TikTok strikes deal for US sale
Sky News· 2025-12-19 00:41
Core Points - TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, has signed a deal to sell its US arm to American investors, ensuring the platform's continued operation in the United States [1] - The deal is set to close on January 22, 2026, ending years of uncertainty regarding TikTok's future in the US [1] - The sale follows a law signed by President Joe Biden that mandated ByteDance to divest its US operations or face a ban [2][4] Company Structure - The deal involves the sale of just over 80% of TikTok's US assets to three major investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, who will form a new venture called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC [5][6] - The new venture will be 50% owned by the consortium of US investors, with existing ByteDance investors holding 30.1% and ByteDance retaining 19.9% [6] - A new seven-member majority-American board of directors will be established, and the venture will implement terms to protect American data and national security [6] Data Management - User data from the US will be stored locally, addressing concerns regarding data privacy and security [7]
Digital Bank SoFi enters Stablecoin race with US dollar token
The Economic Times· 2025-12-19 00:39
The San Francisco-based fintech company is positioning the token as a tool for 24/7 settlement across card networks, retailers and businesses, calling it a "key element" for “Blockchain is a technology super cycle that will fundamentally change finance,” SoFi CEO Anthony Noto said in a statement.Crypto TrackerTOP COINS (₹) Tether90 (-0.21%)Ethereum254,546 (-0.69%)Bitcoin7,705,562 (-1.2%)BNB74,834 (-2.03%)XRP161 (-4.47%)Live EventsSoFi has not said it that it would hold short-term investments as reserves, a ...
Shareholder Alert: The Ademi Firm investigates whether VYNE Therapeutics Inc. is obtaining a Fair Price for its Public Shareholders
Prnewswire· 2025-12-19 00:39
Core Viewpoint - The Ademi Firm is investigating VYNE for potential breaches of fiduciary duty and legal violations related to its transaction with Yarrow Bioscience [1] Transaction Details - In the transaction, pre-Merger VYNE shareholders are expected to own approximately 3% of the combined company, while pre-Merger Yarrow shareholders are expected to own approximately 97% [2] - VYNE insiders are set to receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements [2] Board Conduct Investigation - The transaction agreement imposes significant penalties on VYNE for accepting competing bids, which may limit competing transactions unreasonably [3] - The investigation focuses on whether the VYNE board of directors is fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders [3]
DEFSEC Technologies Announces Closing of CAD$2.1 Million Registered Direct Offering
TMX Newsfile· 2025-12-19 00:35
Core Points - DEFSEC Technologies Inc. announced the closing of a registered direct offering for 566,040 common shares at CAD$3.64 (US$2.65) per share [1] - The gross proceeds from the offering were approximately CAD$2.1 million, intended for working capital and general corporate purposes [2] - The company issued unregistered warrants to purchase up to 566,040 common shares at an exercise price of CAD$4.27, which are immediately exercisable and will expire in five years [1][2] Financial Details - The cash fee paid to the placement agent was CAD$154,529, along with 42,453 common share purchase warrants at an exercise price of CAD$4.55 [3] - The offering remains subject to final approval from the TSX Venture Exchange [6] Company Overview - DEFSEC develops and commercializes next-generation tactical systems for military and security forces, including real-time shared situational awareness and targeting information [7] - The company also offers countermeasures against threats such as electronic detection, lasers, and drones, and has a proprietary non-lethal product line branded PARA SHOTTM [7]
BlackBerry (BB) Tops Q3 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
ZACKS· 2025-12-19 00:35
Core Insights - BlackBerry reported quarterly earnings of $0.05 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.04 per share, and showing an increase from $0.02 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +25.00% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $141.8 million for the quarter ended November 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.01%, although this represents a slight decline from year-ago revenues of $143 million [2] - BlackBerry has consistently surpassed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters, achieving this four times [2] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.05 on revenues of $149 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.15 on revenues of $534 million [7] - The trend of estimate revisions for BlackBerry was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, to which BlackBerry belongs, is currently ranked in the top 25% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to lower-ranked industries [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5]
Coda Octopus Stock: Emerging Sonar Technology Play (NASDAQ:CODA)
Seeking Alpha· 2025-12-19 00:34
Core Insights - Coda Octopus Group (CODA) is positioned as an emerging technology company despite having nearly 50 years of operational experience [1] Company Analysis - The focus is on small to mid-cap companies that possess disruptive technology, with an emphasis on competitive analysis and the backgrounds of founders [2] - The investment strategy involves a two-year time frame, with a tendency to hold investments for longer periods [2] - The company has a historical context of family investment experiences, highlighting lessons learned from past market downturns [2] Investment Perspective - The analyst expresses a potential interest in initiating a long position in CODA within the next 72 hours [3]
Today's consumer spending rally couldn't come at a better time, says Jim Cramer
Youtube· 2025-12-19 00:33
Group 1 - The consumer sector is showing signs of recovery, contributing to a potential Santa Claus rally in the market, particularly benefiting the Dow and NASDAQ indices [1] - Throughout the year, consumer sentiment has been negative due to high unemployment and inflation, which has kept consumers from spending [2] - Despite the consumer's struggles, the technology sector, led by companies like Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Alphabet, has masked the weakness in consumer spending, driving market performance [3] Group 2 - Oracle has raised $18 billion in the bond market, but there are growing concerns about its ability to finance a massive data center buildout, primarily for OpenAI [4] - The market is showing increased activity in credit default swaps on Oracle's debt, indicating rising skepticism about its financial stability [5]
Alkane Doubles the Tested Depth Extent of the Storheden Deposit at Björkdal
Globenewswire· 2025-12-19 00:33
Core Viewpoint - Alkane Resources Limited has announced promising exploration results from the Storheden Deposit at its Björkdal Operation in Sweden, indicating significant potential for resource expansion and higher-grade ore production [1][4]. Exploration Results - The depth drilling at the Storheden Deposit has revealed gold-bearing quartz veins intercepted to a depth of 464 meters, more than doubling the previously tested depth of 200 meters [6]. - The drilling campaigns have extended the strike length of known mineralization to over 2.7 kilometers, with no indications of diminishing grade at depth [6]. - Significant assay results include 142.0 g/t gold over 0.60 meters and 34.3 g/t gold over 1.6 meters, showcasing the high-grade potential of the deposit [6][18][19]. Historical Context - The Björkdal deposit was discovered in 1983, with mining operations commencing in 1988. The mine has produced approximately 1.66 million ounces of gold since then [5][7]. - The current Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources at Björkdal are estimated at 20.35 million tonnes grading 2.14 g/t gold as of June 30, 2025 [6][7]. Future Plans - Alkane plans to recommence drilling in January 2026 to further define resources at Storheden and assess the potential for mining [27][28]. - The company will also continue exploration in the Eastern Extension area and the North extension of the Björkdal deposit, which shows no signs of diminishing gold endowment [29].
This "Magnificent Seven" Company May Now Be Winning the AI War
The Motley Fool· 2025-12-19 00:32
Alphabet has a leading large language model and a diverse range of AI products and services.It's clear that artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world in significant ways, and the major hyperscalers are all investing hundreds of billions of dollars in their efforts to capitalize on the trend. Companies like Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Alphabet (GOOG +1.91%) (GOOGL +1.88%) are all developing robust AI businesses that are driving the charge, and companies like Nvidia and Broadcom are providing key par ...
LEEF Brands Comments on Federal Cannabis Rescheduling and Potential to Participate in Nationwide CBD Program
Globenewswire· 2025-12-19 00:32
Core Viewpoint - The issuance of an executive order by President Donald Trump to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act is a significant development for the cannabis industry, enhancing operational economics and enabling expanded medical research [2][3]. Company Summary - LEEF Brands, Inc. is a leading multi-state operator in the cannabis industry, focusing on extraction, manufacturing, and cultivation, with operations in California and New York [6]. - The rescheduling of cannabis will eliminate the 280E tax burden for LEEF, improving cash flow and allowing for more efficient reinvestment in growth initiatives [3]. - The company operates state-of-the-art facilities and believes that the removal of 280E will strengthen balance sheets across the sector, providing more growth capital for expansion [3]. Industry Summary - The reclassification of cannabis is expected to improve access to capital across the cannabis industry, potentially attracting institutional investors and broadening the pool of available lenders [4]. - Improved regulatory clarity may lower the overall cost of capital, creating opportunities for companies to fund growth and scale operations more efficiently [4]. - LEEF is also monitoring developments related to hemp-derived cannabinoids and potential Medicare coverage for CBD products, with a pilot program expected as early as 2026 [4].