As 2025 comes to a close, the investment landscape has offered a year of contrasts. Mega-cap tech stocks dominated headlines, driven by artificial intelligence and cloud computing, while the small-cap sector faced a challenging environment, weighed down by elevated interest rates, cautious credit markets, and selective investor demand. Yet for those focused on quality small-cap companies, the year also laid the groundwork for potential gains in 2026, particularly in mining, biotech, and technology sectors.