{"id":58562,"date":"2026-02-16T01:08:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T05:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/jefferies-aggressively-hikes-mining-targets-as-japans-gdp-miss-weakens-yen\/58562\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T01:08:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T05:08:22","slug":"jefferies-aggressively-hikes-mining-targets-as-japans-gdp-miss-weakens-yen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/jefferies-aggressively-hikes-mining-targets-as-japans-gdp-miss-weakens-yen\/58562\/","title":{"rendered":"Jefferies Aggressively Hikes Mining Targets as Japan\u2019s GDP Miss Weakens Yen"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Jefferies issued a sweeping series of price target upgrades for the <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">gold<\/a> and copper sectors<\/strong>, signaling a highly bullish outlook on precious and base metals.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Japan\u2019s Q4 2025 GDP growth fell short of market expectations<\/strong>, triggering a rise in the <strong>EUR\/JPY<\/strong> pair above the <strong>181.50<\/strong> level.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Expedia (<a href=\"\/stock\/EXPE\">EXPE<\/a>) faced a sharp valuation cut<\/strong> as Jefferies slashed its target price by <strong>$45<\/strong>, citing shifting travel demand dynamics.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thailand\u2019s Finance Ministry set a formal GDP growth target of 3%<\/strong>, establishing a floor of <strong>2%<\/strong> for the upcoming fiscal year.<\/li>\n<li><strong>ByteDance is tightening IP safeguards<\/strong> following internal and external concerns regarding the unauthorized use of likenesses and intellectual property in its <strong>Seedance 2.0<\/strong> project.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Jefferies Bullish on Metals, Bearish on Expedia<\/h2>\n<p>Jefferies analysts dominated the morning\u2019s financial headlines with a massive recalibration of price targets across the materials and travel sectors. The firm showed significant conviction in gold and copper miners, raising targets for Newmont (<a href=\"\/stock\/NEM\">NEM<\/a>) to <strong>$158<\/strong> from <strong>$136<\/strong> and Barrick Gold (<a href=\"\/stock\/GOLD\">GOLD<\/a>) to <strong>$66<\/strong> from <strong>$60<\/strong>. This <em>bullish sentiment<\/em> extended to mid-tier players, with Alamos Gold (<a href=\"\/stock\/AGI\">AGI<\/a>) seeing its target lifted to <strong>$61<\/strong> and Endeavour Mining (<a href=\"\/stock\/EDV\">EDV<\/a>) boosted to <strong>C$112<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In a notable divergence, Jefferies analysts took a <em>cautious stance<\/em> on the online travel agency sector. The firm cut its price target for Expedia (<a href=\"\/stock\/EXPE\">EXPE<\/a>) from <strong>$285<\/strong> down to <strong>$240<\/strong>, suggesting potential headwinds in the digital booking space. Conversely, the firm remains optimistic about the aviation recovery in North America, lifting the target for Air Canada (<a href=\"\/stock\/AC\">AC<\/a>) to <strong>C$22<\/strong> from <strong>C$18<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Japan\u2019s Economic Data Weighs on the Yen<\/h2>\n<p>Fresh economic data from Tokyo has sparked volatility in the currency markets. <strong>Japan\u2019s Q4 2025 GDP growth<\/strong> arrived below analyst forecasts, reinforcing the <em>dovish outlook<\/em> for the Bank of Japan. This miss pushed the <strong>EUR\/JPY<\/strong> exchange rate above the <strong>181.50<\/strong> threshold as traders reacted to the sluggish recovery.<\/p>\n<p>Additional data showed that while <strong>Industrial Production<\/strong> remained flat at <strong>-0.1%<\/strong> month-over-month in December, <strong>Capacity Utilization<\/strong> saw a significant rebound. The utilization rate climbed <strong>1.3%<\/strong>, a sharp reversal from the previous <strong>-5.3%<\/strong> contraction. Despite this internal manufacturing efficiency, the <strong>2.6%<\/strong> year-over-year industrial production growth was not enough to offset the broader GDP disappointment.<\/p>\n<h2>Corporate Shifts: Tech Safeguards and Healthcare Targets<\/h2>\n<p>ByteDance is moving to protect its ecosystem following concerns over <strong>Seedance 2.0<\/strong>. The company confirmed it is strengthening safeguards against the <strong>unauthorized use of IP and likenesses<\/strong>, a move seen as a proactive step to avoid legal friction in the evolving AI and digital content landscape. Simultaneously, business schools are reportedly struggling to establish clear <strong>AI guidelines<\/strong> as the technology rapidly integrates into academic and professional environments.<\/p>\n<p>In the healthcare and automotive sectors, analysts are also adjusting their expectations. Jefferies raised its target for Moderna (<a href=\"\/stock\/MRNA\">MRNA<\/a>) to <strong>$37<\/strong> from <strong>$30<\/strong>, reflecting a <em>stabilizing outlook<\/em> for the biotech giant. Meanwhile, TD Cowen analysts issued a significant upgrade for Magna International (<a href=\"\/stock\/MGA\">MGA<\/a>), boosting the price forecast from <strong>$58<\/strong> to <strong>$75<\/strong>, signaling confidence in the automotive supplier&#39;s growth trajectory for 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Jefferies issued a sweeping series of price target upgrades for the gold and copper sectors, signaling a highly 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