Author

admin

Browsing

Tight export controls out of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) added tailwinds to cobalt prices in Q3, prompting market watchers to anticipate a shift from oversupply to balance in the coming months.

After starting the year at lows unseen since 2016 (US$21,502 per metric ton), cobalt began to rebound in Q2.

Prices for the metal then flatlined in the US$33,300 to US$37,000 range from the end of March through September, but a sharp rally in late October sent values to US$47,110, a level last reached in January 2023.

Cobalt price, October 25, 2024, to October 23, 2025.

Chart via Trading Economics.

Much of the cobalt story this year has been dominated by the February export suspension out of the DRC, which supplies roughly three-quarters of the world’s cobalt. The initial curtailment was expected to last four months in an effort to rein in oversupply and stem a price plunge below US$10 per pound, the lowest point in over 20 years.

The supply glut has been attributed to a surge in output driven largely by China’s CMOC Group (OTC Pink:CMCLF, SHA:603993), which has rapidly expanded production at two major DRC mines.

Cobalt supply expected to swing from surplus to balance

Cobalt supply has surged over the past five years, with global mine production more than doubling from 140,000 metric tons in 2020 to 290,000 metric tons in 2024. The bulk of this growth has come out of DRC, with annual output rising from 175,000 metric tons in 2023 to 220,000 metric tons in 2024. This rapid growth has far outpaced demand from the electric vehicle (EV) sector and other end-use industries, resulting in significant market oversupply.

In June, the DRC extended its export halt through September, a move that supported higher price levels.

“Trade statistics for cobalt hydroxide imports into China in June showed the first drop in material following the export ban enforcement in late February,” wrote Fastmarkets’ Rob Searle in a June market update.

“With a typical lead time of around three months, we expected June to be the first month of lower volumes. Cobalt hydroxide imports fell 62 percent in June and are expected to remain at low levels through to the end of December or early 2026. Should the export ban end as planned on September 22, the end of the year is the earliest we can expect to see new feed into the Chinese market from the DRC,’ the battery metals expert continued.

As the deadline for the export halt extension drew near, prices began to climb amid rumors that officials in Kinshashe would implement quotas to continue curbing the market saturation.

After eight months of restricted trade, the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances’ Markets (ARECOMS), announced it was enacting a quota system aimed at stabilizing global supply and prices.

The output cap will permit the export of 18,125 metric tons of DRC cobalt for the remainder of 2025.

“In 2026, the annual quota is set at 96,600t, of which 87,000t will be distributed to producers on a pro rata basis, with 9,600t retained under ARECOMS’ discretionary control,” a September Benchmark Mineral Intelligence report notes. “The framework will run through 2027, with adjustments possible if officials deem the market ‘imbalanced.”

The restrictions lifted cobalt prices to a 32 month high of US$48,570 on October 23.

Strong cobalt demand projected for next two years

Although the cobalt market remains oversupplied, demand has steadily increased alongside ballooning output, reaching record levels of more than 200,000 metric tons in 2024.

“The primary growth driver of this (growth) is the electric vehicle market, combined with portables, which is the second biggest battery market,” explained Benchmark’s William Talbot during a July Cobalt Institute webinar.

The alloy and military applications segment also experienced growth.

Talbot went on to note that despite reports that EV demand is waning in some regions, broad demand remains robust, and EVs that utilize cobalt battery chemistries “are still growing at pace.”

“If we look at the EV picture year-to-date in 2025, we’ve had more than 30 percent growth compared to the same period last year in unit terms,” he explained.

Cobalt price growth to continue into 2026

The cobalt market is entering a phase of continued volatility and structural change, shaped by shifting supply sources, evolving policy frameworks and growing geopolitical tension, as per Benchmark’s Talbot and the Cobalt Institute.

Looking ahead, Benchmark expects Indonesia to overtake the DRC as the key source of new supply by the late 2020s, as projects such as Kalimantan Ferro Nickel ramp up and few new developments emerge in the DRC.

On the demand side, Talbot said the outlook remains “fairly robust,” with EV growth driving consumption, despite some policy headwinds in the US. He pointed to China’s planned ban on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology, which he said “is supportive of cobalt-containing chemistries” such as nickel cobalt manganese (NCM).

Rising geopolitical tensions are also reshaping the cobalt supply chain.

“Major players are increasingly cognizant of where their materials come from,” Talbot said, citing new US and European investment in strategic and ESG-compliant cobalt projects.

Talbot added that the cobalt value chain has made “leaps and bounds” in sustainability, with roughly 80 percent of refined cobalt now assessed under the Responsible Minerals Initiative — a key factor for automakers and original equipment manufacturers under tightening compliance requirements.

While Benchmark remains cautious with projections, analysts at Project Blue say cobalt prices could rebound sharply in 2026 and 2027 as the DRC enforces its new export cap of 96,600 metric tons per year.

“Such constraints could lift cobalt prices toward historical real levels of over US$20 per pound,” reads a Project Blue report, noting that the quota “came in lower than many expected,” but aligns with its call for a rebalanced market.

According to Project Blue, at least 100,000 metric tons of exports would be needed next year to maintain equilibrium. Accounting for shipping delays and processing losses, only 85,000 to 90,000 metric tons are expected to reach end users — creating a structural deficit that should continue to support prices. The quota framework could also spur domestic refining as export restrictions make long-term storage of cobalt hydroxide costly.

Industry observers warn that producers — especially copper-cobalt miners such as CMOC — may need to adopt financial hedging and adjust production plans to navigate the added bureaucracy and potential export delays.

Similarly, Fastmarkets expects the DRC’s new rules to support cobalt prices, which have already soared more than 240 percent since February, Alexander Cook wrote in an LME Week recap. Fastmarkets assessed cobalt hydroxide prices at US$19.50 to US$20.20 on October 14, up from just US$5.65 in February.

The restrictions have sharply curtailed available volumes — much of which are already locked into long-term contracts — leaving the spot market increasingly constrained, wrote Cook.

Market participants expect further gains, though analysts caution that such elevated prices could push some battery makers to accelerate the shift toward cobalt-free chemistries such as LFP.

While the quota system has bolstered prices in the short term, the long-term outlook remains uncertain.

Analysts note that cobalt’s fate is increasingly tied to copper market dynamics and the pace of EV demand recovery, with downstream buyers and automakers reassessing cobalt’s role in next-generation batteries.

Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ,OTC:QQCMF) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) announces that it has closed the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the ‘Offering’). In connection with closing, the Company has issued 14,000,334 units (each, a ‘Unit’) at a price of $0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of $2,100,050. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (each, a ‘Share’) and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, an ‘Warrant’). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.20 until October 24, 2027, subject to accelerated expiry in the event the closing price of the Shares is $0.50 or higher for ten consecutive trading days.

The Company expects to utilize the proceeds of the Offering for advancement of ongoing exploration and drill work at the La Union Gold and Silver Project, upcoming exploration work at the North Island Copper Property, and for general working capital purposes.

A portion of the Units issued under the first tranche the Offering, representing $2,000,000 will be held pursuant to a sharing agreement entered into with an institutional investor, Sorbie Bornholm LP (‘Sorbie‘) and the Company (the ‘Sharing Agreement‘). The Sharing Agreement provides that the Company’s economic interest will be determined in twenty-four monthly settlement tranches as measured against the Benchmark Price (as defined herein). If, at the time of settlement, the Settlement Price (determined monthly based on a volume-weighted average price for twenty trading days prior to the settlement date) (the ‘Settlement Price‘) exceeds the benchmark price of $0.1949 (the ‘Benchmark Price‘), the Company shall receive more than one-hundred percent of the monthly settlement due, on a pro-rata basis. There is no upper limit placed on the additional proceeds receivable by the Company as part of the monthly settlements. If, at the time of settlement, the Settlement Price is below the Benchmark Price of $0.1949, the Company will receive less than one-hundred percent of the monthly settlement due on a pro-rata basis. In no event will a decline in the Settlement Price of the Units result in an increase in the number of Units being issued to Sorbie.

The Units issued to subscribers in the first tranche of the Offering were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption (the ‘Listed Issuer Financing Exemption‘) under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (‘NI 45-106‘). As a result, they are not subject to statutory hold periods. In connection with the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the Company has prepared and filed an offering document related to the Offering that is available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at: www.questcorpmining.ca. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision. No finders’ fees or commissions were paid in connection with completion of the first tranche of the Offering, but Sorbie received a corporate finance fee in the amount $130,000 payable through the issuance of 866,667 Units at price of $0.15 per Unit.

The Company anticipates completing a further tranche of the Offering for up to a further 9,333,000 Units, to bring combined gross proceeds from the Offering to $3,500,000. The Company anticipates that the remaining Units will be offered to subscribers pursuant to the accredited investor exemption (the ‘Accredited Investor Exemption‘) under Section 2.3 of NI 45-106. All securities issued pursuant to the Accredited Investor Exemption will be subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four-months-and-one-day in accordance with applicable securities laws. In connection with completion of the remaining tranche of the Offering, the Company may pay finders’ fees to eligible third-parties who have introduced subscribers to the Offering. Completion of a final tranche of the Offering remains subject to receipt of regulatory approvals.

About Questcorp Mining Inc.

Questcorp Mining Inc. is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper Property, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union Project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation.

Contact Information

Questcorp Mining Corp.
Saf Dhillon, President & CEO
Email: saf@questcorpmining.ca
Telephone: (604) 484-3031

This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the ability of Riverside to secure geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets as contemplated or at all, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that the geophysical surveys will be completed as contemplated or at all and that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/271978

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Ed Steer of Ed Steer’s Gold and Silver Digest shares his thoughts on silver’s run past US$50 per ounce, saying that in his view the bull market is just getting started.

‘One way or another we’re going to run into a supply/demand brick wall, and when that day happens we could see triple-digit silver prices in a very, very short period of time,’ he said.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

The gold price declined from its recent all-time highs this week, sinking to nearly US$4,000 per ounce and recording its biggest one-day decline in more than 12 years.

Silver took a similar hit, slipping back below the US$50 per ounce level.

The drops have been attributed to factors like a stronger US dollar and lower US-China tensions, as well as profit taking, potentially from traders who are new to the market.

Many experts have been anticipating a correction for the metals — their latest rise has been quick, and no asset can go straight up forever.

However, there’s also a broad consensus that gold has entered a new phase. For example, Patrick Tuohy of Goldstrom believes gold won’t fall below US$3,000 again.

Here’s what Tuohy said:

‘Is this a short-term phenomenon that’s going to have some some dynamics that are going to turn it on its head and it reverses 50, 60 percent? I don’t believe that is the case. I think within our group … the consensus is that it’s unlikely that we’ll see gold below US$3,000 again in our lifetimes. So let’s say that that’s the floor. That’s a fairly significant move from where we were two years ago. So that’s comfortable.’

Next week, all eyes will be on the US Federal Reserve, which is set to meet from October 28 to 29. CME Group’s (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool shows strong expectations for another interest rate cut.

While the release of US government data has been affected by the ongoing shutdown, September consumer price index numbers were released on Friday (October 24).

The report was the first major piece of federal economic data to come out since the shutdown began, and it has confirmed expectations of another rate reduction.

Bullet briefing — What’s next for gold and silver?

Gold and silver prices perked up to end the week, rising to the US$4,100 and US$48.60 levels, respectively. But with the metals still off from their all-time highs, investors are wondering what’s next.

Opinions vary, but I’ve pulled together a couple of quotes that illustrate what I’m hearing.

First is Ed Steer of Ed Steer’s Gold and Silver Digest. He’s well known for his commentary on the precious metals space, and he weighed in on what’s next for silver, saying that today really is different compared to the other times silver rose to the US$50 level.

Here’s how he explained it:

‘It’s irrelevant what the price is today. You look at the big picture, and look at the fact that the BRICS+ have become an absolutely awesome juggernaut, and it’s absolutely unstoppable. And as we shift from the west to the east, as this continues economically, financially, it’s impossible to say where this is going to end up.

‘But what we’re living right now is we’re living through a major, major shift in financial power, from one area of the world to another, and we’re going to be — they’re going to be writing about this 1,000 years from now. So we’re living through history.’

Next we have Don Durrett of GoldStockData.com. This interview is from the week before last, so it’s a little older, but definitely still relevant. I’ve kept thinking about a comment Durrett made about one way we can tell the gold cycle is still early. This is what he said:

The thing that really reveals how early we are is the stock market is only 2 percent from an all-time high. What in the world is the stock market doing at an all-time high and gold at an all-time high? Those are antagonistic. Gold is supposed to be a hedge against uncertainty. The stock market is supposed to show basically confidence.

And so if you have an all-time high, people should be confident. Everything’s fine. We don’t need this. But people are not confident. People have said this is the most scary bull market ever. Nobody really believes in it, right? … So the question is, who’s telling the truth? Is the stock market telling the truth at an all time high, or is it gold is telling the truth? Well, it’s pretty obvious that gold’s the one telling the truth.

In It To Win It interview

Finally, if you’d like to hear more from me, I was recently interviewed by Steve Barton of In It To Win It.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Card-reading contact lenses, X-ray poker tables, trays of poker chips that read cards, hacked shuffling machines that predict hands. The technology alleged to have been used to execute a multistate, rigged poker operation sounds like it’s straight out of Hollywood.

And those were only some of the gadgets that authorities say were used to swindle millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims through rigged, high-dollar, underground poker games over more than five years.

A sprawling indictment unsealed Thursday by the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York charged Chauncey Billups, the head coach of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, and Damon Jones, a former NBA player, along with members of the Mafia and dozens of other defendants, with being part of a conspiracy.

The victims were “at the mercy of concealed technology, including rigged shuffling machines and specially designed contacts lenses and sunglasses to read the backs of playing cards, which ensured that the victims would lose big,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella of Brooklyn said in a statement.

Cheating at poker is as old as poker itself. But today, wearable tech and nano-cameras are putting even upstanding poker players on their guard.

The defendants used “special contact lenses or eyeglasses that could read pre-marked cards,” Nocella said at a news conference announcing the indictments.

He also showed a photo of an X-ray table that “could read cards face down on the table … because of the X-ray technology.”

An X-ray poker table in an image from defendant Robert Stroud’s iCloud account.U.S. Justice Department

“Defendants used other cheating technologies, such as poker chip tray analyzers, which is a poker chip tray that secretly reads cards using a hidden camera,” he said.

And while marking poker cards so they are visible only with special eyewear is an old trick, new radio-frequency identification and infrared technologies have ramped up the sophistication levels.

Technically speaking, many of the devices involved in the alleged scam authorities detailed Thursday are relatively cheap to manufacture, said Sal Piacente, a gaming security consultant.

By the time they reach their customers, however, the cost of industrial shufflers or tables can easily approach $100,000, once distributors and middlemen are factored in.

“You could make a lucrative career buying this stuff,” Piacente said.

Casino and gaming security consultants told NBC News that the alleged scheme was possible only because the games were underground. In backrooms, there was none of the surveillance tech that reputable casinos use to catch players cheating.

“A lot of the features which made this scheme so successful would have been ID’d a lot sooner, or very quickly, in a traditional regulated gaming environment,” said Ian Messenger, a former U.K. law enforcement officer and founder and CEO of the Association of Certified Gaming Compliance Specialists.

More than any other tech, it was the reprogramming of the industrial card shufflers — identified in charging documents as Deckmate-brand machines — that authorities said was key to the alleged game rigging.

A DeckMate 2 shuffler taken apart on a table in an image from defendant Shane Hennen’s iCloud account. U.S. Justice Department

Deckmates are not sold directly to the public — though many used ones can be found for sale online. The ones at the high-dollar games cited in the indictment could read cards and predict which player had the best hand. Neither Deckmate nor its parent company, Light & Wonder, were implicated in any way in Thursday’s indictments.

A spokesman for Light & Wonder told NBC News in a statement that the company was aware of reports about the charges against people but said they were not affiliated with the company.

“We sell and lease our automatic card shufflers and other gaming products and services only to licensed casinos and other licensed gaming establishments,” said Andy Fouché, the company’s vice president of communications. “We will cooperate in any law enforcement investigation related to this indictment.”

Reprogramming shufflers is not a new trick. In 2023, hackers at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas presented research showing how to hack a Deckmate shuffler and use it to cheat.

The rigged shuffler machines would transmit information about the players’ hands to an off-site “operator,” according to prosecutors.

The computer program showing information transmitted by the rigged shuffling machine in an image from defendant Shane Hennen’s iCloud account. U.S. Justice Department

The operator would then communicate the information to someone else at the table, dubbed the “quarterback.” The victim was known as the “fish.”

Here, the high-tech gadgets met the low-tech of a card game.

The quarterback might touch the $1,000 poker chip or tap his chin or touch his black chips to indicate who at the table had the best hand.

Text messages obtained by prosecutors also appear to show defendants concerned that a fish would leave the table if he lost too many hands.

“Guys please let him win a hand he’s in for 40k in 40 minutes he will leave if he gets no traction,” read one text message released by authorities.

But according to Messenger, the consultant, it was not the tech that made the alleged scheme so successful for so long. What set it apart was the level of communication.

For example, he said, the card information had to be seamlessly passed from the dealing machines to an off-site operator and back to a person back at the table, all without alerting the fish.

“The piece that made this so successful was the coordination, not the technology,” he said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Target said Thursday that it is eliminating about 1,800 corporate positions in an effort to streamline decision-making and accelerate initiatives to rebuild the flagging discount retailer’s customer base.

About 1,000 employees are expected to receive layoff notices next week, and the company also plans to eliminate about 800 vacant jobs, a company spokesperson said. The cuts represent about 8% of Target’s corporate workforce globally, although the majority of the affected employees work at the company’s Minneapolis headquarters, the spokesperson said.

Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke, who is set to become Target’s next CEO on Feb. 1, issued a note to personnel on Thursday announcing the downsizing. He said further details would come on Tuesday, and he asked employees at the Minneapolis offices to work from home next week.

“The truth is, the complexity we’ve created over time has been holding us back,” Fiddelke, a 20-year Target veteran, wrote in his note. “Too many layers and overlapping work have slowed decisions, making it harder to bring ideas to life.”

Target, which has about 1,980 U.S. stores, lost ground to Walmart and Amazon in recent years as inflation caused shoppers to curtail their discretionary spending. Customers have complained of messy stores with merchandise that did not reflect the expensive-looking but budget-priced niche that long ago earned the retailer the jokingly posh nickname “Tarzhay.”

Fiddelke said in August when he was announced as Target’s next CEO that he would step into the role with three urgent priorities: reclaiming the company’s position as a leader in selecting and displaying merchandise; improving the customer experience by making sure shelves are consistently stocked and stores are clean; and investing in technology.

He cited the same goals in his message to employees, calling the layoffs a “necessary step in building the future of Target and enabling the progress and growth we all want to see.”

“Adjusting our structure is one part of the work ahead of us. It will also require new behaviors and sharper priorities that strengthen our retail leadership in style and design and enable faster execution,” he wrote.

Target has reported flat or declining comparable sales — those from established physical stores and online channels — in nine out of the past 11 quarters. The company reported in August that comparable sales dipped 1.9% in its second quarter, when its net income also dropped 21%.

The job cuts will not affect any store employees or workers in Target’s sorting, distribution and other supply chain facilities, the company spokesperson said.

The corporate workers losing their jobs will receive pay and benefits until Jan. 8 as well as severance packages, the spokesperson said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Biotech is a dynamic industry that is driving scientific advances and innovation in healthcare. In Canada, the biotech sector is home to companies pursuing cutting-edge therapies and medical technologies.

Read on to learn what’s been driving these Canadian biotech firms.

1. Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (TSX:EPRX)

Year-on-year gain: 141.23 percent
Market cap: C$410.85 million
Share price: C$8.25

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals is developing clinical candidates that employ its DiffuSphere technology, which delivers treatments to the targeted tissues.

The company’s candidates are currently EP-104GI for eosinophilic esophagitis and EP-104IAR for knee osteoarthritis, and it is exploring the use of its technology for other active compounds as well.

Eupraxia added EP-104GI to its pipeline through its acquisition of EpiPharma Therapeutics in late 2023. The company has continued to advance the treatment through clinical trials in 2025 and released multiple rounds of positive data from its Phase 1b/2a trial cohorts.

In July, Eupraxia dosed its first patient after advancing its investigation to Phase 2b trials based on safety and efficacy data from the earlier Phase 2a patient cohorts. Top-line results from the Phase 2b study are anticipated in the second half of 2026.

In September, the company shared data from the highest-dose cohort of the still ongoing Phase 1b/2a trials, reporting that the group saw the largest improvements so far.

2. Bright Minds Biosciences (CSE:DRUG)

Year-on-year gain: 103.17 percent
Market cap: C$683.67 million
Share price: C$92.95

Bright Minds Biosciences is developing novel serotonin agonists targeting neurocircuit abnormalities linked to neuropsychiatric disorders and epilepsy, designing next-generation treatments that aim to retain the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics while minimizing side effects.

Its lead candidate, BMB-101, a selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist, has shown encouraging preclinical efficacy by stopping seizures in an epilepsy mouse model, evaluated jointly with Firefly Neuroscience (NASDAQ:AIFF).

The company’s stock surged nearly 1,500 percent in October 2024 following H. Lundbeck’s acquisition announcement of a competitor focused on similar targets. Strengthening its epilepsy expertise, Bright Minds expanded its scientific advisory board in early 2025 by adding five leaders in the field.

Ongoing clinical progress and strategic growth initiatives position Bright Minds as a promising contender in the neuropsychiatric treatment landscape.

3. Hemostemix (TSXV:HEM)

Year-on-year gain: 31.25 percent
Market cap: C$18.40 million
Share price: C$0.11

Hemostemix is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing autologous stem cell therapies, meaning the treatments use a patient’s own cells to theoretically enhance safety and efficacy.

Its main product, ACP-01, is an autologous cell therapy designed to promote tissue repair and regeneration in areas affected by diseases, including a range of heart diseases.

The company announced its first advanced sales orders for ACP-01 in Q1 2025 and has been working to expand internationally and attract new investment.

Hemostemix secured the regulatory green light for commercial sales in Florida after the state passed Senate Bill 1768. The bill creates a framework in which healthcare providers can administer stem cell therapies that had not yet been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but meet the bill’s guidelines.

The company now offers commercial ACP-01 treatments for ischemic pain in the state under the name VesCell, with sales forecasted to reach C$22.5 million in 2026. Operational plans target cash flow positivity by Q4 2026, supported by a growing physician network and commercial pipeline.

Additionally, Hemostemix is currently collaborating with Firefly Neuroscience on a Phase 1 clinical trial of ACP-01 for vascular dementia.

4. NervGen (TSXV:NGEN)

Year-on-year gain: 79.92 percent
Market cap: C$300.97 million
Share price: C$4.39

NervGen is a clinical-stage Canadian biotechnology company that focuses on developing innovative treatments to enable the nervous system to repair itself following damage from injury or disease.

The company’s core technology targets a mechanism that hinders nervous system repair. When the nervous system is damaged, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG) form a “scar.” Initially, CSPGs help contain damage, but their long-term interaction with the PTPσ receptor inhibits repair.

NervGen’s lead drug candidate, NVG-291, is designed to relieve these inhibitory effects to promote nervous system repair. It received fast-track designation from the US FDA.

NervGen is advancing NVG-291 in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial for spinal cord injury (SCI) and reported positive data from the chronic cohort in June.

NVG-300, a newer preclinical candidate, is being evaluated for ischemic stroke and SCI.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

The American cattle ranching industry is blasting President Donald Trump’s proposal to purchase beef from Argentina in an effort to lower supermarket beef prices.

“This plan only creates chaos at a critical time of the year for American cattle producers, while doing nothing to lower grocery store prices,” Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said in a statement Monday.

Wyoming-based cattle operation Meriwether Farms addressed Trump directly in a social media post Monday.

“We love you and support you — but your suggestion to buy beef from Argentina to stabilize beef prices would be an absolute betrayal to the American cattle rancher,” the farm wrote on X.

By midday Tuesday, the post had already received 4 million views. A representative for Meriwether Farms did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump floated purchasing beef from the South American nation Sunday aboard Air Force One to push down U.S. beef prices by increasing the overall supply.

‘We would buy some beef from Argentina,’ he told reporters, ‘If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.’

Beef prices have hit record highs this year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fueled in part by depleted herd counts and steady demand from U.S. consumers.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

A group that includes activist investor Jana Partners and NFL player Travis Kelce says it has accumulated one of the largest ownership stakes in Six Flags Entertainment and intends to press the company’s leadership on ways to improve the struggling amusement park operator’s business.

Jana said Tuesday that the investor group now owns an economic interest of approximately 9% in Six Flags. The group plans to ‘engage’ with Six Flags’ management and board of directors to discuss ways to enhance shareholder value and improve visitors’ experience.

Shares in the Charlotte, North Carolina-based Six Flags surged 17.7% on the news. The shares added another 5.1% gain in after-hours trading. Even with Tuesday’s rally, the company’s shares are down about 47% so far this year.

Six Flags reported a loss of $319.4 million for the first half of the year. The company said attendance fell 9% in the three months that ended June 29, due partly to bad weather and a ‘challenged consumer’ in most of the markets it operates in.

The investor group also includes consumer executive Glenn Murphy and technology executive Dave Habiger.

Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, said in a statement that he grew up going to Six Flags amusement parks.

‘The chance to help make Six Flags special for the next generation is one I couldn’t pass up,’ he said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS