New York, Dec. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the adoption of Real-World Assets (RWA) accelerates globally, NBCOIN, a next-generation Layer 1 blockchain, is emerging as a focal point of industry attention. Over recent months, NBCOIN has made consecutive appearances at major international blockchain conferences and regional community events, systematically presenting its vision for a compliance-first, AI-enabled, real-world-connected blockchain infrastructure. Building a Foundational Layer-1 for the RWA Era ...

Indexes have been climbing in recent days, buoyed in part by a rebound in AI-related names after last week's selloff that was triggered by concerns about inflated valuations and high capital expenditures denting profits. Each of the major indexes recorded their fifth straight session of gains. But recent ‌data showed the ‌economy remains resilient, and the market is still pricing in roughly 50 basis points of rate cuts from the Federal Reserve next year, although expectations for a January cut are low, acc ...

A recall of 5-ounce holiday bark products sold at Aldi stores across the country has been expanded amid concerns the treats may contain undeclared allergens, including pecans and wheat, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Silvestri Sweets issued a voluntary recall of its Choceur-branded Cookie Butter Holiday Bark over potential undeclared pecans and its Choceur-branded Pecan, Cranberry & Cinnamon Holiday Bark because it may contain undeclared wheat.The FDA said people with allergies to these item ...

Core Viewpoint - Verizon Communications has experienced a significant decline in performance over the past decade, transitioning from a market leader to a company struggling to maintain its competitive edge in the telecom industry [2][4][5]. Financial Performance - In 2005, a $10,000 investment in Verizon would have grown to $27,400 by 2015, outperforming the market [2]. - However, an investment made on December 22, 2015, would only yield a total return of $4,650 today, bringing the total value to $14,650, significantly lagging behind the S&P 500's total return of $40,220 over the same period [5]. Market Position - Verizon's sales growth has slowed, with T-Mobile US capturing millions of its mobile subscribers [4]. - Despite the challenges, Verizon continues to generate strong cash flows and maintains a dividend yield of 6.9%, ranking among the top 10 yields in the S&P 500 [7]. Investment Outlook - While Verizon is considered a solid dividend stock for income-focused investors, concerns remain about its long-term value retention and competitive position in the telecom sector [8].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the resurgence of interest in dividend-paying stocks, particularly those offering monthly dividends, as a reliable source of income in volatile market conditions [1][3][4]. Dividend Market Overview - Dividend-paying stocks have historically provided steady returns across various market environments, contributing approximately 50% of total stock returns on average since the 1930s [4]. - The focus on dividends has increased as investors seek income rather than relying solely on price appreciation, especially following market downturns in the 2000s and the Great Recession [2][3]. Methodology for Stock Selection - The article outlines a methodology for selecting stocks that pay monthly dividends, focusing on those with the highest dividend yields, which range from 3.5% to nearly 19.5% as of December 18 [7]. - Most selected stocks are from the REIT and capital market sectors, which are required to distribute a significant portion of their income to shareholders [8]. Company Highlights - **Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:PECO)**: - Dividend Yield: 3.58% as of December 18 - Barclays raised its price target to $42 from $40 following an investor presentation [11]. - The company has a strong portfolio with a median household income of about $92,000 within a three-mile radius of its centers, which is 15% higher than the US average [12]. - Management expects portfolio income to rise by approximately 26% over the next five years [13]. - **Agree Realty Corporation (NYSE:ADC)**: - Dividend Yield: 4.33% as of December 18 - Mizuho lowered its price target to $75 from $77 but maintained a Neutral rating [16]. - The company has transitioned to monthly dividend payments, with a consistent annual growth rate of 5.3% over the past decade [18][19]. - **Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE:MAIN)**: - Dividend Yield: 5.17% as of December 18 - RBC Capital reduced its price target to $66 from $67 while keeping an Outperform rating [21]. - The company recently completed a follow-on investment in Chamberlin Holding LLC, supporting its acquisition of a commercial roofing contractor [22][24].

Core Viewpoint - Nvidia has announced its largest acquisition, structured as a licensing deal, to acquire Groq for $20 billion, focusing on Groq's expertise in high-performance AI accelerator chips and TPU technology [1][6][12]. Acquisition Details - The deal involves Nvidia licensing all of Groq's assets and acquiring its executive team, including CEO Jonathan Ross, who has significant experience with Google's TPU [1][5][12]. - Groq raised $750 million at a valuation of approximately $6.9 billion just a month prior to the acquisition, indicating a rapid increase in value for its investors [4][10]. - Nvidia's cash reserves were reported at $60.6 billion at the end of October, highlighting its financial capability to execute such a large transaction [8]. Strategic Implications - Nvidia aims to integrate Groq's low-latency processors into its AI architecture, enhancing its capabilities in AI inference and real-time workloads [9][11]. - The acquisition is seen as a response to the growing competition from Google's TPU technology, which has gained momentum in the AI market [11][18]. - Groq will continue to operate as an independent entity with a new CEO, but Nvidia will effectively control its valuable technology and talent [7][8]. Market Context - The deal reflects Nvidia's strategy to maintain its leadership in the AI infrastructure market amid increasing competition from major tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon [16][17]. - Nvidia's previous largest acquisition was Mellanox for nearly $7 billion in 2019, showcasing the scale of this new deal [8]. - The acquisition represents a 40x multiple of Groq's targeted revenue of $500 million for the year, indicating a high valuation relative to its sales [10].

Group 1 - Banks across India, including major institutions like State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank, will be closed on 25 December 2025 for the Christmas holiday, as per the RBI bank holiday calendar [1][2] - The Christmas holiday is recognized as a national holiday in India, aligning with global celebrations [2] - Following Christmas, banks will also be closed on several upcoming holidays, including New Year's Day on 1 January 2026 and various regional festivals throughout January [2]

NEW TAIPEI CITY, Dec. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Caliway Biopharmaceuticals (TWSE: 6919) today announced that it has completed the submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. FDA for a Phase 2 clinical study of its world's first large-area localized fat reduction drug candidate, CBL-514, for the weight management indication. This submission accelerates the clinical development of CBL-514 in combination with GLP-1R agonist (GLP-1RA) therapies and expands the Company's R&D footprint ...

Market Overview - Wall Street experienced a modest rally with the S&P 500 closing up 0.2%, marking a year-to-date gain of 17% [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6% to 48,731.16, while the S&P 500 closed at 6,932.05 and the Nasdaq increased by 0.22% to 23,613.30 [1] Nike Inc. - Nike's stock surged 4.64% to close at $60, with an intraday high of $60.58 and a low of $58.88; the 52-week range is between $82.44 and $52.28 [1] - CEO Tim Cook purchased 50,000 shares of Nike at an average price of $58.97, totaling nearly $3 million, increasing his stake to approximately $6.0 million [2][3] - Nike reported second-quarter revenue of $12.43 billion and earnings per share (EPS) of 53 cents, exceeding estimates, but warned of potential low single-digit revenue decline in the third quarter due to a $1.5 billion annualized tariff headwind and ongoing weakness in China [3] Omeros Corporation - Omeros shares increased by 75.54% to close at $15.36, with an intraday high of $17.65 and a low of $13.92; the 52-week range is $17.65 to $2.95 [4] - The FDA approved Omeros' Yartemlea for treating transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy, with studies showing complete response rates of about 61%-68% and 100-day survival rates of roughly 73%-74% [5] Micron Technology Inc. - Micron's shares rose 3.77% to close at $286.68, reaching an intraday high of $289.30 and a low of $277.25; the 52-week range is $289.30 to $61.54 [6] - The company reported first-quarter revenue of $13.64 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.78 per share, driven by its role in artificial intelligence infrastructure, with projected growth in high-bandwidth memory from $35 billion in 2025 to $100 billion by 2028 [7] Intel Corporation - Intel's stock dipped 0.52% to close at $36.16, with an intraday high of $36.17 and a low of $34.95; the 52-week range is between $44.01 and $17.67 [8] - A report indicated that Nvidia paused testing Intel's 18A manufacturing process for advanced AI chips, impacting Intel's efforts to attract major foundry customers [9][10] Dynavax Technologies Corporation - Dynavax shares jumped 38.19% to close at $15.38, with an intraday high of $15.49 and a low of $15.38; the 52-week range is $15.49 to $9.20 [11] - Sanofi announced its acquisition of Dynavax for about $2.2 billion, adding a marketed adult hepatitis B vaccine to its portfolio, with a planned payment of $15.50 per share, representing a 39% premium [12]

Core Viewpoint - Groq has entered a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Nvidia for its inference technology, aiming to enhance high-performance AI inference globally, with the deal valued at $20.6 billion in cash [1][4]. Group 1: Agreement Details - The licensing agreement focuses on expanding access to high-performance, low-cost inference capabilities, with key Groq executives joining Nvidia to advance the technology [2][6]. - Groq will remain an independent company, with Simon Edwards appointed as the new CEO, while GroqCloud services will continue to operate without disruption [3][6]. Group 2: Financial Context - The deal follows Groq's recent funding rounds, including a $750 million raise earlier this year, which significantly increased the company's valuation amid the AI boom [5]. - Groq has received over $500 million in investments since its founding in 2016, indicating strong investor confidence [4][6]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - The collaboration combines Groq's specialized inference speed with Nvidia's extensive ecosystem, positioning both companies to leverage their strengths in the AI hardware market [5][6]. - The agreement reflects a mutual focus on expanding access to efficient inference solutions, highlighting the growing demand in the AI sector [6].