(All amounts in US$ unless otherwise stated) TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electra Battery Materials Corporation (NASDAQ: ELBM; TSX-V: ELBM) (“Electra” or the “Company”) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a $73 million construction budget and established an execution schedule to achieve mechanical completion of its cobalt sulfate Refinery north of Toronto, marking a significant step toward bringing North America’s first battery-grade cobalt refinery into operation. Commiss ...

Core Viewpoint - Stellantis is considering withdrawing from its US battery partnership with Samsung SDI to conserve cash after significant financial write-downs [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Considerations - Stellantis aims to conserve cash following over €22 billion ($26.20 billion) in write-downs announced last week [1]. - The automaker's CEO is attempting to curb losses linked to EV and battery initiatives, which are projected to be unprofitable due to policy shifts under former President Trump [2]. Group 2: Partnership and Production - Stellantis and Samsung established a joint venture in Indiana in 2021, committing $2.5 billion and promising 1,400 jobs [3]. - The Indiana plant is Samsung's only battery facility in the US and began production in 2024, focusing on energy-storage applications [3]. Group 3: Strategic Changes - Stellantis recently agreed to exit a partnership with LG Energy Solution in Canada, where LG acquired its share for $100, while Stellantis will continue sourcing EV batteries from the site [4]. - The company is also in discussions with unions at its French plant regarding potential temporary unemployment measures due to challenges in ramping up battery production [5]. Group 4: Industry Context - Stellantis, along with General Motors and Ford, is reassessing multibillion-dollar battery commitments made during the Biden administration as electric vehicle demand has not met expectations [6]. - There is a shift in focus towards redirecting battery output for grid and data-center uses, where demand is increasing [6].

Market Overview - Major U.S. index futures indicate a flat open on Monday, with stocks lacking direction after a significant advance on Friday [1] - Traders are assessing recent volatility, particularly a tech-led decline followed by a rebound [1] - A lack of major U.S. economic data may keep traders cautious ahead of key reports [1] Employment and Economic Data - The Labor Department's monthly jobs report is expected to show an increase of 70,000 jobs in January, up from 50,000 in December, with the unemployment rate holding at 4.4% [2] - Reports on retail sales and consumer price inflation are anticipated to influence interest rate outlooks [2] Stock Market Performance - Stocks rebounded significantly on Friday, with the Dow closing above 50,000 for the first time, gaining 1,206.95 points (2.5%) to 50,115.67 [3][4] - The Nasdaq surged 490.63 points (2.2%) to 23,031.21, and the S&P 500 jumped 133.90 points (2.0%) to 6,932.30 [4] - For the week, the Dow rose by 2.5%, while the S&P 500 edged down by 0.1% and the Nasdaq fell by 1.8% [4] Sector Performance - Bargain hunting contributed to the rally, particularly in tech stocks, which had previously dragged the Nasdaq down [5] - Airline stocks saw a significant increase, with the NYSE Arca Airline Index rising by 7.1% [8] - Computer hardware and semiconductor stocks rebounded sharply, with the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index up by 6.8% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up by 5.7% [9] - Gold stocks also strengthened, reflected by a 5.5% increase in the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index due to rising gold prices [9] Consumer Sentiment - The University of Michigan reported an unexpected rise in consumer sentiment, with the index increasing to 57.3 in February from 56.4 in January, surpassing expectations [6][7] - The increase in sentiment was particularly notable among consumers with larger stock portfolios [7] International Markets - Asian stocks surged, recovering from previous declines, with Japan's Nikkei 225 Index closing up 3.9% [12][14] - Seoul stocks rose significantly, driven by confidence in the AI industry, with Samsung Electronics gaining 4.9% [15] - European stocks are broadly higher, with notable gains in the tech sector and merger activity [18][19]

Market Overview - Asian stocks surged on Monday, recovering from previous week's declines linked to AI concerns and a historic election win in Japan, which is expected to lead to increased spending and tax cuts [1] - Oil prices fell over 1% despite rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with President Trump advocating for regime change [2] - The Kospi index in South Korea climbed 4.10% amid renewed confidence in the AI industry [4] Company Highlights - Shares of Montage Technology, a Chinese chip designer, soared over 50% during their Hong Kong trading debut [3] - Samsung Electronics' stock increased by 4.9% as it prepares to begin mass production of the world's first sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4) [5] - SK Hynix shares rose by 5.7%, while Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution saw increases of 2.7% and 2.5%, respectively [5] - Amorepacific, a leading cosmetics maker, jumped over 20% following strong earnings reports for 2025 [5] Economic Indicators - U.S. consumer sentiment showed a slight improvement in early February, with inflation expectations for the next five years rising from 3.3% to 3.4% [7] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 50,000 for the first time, marking a 2.5% increase and ending a three-week losing streak [8]

Group 1 - LG Energy Solution (LGES) will take full control of NextStar Energy, a joint venture that established Canada's first large-scale EV battery factory in Windsor, Ontario, with Stellantis selling its 49% stake [1] - The ownership transition is a strategic decision made by LGES and Stellantis, aimed at ensuring a seamless transition and enhancing long-term growth prospects for NextStar Energy [2] - NextStar Energy will utilize LGES's technological leadership and operational expertise to better serve a wider customer base, including the Energy Storage System (ESS) industry, and to adapt to market demands [3] Group 2 - The facility has seen over $5 billion CAD invested and currently employs over 1,300 people, with a target of reaching 2,500 employees as production scales up [4] - NextStar Energy is positioned to strengthen North America's battery manufacturing ecosystem by onshoring critical capabilities to meet the needs of the automotive sector and other strategic industries [5] - LGES views the full ownership of NextStar Energy as a means to capitalize on growth opportunities in North America and to secure additional customers in the EV industry [6]

Group 1 - Major stock indices showed slight gains, with Dow futures up 0.08%, S&P 500 futures up 0.16%, and Nasdaq futures up 0.08%. Cryptocurrency stocks also rebounded, with Coinbase rising nearly 4% and Bitmine Immersion Technologies increasing by nearly 3% [1] - Power stocks experienced a pre-market rally, with Vistra Energy up 3.75% and Constellation Energy up 2.28%. Analysts from Bank of America indicated that recent sell-offs in this sector were due to policy misunderstandings rather than weak fundamentals, highlighting strong growth potential for specific power producers [1] - Chip stocks saw a pre-market increase, with Nvidia up 1.51% and AMD up 0.85% [2] - Amazon reported Q4 net sales of $213.39 billion, a 14% year-over-year increase, and AWS net sales of $35.58 billion, a 24% increase, marking the highest growth rate since the end of 2022. However, Amazon's projected capital expenditures for 2026 are expected to be around $200 billion, a 50% increase from 2025, which is significantly higher than Wall Street's expectations [5] Group 2 - Stellantis announced a write-down of €22 billion to adjust its electric vehicle strategy due to weak demand, leading to a stock price drop of over 20%. The company anticipates a net loss of €19 to €21 billion in the second half of 2025 and has suspended dividend payments [2] - Toyota raised its full-year outlook, projecting annual net sales of ¥50 trillion, up from a previous estimate of ¥49 trillion, and net profit expectations increased to ¥3.57 trillion from ¥2.93 trillion. The company also announced a leadership change, with CFO Koji Sato set to take over as CEO [3] - In Michigan, the Attorney General called for a re-evaluation of the power supply plan for Oracle's data center, citing concerns over the reliability of Oracle, OpenAI, and DTE Energy as partners, which could impact consumer electricity costs [4]

Core Viewpoint - LG Energy Solution will acquire full ownership of NextStar Energy from Stellantis, which is a strategic decision aimed at strengthening the battery manufacturing ecosystem in Canada and enhancing growth opportunities in North America [2][3][8]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - LG Energy Solution will purchase Stellantis's 49% equity stake in NextStar Energy, which was established as a joint venture in 2022 to create Canada's first large-scale battery manufacturing facility [2][8]. - The ownership transition is a mutually agreed decision between LG Energy Solution and Stellantis, ensuring a seamless transition and long-term growth for NextStar Energy [3][8]. Group 2: Strategic Implications - NextStar Energy will leverage LG Energy Solution's technological expertise and operational capabilities to better serve a wider customer base, including the Energy Storage System (ESS) industry [4][10]. - Stellantis will continue to be a key customer, sourcing battery products from NextStar Energy, thereby reinforcing the partnership [4][9]. Group 3: Investment and Employment - Over $5 billion CAD has been invested in NextStar Energy's facility, which currently employs over 1,300 people, with a target of 2,500 employees as production scales up [5][8]. - The facility is crucial for Canada's advanced manufacturing and clean-energy sector, enhancing North America's battery supply chain and supporting long-term industrial competitiveness [5][6]. Group 4: Market Position and Future Growth - LG Energy Solution aims to increase its global ESS production capacity to over 60 GWh this year, with more than 50 GWh of this capacity located in North America [11]. - The acquisition positions LG Energy Solution to respond swiftly to the growing demand in the ESS market and strengthens its role in Canada's electric vehicle industry [7][11].

Core Viewpoint - LG Energy Solution plans to acquire the 49% stake held by Stellantis in their battery joint venture in Canada for a nominal amount of $100 [1] Company Summary - LG Energy Solution is actively expanding its ownership in the battery sector by purchasing Stellantis's stake in the joint venture [1] - The acquisition reflects LG Energy Solution's strategic move to strengthen its position in the North American battery market [1] Industry Summary - The transaction highlights ongoing consolidation trends within the battery manufacturing industry, particularly among major automotive and energy companies [1] - The nominal purchase price indicates a potential shift in the valuation dynamics of joint ventures in the battery sector [1]

Market Overview - South Korea's Kospi index experienced a significant decline, plunging as much as 5% before closing down 3.20%, while the small-cap Kosdaq fell by 3.17% [1] - The market is heavily influenced by the chip and automotive industries, which have seen sharp fluctuations due to negative sentiment surrounding tech stocks [2] Company Performance - Major companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix saw their stock prices drop by 3.08% and 3.56% respectively [1] - Hyundai Motor's shares decreased by 5.42%, and Hanwha Aerospace, a defense heavyweight, fell by 5.87% [1] - LG Energy Solution also faced a decline, losing 3.67% [1] Regional Market Trends - Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell by 0.57%, marking a third consecutive day of losses, while the broader Topix index was marginally lower [2] - Japanese pharmaceutical companies, including Sumitomo Pharma and Takeda Pharmaceutical, experienced stock declines of over 5% and 1.75% respectively, following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of discounted prescription medicines [3] - Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index opened down about 2%, and mainland China's CSI 300 saw a marginal decline [3] - Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index also showed weakness, falling by 1.84% [3] Commodity Market - Spot silver prices continued to decline, dropping by 1.63% after a significant crash of about 13% on Thursday [3]

Group 1 - Stellantis has postponed several electric vehicle (EV) programs by up to eight months due to production issues at its battery partner, Automotive Cells Company (ACC) [1][2] - Current battery output from ACC is only sufficient for about 1,000 vehicles per month, significantly below initial targets [2] - Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has halted several electric projects, including the RAM 1500, and is scaling back plug-in hybrid offerings from Jeep and Chrysler in North America [3] Group 2 - The production setbacks at ACC reflect broader challenges in Europe's battery manufacturing sector, including stalled projects like Northvolt AB [4] - Stellantis is also working to recover market share lost under former CEO Carlos Tavares, addressing customer concerns over price increases and product quality [4] - The company has announced plans to cut vehicle prices in France for brands like Fiat, Opel, and Peugeot to regain market share [5]