U.S. Stock Market Performance - U.S. stocks traded higher, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining more than 1% on Friday [1] - The Dow increased by 0.55% to 48,216.43, while the NASDAQ rose by 1.10% to 23,260.50, and the S&P 500 gained 0.83% to 6,830.85 [1] - Information technology shares rose by 1.6%, while consumer staples stocks fell by 0.4% [1] Nike Inc. Earnings Report - Nike Inc. shares fell around 10% despite reporting better-than-expected earnings and sales for Q2 [2] - The company posted Q2 revenue of $12.43 billion, exceeding analyst estimates of $12.22 billion [2] - Nike's Q2 earnings were 53 cents per share, surpassing analyst expectations of 38 cents per share [2] Commodity Market Updates - Oil prices increased by 0.9% to $56.66, while gold rose by 0.4% to $4,381.60 [5] - Silver prices surged by 3.4% to $67.415, and copper rose by 1.1% to $5.4955 [5] European and Asian Market Performance - European shares were higher, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 gaining 0.37% [6] - Asian markets closed higher, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 1.03% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rising by 0.75% [7] Notable Stock Movements - Autozi Internet Technology shares surged 54% to $2.34 after announcing a $90 million equity investment [9] - Amicus Therapeutics shares rose 31% to $14.20 following the announcement of its acquisition by BioMarin for about $4.8 billion [9] - Lamb Weston Holdings shares dropped 25% to $44.70 after Q2 results, while BlackBerry shares fell 10% to $3.90 after reporting Q3 results [9]

All monetary amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated.Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 19, 2025) - Highlander Silver Corp. (TSX: HSLV) ("Highlander Silver") and Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek") are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") whereby Highlander Silver and Bear Creek have agreed to combine their respective businesses by way of a plan of arrangeme ...

Core Viewpoint - The company has successfully acquired Idè-Pro, marking a significant expansion in its operations and a larger acquisition than previous ones [3]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition of Idè-Pro was completed on December 17, indicating a well-planned project that took several months to finalize [3]. - Idè-Pro is a Danish company founded in 1994 by the Nors family, with Morten Nors continuing as CEO post-acquisition [3]. Group 2: Company Growth - Idè-Pro has focused on high growth, particularly in recent years, benefiting from collaboration with Blue Equity [3].

Core Viewpoint - Talon Metals has entered into a definitive share purchase agreement with Lundin Mining to acquire 100% of Lundin Mining US, which owns the Eagle Mine and Humboldt Mill, valued at approximately $83.7 million [1][2] Group 1: Transaction Details - Lundin Mining will receive 275.2 million Talon shares, representing 18.4% of Talon's issued and outstanding shares upon completion of the deal [1] - Upon closing, Lundin Mining's total holding in Talon will increase to 19.99% of Talon's issued and outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis [2] - The transaction will merge Lundin Mining's Eagle Mine and Humboldt Mill with Talon's stake in the Tamarack nickel-copper-cobalt project [2] Group 2: Exploration and Facilities - The deal includes Talon's prospective exploration land package of over 400,000 acres in Michigan, covering the Boulderdash nickel/copper discovery located eight miles from the Eagle Mine [3] - Talon's planned Beulah minerals processing facility in North Dakota will also be included in the combined arrangement [3] Group 3: Management and Governance - The transaction will result in a newly formed Talon board consisting of ten directors, with Lundin Mining nominating its president and CEO Jack Lundin, and Juan Andrés Morel [3] Group 4: Strategic Benefits - The combination of Talon and Eagle will create a pure-play US nickel company anchored by the Eagle Mine, the only primary nickel mine currently operating in the US, unlocking meaningful synergies [4] - The Humboldt Mill will serve as a shared, centralized processing facility [4] Group 5: Financial Arrangements - Lundin Mining will account for its interest in Talon using the equity method and will sign a production payment agreement covering ore processed at the Humboldt Mill that does not come from the Eagle Mine [5] - Under this agreement, Lundin Mining US will pay Lundin Mining $1 per tonne of non-Eagle ore processed at the Humboldt Mill, up to a cumulative maximum of $20 million [6] Group 6: Shareholder Rights and Lock-up Agreement - An investor rights agreement will be executed, granting Lundin Mining certain rights regarding director nominations, anti-dilution, and participation in future Talon equity financings [6] - Lundin Mining will also sign a lock-up agreement limiting its ability to acquire, sell, or dispose of Talon shares for a period of up to 24 months, with certain standard exceptions [7]

Core Insights - The Indian financial sector has experienced significant mergers and acquisitions in 2025, with a total value of $8 billion, representing a 127% increase compared to the same period in the previous year according to Grant Thornton Group 1: Major Deals - MUFG will acquire a 20% stake in Shriram Finance for $4.4 billion, marking the largest cross-border investment in India's financial sector [1] - Emirates NBD plans to buy a 60% stake in RBL Bank for $3 billion, providing access to a wide branch network [2] - SMBC agreed to acquire a 20% stake in Yes Bank for $1.6 billion, with an additional 4.99% stake purchased in September [3] - Blackstone will invest ₹6,197 crore ($705.05 million) in Federal Bank for a 9.9% stake, allowing it to nominate a non-executive director to the board [4] - IHC will invest close to $1 billion for a 43.5% stake in Sammaan Capital, with plans for an open offer to acquire an additional 26% stake [5] - Warburg Pincus and ADIA will invest $877 million in IDFC FIRST Bank through convertible preference shares, resulting in a combined ownership of 15% upon conversion [6] - Bain Capital will acquire an 18% stake in Manappuram Finance for $508 million, with plans to increase its stake to over 40% through an open offer [8] - Bajaj Group repurchased a 26% stake in Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance for $2.8 billion, ending a decade-long partnership with Allianz [9]

Core Insights - The UK experienced a decline in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, with a drop of 8% to $217.2 billion (£162.3 billion) in 2025, contrasting with growth in other European countries [1][7] - Uncertainty surrounding the UK Budget and potential tax increases has led companies to delay takeover plans, impacting overall business confidence [4][5][6] - Despite the downturn, there remains a "pretty healthy" pipeline of 248 active deals in the UK that have yet to be announced [8] M&A Activity Overview - The value of M&A activity in the UK fell from $237.3 billion in 2024 to $217.2 billion in 2025, marking an 8% decline [1] - In contrast, France and Italy saw increases in dealmaking volumes, with rises of 18% and 23% respectively [2] - The largest deal in the UK for the year was Merck's acquisition of Verona Pharma for $10 billion [7] Investor Confidence - The uncertainty around the Budget not only affected M&A but also led to significant withdrawals from UK stock markets, with over £10 billion pulled out in six months [7] - October recorded a net outflow of £3.6 billion from UK stocks, making it a record month for withdrawals [7] Future Outlook - Activity in the M&A sector is expected to improve following the Chancellor's avoidance of significant tax rises in the Budget [9] - The clarity provided by the Budget is anticipated to facilitate transactions moving forward [9]

Group 1 - Wall Street is optimistic about 2025, anticipating a surge in dealmaking, with a significant increase in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) this year [2] - A record 70 deals exceeding $10 billion each have been completed this year, contributing to a total M&A value of over $4.8 trillion, marking a 41% increase compared to 2024 [3] - The current year is the second-largest for M&A activity, only surpassed by 2021, which saw over $6 trillion in deals due to low interest rates and COVID stimulus [3] Group 2 - The M&A landscape is characterized by large-scale deals, with large-cap companies outperforming small-cap ones, as noted by JPMorgan's head of advisory and M&A [4] - There have been four deals worth over $50 billion this year, including two offers for Warner Bros. Discovery from Netflix and Paramount, valued at $82 billion and $108 billion respectively [4] - The banking sector has experienced a significant increase in mergers, with U.S. regulators approving combinations at the fastest rate in over 30 years, reducing the average deal finalization time to four months [5][6] Group 3 - The expedited approval process is addressing challenges faced by dealmakers in consolidating over 4,000 regional banks in the U.S., with recent deals exceeding a combined value of $24 billion [6] - Nearly 150 bank mergers worth around $45 billion had been completed by November, positioning this year as the busiest for bank deals since 2021 [6]

Group 1 - Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is considering offers from Netflix and Paramount for its studio and streaming business, with WBD's board favoring Netflix's proposal [2][6] - Wall Street banks are set to earn a total of $225 million from the sale process, with specific amounts allocated to Allen & Co., J.P. Morgan, and Evercore [1][7] - Investment banks are experiencing a surge in media and telecom mergers, with a reported 61% increase in deal value from the second half of 2024 to the second half of 2025, excluding the WBD sale [5][8] Group 2 - WBD has engaged multiple advisors throughout the bidding process, including Innisfree for shareholder communications and Joelle Frank for public relations [3] - The financial advisory firms involved in the bidding include Moelis & Co. for Netflix and Centerview Partners, RedBird, BofA, Citi, and M. Klein & Company for Paramount [4][3] - PwC anticipates continued robust M&A activity in the coming years, driven by investor interest in content libraries, video games, and sports assets [8]

Core Viewpoint - AAR CORP. has announced the acquisition of Aircraft Reconfig Technologies for $35 million, which is part of its growth strategy through mergers and acquisitions, aimed at enhancing its engineering and certification capabilities in the Repair & Engineering segment [1][4]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition is an all-cash transaction valued at $35 million, subject to customary adjustments [1]. - The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of AAR's Fiscal Year 2026, pending regulatory approvals [5]. Group 2: Company Profiles - AAR CORP. is a leading provider of aviation services, supporting commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs, with operations in over 20 countries [7]. - Aircraft Reconfig Technologies specializes in passenger aircraft reconfiguration, offering project management, engineering, and certification services, and has approximately 100 employees based in Greensboro, North Carolina [2][8]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - The acquisition will enhance AAR's engineering and in-house certification services, allowing for proprietary solutions within its broader MRO offerings [4]. - By integrating Aircraft Reconfig Technologies' qualifications, AAR aims to reduce reliance on third parties for design certification and expand its design capabilities for complex aircraft modifications [3][5].

Key Takeaways The biggest entertainment deal in history promises more drama. The latest: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) on Wednesday published a letter criticizing Paramount Skydance's (PSKY) offer to acquire the company, saying its all-cash bid—which followed an agreement by Warner Bros. to merge with Netflix (NFLX)—came with "an untenable degree of risk" and urging shareholders to reject Paramount's "illusory" all-cash deal. The response from Warner to Paramount's hostile takeover offer last week was to be ...