45% since the start of the year, while Nutrien Ltd. (NTR) is up 20%. These American companies are major nitrogen-based fertilizer makers and compete most directly with Middle Eastern imports.

However, one fertilizer company has only started to rally:

The Mosaic Co. (MOS).

This Tampa-based firm is North America’s largest producer of potassium- and phosphorous-based fertilizers potash and phosphate. In fact, it produces roughly 12% and 10% of the global output of these two nutrients.

Now, these two fertilizers are not nitrogen-based, like the types the Gulf states export. So, the stock has barely risen since January.

Think of fertilizers like a three-legged stool. Each type represents a different leg, and you need all three to produce a stable crop. It’s why you’ll often see the “N-P-K” (nitrogen-phosphate-potassium) acronym on fertilizer bottles, and why fertilizing a lawn without soil testing first is a recipe for disaster.

In theory, these three nutrients are notinterchangeable.

However, different crops need different amounts of N-P-K. Corn requires more nitrogen, while soybeans rely on far less. So, high prices?for one type of?nutrient?can often cause shifts in what farmers plant.

That’s why shares of Mosaic should rise from current levels. Farmers are verysensitive to price inputs, and rising nitrogen fertilizer prices will trigger a stampede into crops like soybeans. One researcher at the University of Arkansas’ System Division of Agriculture is already predicting 3.5 million acres of soybeans this year – a level not seen since 2017. (Soy uses far more potash than corn.)

We’re also fast approaching the start of the U.S. planting season. So, even if nitrogen-based fertilizers are allowed past the Hormuz Strait within the next several weeks, many American farmers will have already locked in their potash and phosphate demand for the whole year.

Most importantly, Mosaic is a perfect example of a future-proof company hiding in plain sight.

Few people besides farmers think about potash or who makes it. Even fewer previously considered how AI-resistant fertilizer companies are. Yet vertically integrated fertilizer makers will be almost impossible for AI to replace. Companies must mine minerals out of the ground, process them, and then sell them through international distribution networks. And no matter how smart AI gets, we all still need to eat.

MOS likely has a 2X upside from here.

Future-Proofing Your Liquor Cabinet

The second pick is an Australian company that, like single malt whiskeys, only gets better with time.

I mean this in the literal sense.

Lark Distilling Co. (LRK.AX) is a Tasmania-based spirits firm that specializes in high-end libations. Its flagship blended malt whisky, the Symphony No. 1, has won “Australia’s Best” at the World Whiskies Awards for four consecutive years. Meanwhile, its single malts, like the $200 Classic Cask, are highly rated and routinely earn gold medals at international competitions.

Shares trade on the Australian Securities Exchange, out of Wall Street’s sights.

Now, there are three things to know about Lark.

The first is its recent history. The company overexpanded in the years leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic and overestimated demand from China. Revenues fell by a third between 2022 and 2024 after post-pandemic spending began to dry up. That sent shares from a high of 5.44 Australian dollars to below 1.00 AUD, where it continues to trade today. Lark’s CEO also resigned during this period after a shocking video showed him using illicit drugs. That left the firm leaderless for over a year during this crucial time.

The second is its turnaround. In 2023, Sash Sharma took over as CEO, and the business began to stabilize under him and a new chief financial officer. The company expanded its retail footprint at Australian airports, onboarded new export partners, added distributor partnerships across Asia, and consolidated its production to a single site. The company reported a 2% sales growth in fiscal 2025 and is on track to notch an 8% growth rate this year. Analysts expect growth to accelerate to 28% next year as new distribution channels come online.

The third is valuation. Like most firms, Lark records the value of its inventories at cost (or net realizable value if that’s lower). But unlike everyone else, Lark’s inventories become more valuable with time. All else equal, a 15-year single-malt is worth more than a 10-year version, and so on.

Allow me to do some math. Currently, Lark has 2.5 million liters of whiskey under maturation in its whiskey bank, with a balance sheet value of AUD$57.2 million at cost. Once you add cash, equipment, and receivables, and then deduct debt and depreciation, Lark is worth a tangible book value of roughly AUD$8 million at cost.

Here’s where a mismatch exists. At today’s stock prices, Lark Distilling’s market capitalization is just AUD$74 million, which is less than the AUD$84 million I just mentioned. So, you’re buying a company for a double-digit discount to tangible assets.

Even better, we know that Lark’s whiskey bank is worth more than AUD$57.2 million. (To give you a sense, that’s just $8 per 500-milliliter bottle.) The company sells its 500ml single-malt bottles for at least $200, so inventory values are a magnitude higher than what’s on the books.

That makes Lark a potential 4X company if it’s bought out, or a 10-bagger if it manages to complete its turnaround and regain profitability. Until AI figures out how to age whiskeys faster than Mother Nature can, Lark will remain a relatively future-proof company with plenty of hidden “liquid” assets.

Looking Further Afield

International markets sometimes offer strangely incredible deals. Over a thousand companies outside America trade at negative enterprise value, meaning they could theoretically buy back every share and still have money left over for shareholders.

In fairness, many of these picks will end up going nowhere. International and frontier markets can be notoriously difficult to navigate, and companies in these markets are often horrendously managed. Even Lark Distilling may fail to turn its multimillion-dollar whiskey bank into a profitable business.

But some will turn small stakes into minor fortunes.

That’s why I encourage you to sign up for Eric’s FutureProof 2026 event, scheduled for next Wednesday, March 18, at 1 p.m. ET. During that free broadcast, he will outline exactly what early AI investors got right … how they earned their millions … and what the next wave of investors should be looking at right now.

Eric will also share the names and tickers of 15 companies already beginning to benefit from AI’s emerging bottlenecks. If history is any guide, the next Nvidia-style winner may come from the companies solving AI’s newest constraints.

Reserve your spot here.

Until next week,

Thomas Yeung, CFA
Market Analyst, InvestorPlace

InvestorPlace

Breaking: New #1 Trade Alert Just Emerged

Logo: Schaeffer's Investment Research

A message from Stock News

Dear Reader,

What if you knew today’s biggest stock winner BEFORE it exploded?

Right now, most traders are flying blind — working off data that’s 15, 20, even 30 minutes old. In the stock market, that’s not just slow. That’s the difference between catching a 100%+ gain and watching it happen without you.

But a small segment of “in the know” traders have already figured this out.

They’re using a built-in tool inside the Stocks.News app that most people completely overlook — and it’s quietly handing them an unfair advantage every single morning.

Here’s how it works: Every day before the market heats up, Stocks.News fires up a proprietary scanner that tears through LIVE market data — running it through dozens of indicators to cut through the noise and zero in on the highest-probability breakouts of the day. The result? A ranked Top 5 Stocks list, updated in real time as breakout probability shifts.

Not yesterday’s data. Not delayed feeds. Right now. Live. Constantly recalculating.

And the results have been nothing short of jaw-dropping. Over the past week, nearly every stock that hit the #1 spot went on to surge 100%+ within daysThe most recent #1 pick? It climbed 119% in under 72 hours.

This isn’t luck. This is the right data, at the right time, pointing you in the right direction.

→ Download Stocks News FREE and see today’s #1 pick before the crowd catches on.

P.S. Still on the fence? Let the track record speak for itself:

  • CCHH — +196% in 4 days
  • QNCX — +238% in under 24 hours
  • NCI — +119% in under 72 hours
  • DRCT — +90% in under 24 hours

These moves already happened. The next one is building right now.

By clicking the links above, I agree that Stocks.News and its affiliates may email me, with offers and other info. Additionally, I agree to the terms of service, disclaimer and privacy policy.

This is a paid advertisement provided to customers of Schaeffer’s Investment Research. Although we have sent you this email, Schaeffer’s does not necessarily endorse this product nor is it responsible for the content of this advertisement. Schaeffer’s makes no guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. 

To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe

Schaeffer’s Investment Research 
5151 Pfeiffer Road, Suite 450
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242

Why Big Money Is Dumping Tech for Gold & Resources

Shield

AN OXFORD CLUB PUBLICATION

Loyal reader since August 2025 

Editor’s Note: I have a message for you from our friends at TrendLabs. I thought you might find it interesting – check it out hereor read more below.

– James Ogletree, Senior Managing Editor


Why Big Money Is Dumping Tech for Gold & Resources

Hey Reader,

Quick question – what’s going on here?

Trump just put a top mining expert on the National Security Council to focus on critical minerals and supply chains.

Apple signed a $500 million deal with a U.S. rare earths producer for magnets – locking in domestic supply.

And 13 billionaires have dumped tech stocks to buy resources instead, including John Paulson, who snapped up a huge stake in an Alaskan gold project.

This isn’t random. Smart money is shifting hard toward real assets.

JC Parets (former hedge fund guy and sharp market forecaster) told me: “This isn’t just a commodities bull market. It’s much, much bigger than that.”

He calls it a “Chaos Cycle” – a pattern that pops up every 10 to 20 years and lasts a decade or more.

When it hits, the market splits: One side takes big hits, while the other side cranks out 10x, 20x, and 30x winners.

JC has the evidence laid out – and he’s clear on which side he thinks wins big.

Watch the quick video here: [Watch Now]

It breaks down the full picture and what he’s telling friends/family to do.

What do you make of this shift?

All the best,

Pete Campbell
Publisher, TrendLabs

P.S. JC says this “Chaos Cycle” isn’t just stocks – it might explain a lot of the geopolitical stuff we’ve seen lately, like moves on Venezuela, Iran, and more. Eye-opening stuff.

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to Wealthy Retirement.
Wealthy Retirement is published by The Oxford Club.

To stop receiving special invitations and offers from Wealthy Retirement, please click here.
Please note: This will not impact the fulfillment of your subscription in any way.

Questions? Check out our FAQsTrying to reach us? Contact us here.
Please do not reply to this email as it goes to an unmonitored inbox.

Privacy Policy | Whitelist Wealthy Retirement

© 2026 The Oxford Club, LLC All Rights Reserved
The Oxford Club | 105 West Monument Street | Baltimore, MD 21201
North America: 866.237.0436 | International: 443.353.4540
Oxfordclub.com

Nothing published by The Oxford Club should be considered personalized investment advice. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed personalized investment advice. We allow the editors of our publications to recommend securities that they own themselves. However, our policy prohibits editors from exiting a personal trade while the recommendation to subscribers is open. In no circumstance may an editor sell a security before subscribers have a fair opportunity to exit. The length of time an editor must wait after subscribers have been advised to exit a play depends on the type of publication. All other employees and agents must wait 24 hours after publication before trading on a recommendation.

Any investments recommended by The Oxford Club should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

Protected by copyright laws of the United States and international treaties. The information found on this website may only be used pursuant to the membership or subscription agreement and any reproduction, copying or redistribution (electronic or otherwise, including on the world wide web), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of The Oxford Club, LLC, 105 West Monument Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

REF: 000142349377

Trump: Not Ready to End War; Pope Leo: ‘Atrocious Violence’; Ukraine: We Need Money for Drone Expertise

Breaking News from Newsmax.com

• Trump: Not Ready to Make Deal Ending War

Special: Stand With Israel. Help Families Endure.

• Pope Leo Decries War’s ‘Atrocious Violence’

• Zelenskyy: Ukraine Needs Money for Drone Help


SPONSOR


ADVERTORIAL

IFCJ Logo

DONATE NOW

Collage of images from recent events in Israel

Stand With Israel. Help Families Endure.

Israel’s families are showing extraordinary strength in the face of uncertainty. Parents are protecting their children. Neighbors are caring for neighbors. Communities are holding fast to faith and hope.

But they cannot do it alone. 

Your generosity today provides:

  • Emergency food and necessities
  • Safe shelter and care for displaced families
  • Support for the elderly and vulnerable who have nowhere else to turn

This is a moment to stand for what is right, and to care for those who need it most.GIVE TO HELP ISRAEL’S FAMILIES

IFCJ Logo

Donate Now | About Us | Contact Us

800-486-8844 | Privacy Policy

” International Fellowship of Christians and Jews “

303 East Wacker Drive, Suite 2300 Chicago, Illinois 60601 US

The Fellowship is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit organization © 2026 International Fellowship of Christians and Jews

Since 1983, various stories of destitute Jewish people, whose names and photos may have been changed for privacy and security have been used to bless Israel and her people. Through these retellings, generous friends like you have helped feed, clothes, and shelter as well as provide medical care and heating for tens of thousands of those who struggle greatly.

This email is never sent unsolicited. You have received this Newsmax email because you subscribed to it or someone forwarded it to you. To opt out, see the links below.

Remove your email address from our list or modifyyour profile. We respect your right to privacy. Viewour policy.

This email was sent by:
Newsmax.com
362 N. Haverhill Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33415 USA

DM934041
010503gv7u7p

The Fox Inn Rathskeller

The Fox Inn Rathskeller was 

a popular, lively tavern located at 2626 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica during the 1960s-1990s, renowned for bawdy sing-alongs led by owner Bill “The Fox” Foster. It was a legendary hangout for college students and rugby players, featuring grandstand seating, beer chugging, and a tavern-style atmosphere. FacebookFacebook +3

Key Details About The Fox Inn (Historic):

  • Atmosphere: Known for its high-energy, “rowdy” atmosphere with communal singing of bawdy ballads, children’s songs, and chants like “Ziggy Zaggy Oi Oi Oi”.
  • The Act: Bill “The Fox” Foster often performed after downing pitchers of beer, famously singing to patrons, including specialized songs for those leaving to use the restroom.
  • Legacy: The venue was a staple for USC and UCLA students, as well as the Santa Monica Rugby Club.
  • Location: It was situated on Wilshire Blvd, directly across from The Horn nightclub. 

📺 Tune In To CBS on Sunday To Catch The Selection Show! 🏀

Tune in to the selection show. March 15 at 6pm ET on CBS
don't miss your opportunity to witness march madness live
Facebook
X
Instagram

HomeTicketsBroadcast ScheduleFacebookXInstagramNCAA, Elite 8, Final Four, First Four, March Madness, Sweet 16 and The Road to the Final Four are trademarks owned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. All other licenses or trademarks are property of their respective holders.National Collegiate Athletic Association
700 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive the NCAA.compromotional emails.Update Your Preferences or Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy  |  View as Webpage

This 1990s Supply Shortage Created 800% Gains – It’s Happening Again

Portrait of Eric Fry
Ad Image

Smart Money logo

Eric Fry
Editor, Smart Money

DAILY ISSUE

This 1990s Supply Shortage Created 800% Gains – It’s Happening Again

VIEW IN BROWSER

People took out thousands of dollars in cash in fear that ATMs wouldn’t work.

Thousands canceled flights because they believed planes might simply fall out of the sky.

Stores across the globe sold out of generators, bottled water, and cans of Spam.

For younger folks, it may sound crazy, but the panic over the so-called Y2K bug was very real.

At the turn of the millennium, people around the world feared computers would crash on January 1, 2000 — misreading the “00” date as 1900 instead of 2000.

The problem was real. And real money was spent to solve it.

The Clinton administration said in December 1999 that preparing the U.S. for Y2K was probably “the single largest technology management challenge in history.”

Researchers at Gartner estimate the global cost of Y2K remediation — across governments and private companies — totaled between $300 billion and $600 billion.

In the end, the remediation worked. Aside from a few minor glitches (and perhaps a lingering surplus of canned Spam), the world’s technology systems continued running smoothly.

But while the public worried about computers crashing…

… another problem was quietly forming behind the scenes.

We had to move so quickly at the turn of the century largely because of the tech boom leading up to it.

The dot-com surge triggered a massive buildout of internet infrastructure, and that buildout required enormous quantities of raw materials.

So while consumers were stockpiling supplies…

… tech companies were scrambling to secure metals.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the tech boom triggered a surge in demand for critical materials used in electronics and networking equipment:

  • Copper – to carry electricity and data
  • Tin – used in electronic soldering
  • Gold – used in corrosion-resistant connectors
  • Rare earth elements – used in disk drives, displays, and fiber optics

The explosion of internet infrastructure, personal computers, and networking hardware meant the world suddenly needed far more metals than usual.

But mining and refining capacity couldn’t expand overnight.

The result was a classic supply bottleneck.

Prices for semiconductors and other hardware spiked. Companies like Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO)Intel Corp. (INTC), and Dell Technologies Inc. (DELL) faced growing lead-time issues that slowed product rollouts.

But this metals shortage also created hidden investment opportunities.

Investors who anticipated which resources would become scarce had the chance to profit in extraordinary ways, much like investors who recently benefited from Nvidia Corp.’s (NVDA)nearly 1,000% gains during the AI compute bottleneck.

From 1998 to 2001, I recommended four mining stocks to my readers that went on to generate remarkable gains. These companies became the quiet winners of the late-1990s tech boom.

Today, let’s take a closer look at them — and how identifying a supply bottleneck early created enormous upside.

Then I’ll show you how this same profit-making “bottleneck” cycle is unfolding again thanks to AI… and where investors still have time to position themselves.

Let’s take a look…

Recommended Link

When the AI Crash Comes, These Six Stocks Could Win Big

When bubbles pop, money flees hype and moves to quality. Futurist Eric Fry is sharing a list of “Buy Now” names that everyone could benefit from. These “AI Survivors” are the stocks you want to be in before the bubble pops. Get the list of free names and tickers here.

When the Internet Needed Copper

Back during the dot-com era, Antofagasta plc (ANTO.L) was not yet the global copper giant it is today.

In the mid-1990s, the company was still a diversified Chilean holding company involved in railways, finance, and industrial businesses.

But in 1996, Antofagasta spun off many of its non-mining assets into Quiñenco SA, one of Chile’s largest conglomerates.

That move transformed Antofagasta into a copper-focused mining company — just as the internet boom was beginning to drive enormous demand for the metal.

During the late 1990s, the company began developing the massive Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile’s Coquimbo Region. Construction started in 1997. Initial production began in 1999. By 2001, the mine had reached full capacity.

Los Pelambres quickly transformed Antofagasta from a relatively small mining group into a major global copper producer. In the early 2000s, the mine accounted for roughly three-quarters of the company’s revenue.

I recommended Antofagasta to my readers on December 18, 1998 — about a year before the mine began production.

Over the next three years, the stock soared 205%, while the S&P 500 was essentially flat.

Over six years, Antofagasta delivered an astonishing 778% gain, while the S&P continued to nurse its losses, down 27%!

Antofagasta built capacity during the investment phase of the 1990s, and then benefited enormously once the metals bottleneck tightened.

But it wasn’t the only copper producer positioned to win.

While tech companies were building the internet, companies like Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) were supplying the physical materials that made the emerging digital world possible.

Freeport’s crown jewel was the Grasberg Mine in Indonesia, one of the most important copper and gold mines on Earth.

Because Grasberg was already operating at scale, Freeport could immediately ramp up production as demand surged. The company didn’t need to build new capacity to benefit from the bottleneck — it simply needed to keep producing.

I recommended Freeport to my readers on April 26, 1999.

Over the next three years, the stock rose 37%, while the S&P 500 slumped 18%.

Over six years, Freeport soared 193%, while the broader market lost 7%.

Copper wasn’t the only opportunity of the time…

The Other Metals That Made Investors Rich

During the late 1990s, Cameco Corp. (CCJ) controlled some of the richest uranium deposits in the world in Canada’s Athabasca Basin.

Its McArthur River and Key Lake mines had extremely high uranium grades, giving Cameco some of the lowest production costs in the entire industry.

Now, uranium wasn’t central to the internet infrastructure buildout. Prices were relatively weak during most of the dot-com era. So you might wonder why Cameco belongs on this list.

The answer is simple: cost advantage. Because its deposits were so rich, Cameco remained profitable even during periods of weak uranium prices.

Then, shortly after the dot-com era ended, uranium experienced its own supply crunch. And Cameco was perfectly positioned to benefit.

I recommended the company to my readers on July 9, 1999.

Over three years, the stock rose 36%, while the S&P 500 declined by nearly 30%.

Over six years, Cameco rocketed 640% as the S&P was still 5% underwater.

My final bottleneck winner came from another corner of the mining world.

Impala Platinum Holdings (IMPUY) was one of the largest producers of platinum-group metals in the world.

These metals — platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium — are used in:

  • automotive catalytic converters
  • electronics components
  • chemical processing
  • petroleum refining

During the late 1990s, demand for these metals increased sharply as global manufacturing expanded. Meanwhile, tightening emissions standards increased demand for catalytic converters.

The price of platinum surged from roughly $350–$400 per ounce to more than $600. Because Impala was already a major supplier, those rising prices flowed straight into the company’s profits.

I recommended Impala on March 30, 2001.

Over the following three years, the stock rose 176%, compared to just 2% for the S&P 500.

Over six years, Impala soared 872%, while the S&P gained only 36%.

The lesson is clear.

During major tech booms, materials and infrastructure often become bottlenecks.

And the companies that control those bottlenecks can generate extraordinary returns.

Where the Next Bottleneck Is Forming

Today, we’re seeing something very similar unfold during the AI Revolution.

Artificial intelligence requires enormous quantities of infrastructure, including chips, electricity, memory, and critical metals.

And whenever demand for infrastructure rises faster than supply can respond, bottlenecks emerge.

For investors who identify them early, the upside can be highly asymmetric.

In general, I look for four things:

  1. Where demand is overwhelming supply
  2. Which companies control the choke point
  3. Whether increasing supply will be easy or difficult
  4. And whether the market has recognized the opportunity yet

Of course, identifying these bottlenecks in real time is easier said than done.

But right now, several new constraints are beginning to appear across the AI supply chain.

And the companies positioned to solve those constraints could become some of the biggest winners of the next phase of the AI boom.

That’s exactly what I’ll be discussing in much greater detail during FutureProof 2026, happening Wednesday, March 18 at 1 p.m. ET.

During this free broadcast, I’ll explain why new shortages in metals, electricity, and memory could soon become the next major bottlenecks in the AI Revolution.

I’ll also reveal 15 companies already positioned to benefit from these developing constraints.

If history is any guide, the next Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)-style winner may not come from AI software — but from the companies solving AI’s biggest infrastructure challenges.

You can reserve your spot here.

Regards,

Eric Fry's signature

Eric Fry
Editor, Smart Money

InvestorPlace