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This week, we’re keeping an eye on three major stocks that are reporting earnings. Two of them have been beaten down and are looking to turn things around, while the third has had a tremendous run and is looking to keep its extraordinary momentum going. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Could FedEx Be Ready for a Comeback?

FedEx (FDX) had a rough go last quarter, missing its EPS estimates and slashing its full-year outlook thanks to softening demand and losing a USPS contract. That combination of earnings shortfall and downgraded guidance spooked investors, with FDX’s stock price tumbling more than 10% in the days following the release. After “Liberation Day,” share prices traded even lower.

FedEx continues to take steps to cut costs and segment spinoffs to streamline and turn the stock around. Can FedEx do it fast enough? Any positive forward guidance will be critical to drive a sustained rebound in the stock’s price.

From a technical perspective, FDX shares have bounced back to the levels traded after its last quarterly results. The stock price is coiling between its longer-term downtrend and near-term uptrend from the lows.

The good news is that shares have recaptured their 50-day moving average; the bad news is that price is bumping up to its longer-term downtrend. Something’s got to give.

  • The average move post-earnings is +/-5.6%. 
  • An upward move should break it out of this downtrend and set shares on a path towards its 200-day moving average, which is just under $255.
  • A downward move would break the near-term downtrend, but could pause around the 50-day moving average and a consolidation area around $215.

Playing this stock into earnings has been a fool’s game. Wait for the dust to settle before jumping in. That could mean:

  • A break below the 50-day moving average and a move to the $200 level.
  • A gap up, which could mean the end of this downtrend and should be chased to the 200-day moving average.

Micron: Time for a Breather?

Micron Technology (MU) has been on fire since selling off during the “Liberation Day” chaos. It broke below a major support area, but quickly recaptured it.

The pendulum price action was a wild swing in the opposite direction. MU’s stock price broke out above a major resistance area and is in a precarious position as Micron heads into Wednesday’s quarterly results.

MU’s stock price is extremely overbought and may struggle to keep this upward momentum going. We have seen other tech stocks, such as Broadcom (AVGO) and CrowdStrike (CRWD), experience similar moves going into earnings. Both stocks reported solid quarters and guided higher, yet sold off.

Given the 100% gain from its April 7 lows, the overbought condition, and natural support areas (old resistance) at the $114 area, a pullback to here seems logical. The area below $114 to watch is the rising 200-day moving average, which is around $96 and seems like a better entry point than chasing the stock now.

Good earnings numbers should see a small fade to the $114 area and then hold. That is what happened in other stocks with big run-ups into earnings: a fade back to the recent breakout. If Micron reports numbers below estimates and/or weak guidance, expect a deeper pullback to the 200-day, which should act as strong support if tested again. Any further rally should be faded as MU nears $150 and all-time highs. That could put its relative strength index (RSI) into the 90s; historically, that doesn’t hold for very long.

Nike (NKE): Waiting for a Spark

Nike (NKE) has traded lower after eight of its last nine earnings reports, including the last six in a row. Shares are still down 66% from their 2021 all-time highs and, year-to-date, are lower by 21%.

It has been a tough environment for the iconic sports brand. Shareholders have been anxiously waiting for new management to turn things around, but high inventories and now tariff concerns have stymied any sense of a sustainable rally.

Technically speaking, things aren’t looking good. Investors are looking for any sign of a turnaround or a tradable bottom. While there has been minor progress coming off the lows, there’s nothing to indicate the stock is back.

Momentum indicators have turned bearish. The RSI has crossed below its midline, while the moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) had a bearish crossover.

Entering the week, the stock is at a good support level around $59, which brings the 50-day moving average and recent lows into play. While NIKE’s stock price has a lot to reverse and looks tempting, there is still much overhead resistance to give the all clear and jump into the trade, based on this week’s earnings. Positive news could see a tradeable upside to its 200-day moving average, which should then be faded.

For this stock to finally reverse, it needs more time and a few quarters of solid growth. It may be wiser to buy shares on a breakdown towards its lows around $52. If that occurs, then expect it to hold and rally back over the weeks ahead of its next quarterly result. 

The Bottom Line

This week’s earnings action is a good reminder to stay patient and be selective. Watch how these stocks react after earnings rather than trying to forecast the move. Sometimes, waiting for confirmation is the best strategy, especially when markets are so reactive.



In this video, Mary Ellen opens with a look at the S&P 500, noting that the index remains above its 10-day average despite a brief pullback—a sign of healthy market breadth. She points to ongoing sector leadership in technology, while observing that energy and defense stocks are breaking higher and offering fresh opportunities. From there, Mary Ellen shares stocks that experienced strong earnings, talks AI-related stocks that are on the move higher, and looks at winners and losers following the passage of the Genius Act.

This video originally premiered on June 20, 2025. You can watch it on our dedicated page for Mary Ellen’s videos.

New videos from Mary Ellen premiere weekly on Fridays. You can view all previously recorded episodes at this link.

If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, be sure to check out the MEM Edge Report! This report gives you detailed information on the top sectors, industries and stocks so you can make informed investment decisions.


(TheNewswire)

TORONTO, ON TheNewswire – June 24, 2025 –Silver Crown Royalties Inc. (‘ Silver Crown ‘, ‘ SCRi ‘, the ‘ Corporation ‘, or the ‘ Company ‘) (Cboe:SCRI; OTCQX:SLCRF; FRA:QS0) is pleased to announce that the Company has successfully closed the first tranche (‘ First Tranche ‘) of its non-brokered offering of units of the Company (‘ Units ‘) for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 that was previously announced on May 20, 2025 (the ‘ Offering ‘). The Company issued 102,838 Units at a price of C$6.50 per Unit pursuant to the First Tranche for gross proceeds of approximately C$668,447.

Each Unit consists of one common share (‘ Common Share ‘) and one Common Share purchase warrant (‘ Warrant ‘), with each Warrant exercisable to acquire one additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$13.00 for a period of three years from the date hereof.

The proceeds from the First Tranche will be used to fund the Company’s silver royalty acquisition on the Igor 4 project in Peru, as well as general and administrative expenses. All securities issued are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. The closing was subject to customary conditions, including the approval of Cboe Canada Inc.

The Company is also pleased to announce it is extending the closing of an additional tranche of the Offering to July 11, 2025.

ABOUT Silver Crown Royalties INC.

Founded by industry veterans, Silver Crown Royalties ( Cboe: SCRI | OTCQX: SLCRF | BF: QS0 ) is a publicly traded, silver royalty company. Silver Crown (SCRi) currently has four silver royalties of which three are revenue-generating. Its business model presents investors with precious metals exposure that allows for a natural hedge against currency devaluation while minimizing the negative impact of cost inflation associated with production. SCRi endeavors to minimize the economic impact on mining projects while maximizing returns for shareholders. For further information, please contact:

Silver Crown Royalties Inc.

Peter Bures, Chairman and CEO

Telephone: (416) 481-1744

Email: pbures@silvercrownroyalties.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains certain ‘forward looking statements’ and certain ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘continue’, ‘plans’ or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, the proceeds from the First Tranche will be used to fund the Company’s silver royalty acquisition on the Igor 4 project in Peru, as well as general and administrative expenses. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions; the absence of control over mining operations from which SCRi will purchase gold and other metals or from which it will receive royalty payments and risks related to those mining operations, including risks related to international operations, government and environmental regulation, delays in mine construction and operations, actual results of mining and current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title matters, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions in operations; SCRi’s ability to enter into definitive agreements and close proposed royalty transactions; the inherent uncertainties related to the valuations ascribed by SCRi to its royalty interests; problems inherent to the marketability of gold and other metals; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of the primary commodities mined at such operations, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and fluctuations in interest rates; government entities interpreting existing tax legislation or enacting new tax legislation in a way which adversely affects SCRi; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; liability, competition, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises on SCRi’s business, operations and financial condition, loss of key employees. SCRi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance 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 are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. SCRi undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on information currently available.

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any such offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein will be made only pursuant to subscription documentation between the Company and prospective purchasers. Any such offering will be made in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, pursuant to a subscription agreement to be entered into by the Company and prospective investors. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

CBOE CANADA DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) is pleased to announce the commencement of the first phase work program at its La Union carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) project, located in Sonora, Mexico. Questcorp is earning a 100% interest from Riverside Resources Inc. in the 2,520 ha (25 km sq) property by making a series of cash payments and share issuance and completing a series of exploration expenditures.

The initial stages of phase one will concentrate on finalizing the location of drill targets and drill pads for the upcoming drill program. Field activities are underway and include:

  • Establishment of 5 to 6 one kilometre picket lines for IP surveying which commenced on Monday. The IP lines are being run over the heart of some of the past mining areas which continue to be known expansive target areas to help evaluate further potential, possible most favorable zones and assist to model the larger context for the upcoming drill holes. This work further de-risks the up-coming first pass drill holes.
  • Sampling of limestone and dolomite host rocks across the mineralization from country rock through to the heart of mineralization for Black Light analysis and alteration vector modeling. The objective is to use the changes or variance in fluorescence to map alteration patterns to vector into the heart of the manto and chimney plumbing systems.
  • Geological mapping of drill collar sites and section lines particularly along the surface of the IP lines to help develop the most accurate interpretations of the IP data for drill hole planning.
  • Rock and soil sampling of peripheral areas to identify additional targets including study of the stratigraphy for understanding and context with the many mineralization showings on the large district holding.

‘We are extremely pleased to initiate the fully funded first phase work program at La Union,’ commented Questcorp President & CEO Saf Dhillon. ‘We are first concentrating on de-risking the upcoming 1,500 metre drill program scheduled for mid to late Q3 through alteration mapping and IP geophysics,’ he continued. ‘Under the technical expertise of John-Mark Staude and the Riverside team we are confident we are maximizing every exploration dollar being invested at La Union,’ he concluded.

Riverside Resources Inc. President & CEO John-Mark Staude stated ‘The work program is going well, I have been in the field this past week with the exploration team and pleased to see the safe, high quality focus of good work and diving into careful review of the planned drill sites and now the IP program is underway. It is great to work with Saf, Tim and the entire Questcorp organization.’

The La Union Project

The La Union Project is a carbonate replacement deposit (‘CRD‘) project hosted by Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks (limestones, dolomites, and siliciclastic sediments) overlying crystalline Paleoproterozoic rocks of the Caborca Terrane. The structural setting features high-angle normal faults and low-to-medium-angle thrust faults that sometimes served as mineralization conduits. Mineralization occurs as polymetallic veins, replacement zones (mantos, chimneys), and shear zones with high-grade metal content, as shown in highlight grades of 59.4 grams per metric tonne (g/t) gold, 833 g/t silver, 11% zinc, 5.5% lead, 2.2% copper, along with significant hematite and manganese oxides, consistent with a CRD model (see the technical report entitled ‘NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Union Project, State of Sonora, Mexico’ dated effective May 6, 2025 available under Questcorp’s SEDAR+ profile). These targets also demonstrate intriguing potential for large gold discoveries potentially above an even larger porphyry Cu district potential as the Company’s target concept at this time.

Questcorp cautions investors grab samples are selective by nature and not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization on the property.

Riverside, the operator of the La Union Project, is currently lining up the various geophysical contractors to immediately undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets.

The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by R. Tim Henneberry, P. Geo (BC), a director of the Company and a ‘qualified person’ under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

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 Riverside’s arrangements with geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets. 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/256556

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Walmart has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission civil lawsuit accusing the world’s largest retailer of ignoring warning signs that fraudsters used its money transfer services to fleece consumers out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The settlement was filed on Friday in Chicago federal court, and requires approval by U.S. District Judge Manish Shah.

Walmart also agreed not to process money transfers it suspects are fraudulent, or help sellers and telemarketers it believes are using its services to commit fraud.

“Electronic money transfers are one of the most common ways that scammers tell consumers to send them money, because once it’s sent, it’s gone for good,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC consumer protection bureau. “Companies that provide these services must train their employees to comply with the law and work to protect consumers.”

The Arkansas-based retailer did not admit or deny wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. Walmart did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In its June 2022 complaint, the FTC accused Walmart of turning a blind eye to fraudsters who used its money transfer services to cash out at its stores.

Walmart acts as an agent for money transfers by companies such as MoneyGram and Western Union. Money can be hard to trace once delivered.

The FTC said fraudsters used many schemes that included impersonating Internal Revenue Service agents, impersonating family members who needed money from grandparents to avoid jail, and telling victims they won lotteries or sweepstakes but owed fees to collect their winnings.

Shah dismissed part of the FTC case last July but let the regulator pursue the remainder. Walmart appealed from that decision. Friday’s settlement would end the appeal.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Apple was sued on Friday by shareholders in a proposed securities fraud class action that accused it of downplaying how long it needed to integrate advanced artificial intelligence into its Siri voice assistant, hurting iPhone sales and its stock price.

The complaint covers shareholders who suffered potentially hundreds of billions of dollars of losses in the year ending June 9, when Apple introduced several features and aesthetic improvements for its products but kept AI changes modest.

Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

CEO Tim Cook, Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh and former CFO Luca Maestri are also defendants in the lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court.

Shareholders led by Eric Tucker said that at its June 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple led them to believe AI would be a key driver of iPhone 16 devices, when it launched Apple Intelligence to make Siri more powerful and user-friendly. But they said the Cupertino, California-based company lacked a functional prototype of AI-based Siri features and could not reasonably believe the features would ever be ready for iPhone 16s.

Shareholders said the truth began to emerge on March 7 when Apple delayed some Siri upgrades to 2026 and continued through this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9 when Apple’s assessment of its AI progress disappointed analysts.

Apple shares have lost nearly one-fourth of their value since their Dec. 26, 2024 ,record high, wiping out approximately $900 billion of market value.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

A British-flagged luxury superyacht that sank off Sicily last year, killing UK tech magnate Mike Lynch and six others, completed its final trip to the Sicilian port of Termini Imerese Sunday, a day after recovery crews finalized the complex operation to lift it out of the water.

The white top and blue hull of the 56-meter (184-foot) Bayesian, covered with algae and mud, was kept elevated by the yellow floating crane barge off the port of Porticello, before being transferred to Termini Imerese, where it docked in the early afternoon.

On Monday, the delicate recovery operation will be concluded, as the vessel will be transported to shore and settled in a specially built steel cradle.

Then it will be made available for investigators for further examinations to help determine the cause of the sinking.

The Bayesian sank Aug. 19 off Porticello, near Palermo, during a violent storm as Lynch was treating friends to a cruise to celebrate his acquittal two months earlier in the US on fraud charges. Lynch, his daughter and five others died. Fifteen people survived, including the captain and all crew members except the chef.

Italian authorities are conducting a full criminal investigation.

The vessel was slowly raised from the seabed 50 meters (165 feet) deep over three days to allow the steel lifting straps, slings and harnesses to be secured under the keel.

The Bayesian is missing its 72-meter (236-foot) mast, which was cut off and left on the seabed for future removal. The mast had to be detached to allow the hull to be brought to a nearly upright position that would allow the craft to be raised.

British investigators said in an interim report issued last month that the yacht was knocked over by “extreme wind” and couldn’t recover.

The report said the crew of the Bayesian had chosen the site where it sank as shelter from forecast thunderstorms. Wind speeds exceeded 70 knots (81 mph) at the time of the sinking and “violently” knocked the vessel over to a 90-degree angle in under 15 seconds.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

It’s a Monday night in June and hundreds have braved the haze of Canadian wildfires to gather in a cavernous sports facility in the city of Red Deer, Alberta.

An Alberta team, the Edmonton Oilers, are taking on the Florida Panthers in a National Hockey League finals game tonight. The atmosphere is heavy with anticipation.

But these people aren’t here for hockey. This is a rally for Alberta independence.

It might be hard to believe, given Canadian sports fans’ recent booing of “The Star Spangled Banner,” but not all Canadians took offense to US President Donald Trump’s questioning of their country’s sovereignty.

In oil-rich Alberta, where a movement for independence from Canada appears to be gathering steam, many see in Trump a powerful and important ally whose haranguing of their former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was as welcome as his calls to “drill baby, drill.”

Though some see US statehood as a step too far, many in the Red Deer crowd believe the US president – as a fellow pro-oil conservative – would recognize a breakaway Alberta should a vote on independence go their way.

Donald Trump is not the savior of the world,” says Albert Talsma, a welding contractor from Bentley. “But right now he’s North America’s best asset.”

With their “Make Alberta Great Again” hats, “Alberta Republic” T-shirts and posters declaring “Albertans for Alberta!” it’s not hard to see parallels to the US president’s MAGA movement and the forces that inspired it.

Separatists here have long argued that Canada’s federal system fails to represent their interests; that the federal government’s efforts to stymie climate change are holding back Alberta’s lucrative oil industry (the largest in Canada); that they pay more than they get back through federal taxation; that their conservative values are drowned out by the more liberal eastern provinces.

“Alberta hasn’t been treated fairly since 1905, when we joined Confederation. They basically used the west as a colony, to take wealth from the west to support the east,” says Kate Graham, a singing grandmother from Calgary.

She opens the rally with a rendition of Janis Joplin’s “Mercedez Benz,” the lyrics modified to promote independence. Like Janis, she sings it a cappella, before spending much of the rest of the event at a booth by the door, selling merch emblazoned with the slogan “I AM ALBERTAN.”

Similar disenchantment is voiced by a steady stream of Albertans, each venting against their mother country on a stage flanked by a large provincial flag strung across a soccer goal.

“They want to stifle our (oil) industry,” says Mitch Sylvestre, a businessman from Bonnyville and one of the rally’s chief organizers, his hoarse voice echoing over the PA system.

“We have cancer. We have a problem,” says Sylvestre. “We have it large.”

Hopes for a vote in ‘one of God’s treasures’

In a strange twist, the push to get Alberta out of Canada has gained momentum just as much of the country has united in patriotism in the face of Trump’s tariffs and threats of annexation.

Soon after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals rode a wave of anti-Trump sentiment to win the 2025 federal election in April, the Alberta Legislature passed a law making it easier to organize a referendum on independence.

Under the new law, petitions for a province-wide vote now require just 177,000 signatures – down from 600,000 previously – and those signatures can be gathered over a period of four months rather than three. The province is home to nearly 5 million people, according to Statistics Canada, representing more than a tenth of the population of the entire country.

One of the most vocal advocates for a referendum is Jeffrey Rath, a lawyer and co-founder of the Alberta Prosperity Project (APP), which organized the Red Deer rally.

Rath, well over six feet tall in a cowboy hat and boots, has a ranch just outside of Calgary. He raises race horses there and follows the sport closely, especially the Kentucky Derby – where this year, he notes with a grin, “’Sovereignty’ beat ‘Journalism.’”

“If you wanna know what’s special about Alberta, just look around, right?” Rath says with a sweep of his hand.

The view from the rise above Rath’s horse pasture is superb: quaking aspen, white pine and green rolling hills.

“It’s one of God’s treasures on earth. And the people here are very distinct people that have a very distinct culture and that are interested in maintaining that culture.”

In Rath’s eyes, Trump’s attitude toward Canada is an opportunity. His group is counting on US government support in the event of success at the ballot box.

“Trump’s election has given us a lot of hope,” Rath says. “If anybody is going to have the guts to recognize an independent Alberta, (it) would be the Trump administration.”

Western alienation

Separatism is not new in Canada, but it’s only had real political power in the predominantly Francophone province of Quebec, which has numerous pro-independence parties and voted in two referendums on independence in the past 50 years, rejecting it by a 60/40 margin in 1980 and by around one percentage point in 1995.

In Alberta, enthusiasm for separation has waxed and waned for decades, fueled initially by “Western alienation” – resentment felt in western Canada against a federal system dominated by the more populous eastern provinces. More recently, the movement has attracted Albertans who were angered by federally mandated lockdowns during the Covid pandemic. Among them was Rath, who has in the past faced controversy for suggesting government officials should face murder and negligent homicide charges over what he claims are the ill-effects of the Covid vaccine.

A recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute found about a third of Albertans currently support independence, though that support does not break down equally throughout the population.

Some of the loudest critics of the idea come from Alberta’s indigenous communities, whose treaties with the Canadian crown are older than the province itself. Under pressure from that community, the government added a provision to the referendum bill that guarantees their treaty rights whatever the result.

While Smith’s party proposed the referendum bill, she says she is against separation herself, preferring to “get Alberta to exert its sovereignty within a united Canada.”

“We have had, from time to time, these kinds of initiatives flare up,” says Smith. “And they’re almost always in response to a federal government that’s out of control. But they have all subsided when the federal government got back in its own lane.”

“I think that it’s a notice to Ottawa that they’ve got to take this seriously,” Smith adds. “The question is, what can we do to address it?”

The 51st state?

One of the more explosive questions surrounding secession is whether an independent Alberta might join the United States.

In February, a billboard appeared along the highway between Calgary and Edmonton, with text urging onlookers to tell Premier Smith that Alberta ought to “Join the USA!” superimposed over a picture of her shaking hands with Trump.

“I don’t think Albertans are very keen to trade a bad relationship with Ottawa with a bad relationship with Washington,” Smith says when asked about the possibility.

But others, like construction worker Stephen Large of Czar, Alberta, feel it would be good to have the might of the US on their side – particularly if negotiations fail in the event of a “yes” vote for independence.

“The minute something happens here toward independence, our federal government is going to be furious,” says Large, who wears a red “Make Alberta Great Again” cap.

“They will pull out all the stops, military and police and whatever they can find to lock us down, lock us in.”

Large points to how former Prime Minister Trudeau briefly invoked the Emergencies Act when Canadian truckers blockaded downtown Ottawa to protest cross-border vaccine mandates in 2022.

The statute, which had never been used before, allowed Canadian law enforcement to take extraordinary measures to restore public order – including freezing the bank accounts of certain protesters and banning public assembly in parts of Ottawa. The law also allows the government to deploy troops within Canada to enforce the law, though Trudeau did not invoke that part of the provision in 2022.

“We’re gonna need some support from somewhere, and the only place on Earth that is worthy of their support is the United States military,” Large says.

A woman sitting in front of Large overhears him and turns around, nodding in agreement.

“I’m with him,” she says, introducing herself as Evelyn Ranger of Red Deer. “I’m not sure that Alberta or the western provinces, even together, can make it on their own. So, the States is still the better way to go, because you’ve got the military, you’ve got the trade and everything already set there.”

For his part, Rath refuses to consider whether the federal government might invoke the Emergencies Act or use other measures to put down his movement if it were to unilaterally declare Alberta independent in the event of a “yes” vote.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, but we don’t see that happening,” Rath says.

Asked if he would be up for an interview at that point, he grins.

“Yeah,” Rath replies, before letting out a laugh. “It might be from a jail cell.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

In today’s “Weekly Market Recap”, EarningsBeats.com’s Chief Market Strategist Tom Bowley looks ahead to determine the likely path for U.S. equities after the weekend bombing of Iran nuclear sites. Are crude prices heading higher? Will energy stocks outperform? What additional roadblocks might we have to negotiate after the latest Fed meeting and policy statement? Could we see fallout from June monthly options expiring on Friday? Check it all out in the video below….

Happy trading!

Tom


The S&P MidCap 400 SPDR (MDY) is trading at a moment of truth as its 5-day SMA returns to the 200-day SMA. A bearish trend signal triggered in early March. Despite a strong bounce from early April to mid May, this signal remains in force because it has yet to be proven otherwise. Today’s report will show how to quantify signals and reduce whipsaws using the percentage difference between two SMAs.

First note that MDY is lagging SPY and QQQ because its 5-day has yet to cross above its 200-day. The latter two saw bullish crosses in mid May, over a month ago. A bullish breakout in MDY would reflect broadening upside participation, which would be bullish for stocks. The PerfChart below shows SPY and QQQ with year-to-date gains. MDY and IWM are down year-to-date. 

 

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TrendInvestorPro continues to follow the leading uptrends and recent breakouts in metals-related ETFs. These include gold, silver, palladium, platinum, copper and associated miners. Tech-related ETFs are also leading and featured in our reports/videos. Click here to learn more and get full access to our research.

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The chart below shows MDY hitting its moment of truth as the 5-day SMA (black line) bumps against the underside of the 200-day SMA (blue line). A bearish cross occurred in late February and this signal has yet to be reversed. However, I am not watching for a simple 5/200 cross. Instead, I want to see the 5-day SMA clear the 200-day SMA by a certain percentage. This is a signal threshold.

The indicator window shows Percent above MA (5,200,1), which measures the percentage difference between the 5 and 200 day SMAs. See the TIP Indicator Edge Plugin for details. I placed signal thresholds at +3% and -3% to reduce whipsaws. A bullish signal triggers with a move above +3% and a bearish signal triggers with a move below -3%. At the very least, this indicator value is still negative and bearish. A move above 0 would reflect a positive 5/200 cross, while a move above +3% would trigger a bullish trend signal. This indicator is part of the TIP Indicator Edge Plugin for StockCharts ACP.

The signal threshold levels depend on your personal preferences and trading styles. Tighter thresholds generate earlier signals, but with more whipsaws. Wider thresholds reduce whipsaws, but increase signal lag. This is always the tradeoff. I prefer plus/minus 1 percent when using the 5/200 cross for SPY. I widened these thresholds to plus/minus 3 percent for MDY because it is more volatile.

TrendInvestorPro continues to follow the leading uptrends and recent breakouts in metals-related ETFs. These include gold, silver, palladium, platinum, copper and associated miners. Tech-related ETFs are also leading and featured in our reports/videos. Click here to learn more and gain immediate access.