Market Overview - The market is experiencing a rotation, with defensive sectors like utilities, real estate, and energy leading the way, while the majority of S&P 500 stocks remain in the green [2][3] - Current market conditions indicate a cooling off period, with investors awaiting new data and news flow, while still making higher highs and higher lows [4][5] - The S&P 500 has key levels to watch, with upside targets at 6690 and downside at 6630, indicating a potential for volatility [6][8] Alibaba Developments - Alibaba announced plans to exceed its previously set AI budget of $50 billion, focusing on building new data centers and expanding its cloud offerings [9][10] - The company is rolling out a new large language model, Quinn3 Max, which integrates with Nvidia's chipset, despite tensions with the Chinese government [11][12] - Alibaba's stock has seen a significant increase of approximately 9.7%, reflecting positive sentiment towards Chinese stocks with AI exposure [13][15] Lithium Americas Update - Lithium Americas' stock surged over 70% following reports of potential government involvement, with the company negotiating terms on a Department of Energy loan [19][20] - The negotiations may involve offering the U.S. government warrants for equity in exchange for better loan terms, indicating a strategic move to secure domestic lithium supplies [21][24] - The U.S. government aims to reduce reliance on China for lithium production, highlighting the importance of both mining and refining capabilities in the domestic supply chain [25][28]

Core Insights - Smackover Lithium, a joint venture between Standard Lithium and Equinor, announced a maiden inferred resource for its Franklin Project in Texas, highlighting the project's significant lithium brine potential and aiming for over 100,000 tonnes of lithium chemicals production annually [1][3][20] Resource Highlights - The maiden inferred resource includes 2,159,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), 15,414,000 tonnes of potash, and 2,638,000 tonnes of bromide, contained within 0.61 km³ of brine volume [5][7] - The highest reported lithium brine concentration in North America of 806 mg/L was measured from the Pine Forest 1 well [5][7] Project Development - The Franklin Project covers approximately 80,000 acres, with over 46,000 acres leased to support the inferred resource [5][10] - Exploration activities included 2D seismic surveys and the completion of three exploration wells in 2023 to assess aquifer characteristics and brine chemistry [5][11] Future Plans - The joint venture plans to develop two additional projects in East Texas, which will significantly expand the portfolio area [1][3] - Recommendations from the inferred resource assessment include further drilling and characterization of the Upper and Middle Smackover Formation aquifers [15][16]

Core Insights - Smackover Lithium, a joint venture between Standard Lithium and Equinor, announced a maiden inferred resource for its Franklin Project in Texas, highlighting significant lithium, potash, and bromide resources [1][3] - The project contains 2.2 million tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) at an average lithium grade of 668 mg/L, along with 15.4 million tonnes of potash and 2.6 million tonnes of bromide [1][5] - The inferred resource marks a critical step towards achieving a production goal of over 100,000 tonnes of lithium chemicals annually through multiple phases [1][3] Company Overview - Standard Lithium is focused on sustainable lithium development, prioritizing high-grade resources and efficient permitting processes [20] - The company aims to achieve commercial-scale lithium production using a scalable direct lithium extraction (DLE) process [20] - Equinor, a partner in the joint venture, is committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future, with a diverse portfolio including oil, gas, and renewable energy projects [22] Project Details - The Franklin Project covers approximately 80,000 acres, with over 46,000 acres leased to support the inferred resource [5][9] - Exploration activities included 2D seismic surveys and the completion of three exploration wells in 2023, which confirmed high lithium brine concentrations [5][12] - The maiden resource report indicates a total inferred resource of 2,159,000 metric tonnes of LCE, 15,414,000 tonnes of potash, and 2,638,000 tonnes of bromide [5][7] Future Plans - The joint venture plans to further characterize the resource through additional drilling and seismic testing, aiming to refine the understanding of the aquifers and brine chemistry [14][15] - Direct lithium extraction testing will be conducted to leverage insights from Standard Lithium's existing demonstration plant [15]

By Arunima Kumar and Purvi Agarwal (Reuters) -Shares of Lithium Americas closed at $8.32 after jumping nearly 90% on Wednesday after Reuters reported that the Trump administration is seeking up to a 10% stake in the miner, in the latest sign of Washington's intervention into industries it considers critical to national security. Late Tuesday, Reuters cited two people familiar with the talks who said the administration is considering the stake as part of negotiations over a $2.26 billion Department of Ene ...

Core Insights - Premarket trading is showing notable activity with significant price movements indicating potential trading opportunities before the market opens [1] Premarket Gainers - SHF Holdings, Inc. (SHFS) increased by 150% to $8.17 - Lithium Americas Corp. (LAC) rose by 69% to $5.18 - Aqua Metals, Inc. (AQMS) gained 50% reaching $6.11 - CleanCore Solutions, Inc. (ZONE) up by 44% at $2.87 - Cyclerion Therapeutics, Inc. (CYCN) increased by 33% to $4.03 - Twin Vee Powercats Co. (VEEE) rose by 17% to $2.92 - Solidion Technology, Inc. (STI) up by 11% at $5.09 - China Pharma Holdings, Inc. (CPHI) increased by 11% to $2.18 - Stardust Power Inc. (SDST) rose by 10% to $3.04 - Aligos Therapeutics, Inc. (ALGS) increased by 7% to $11.03 [3] Premarket Losers - Aytu BioPharma, Inc. (AYTU) decreased by 15% to $2.11 - Professional Diversity Network, Inc. (IPDN) down by 13% to $4.10 - STRATA Skin Sciences, Inc. (SSKN) fell by 10% to $2.31 - Cohu, Inc. (COHU) decreased by 9% to $20.68 - Super League Enterprise, Inc. (SLE) down by 9% to $7.74 - CTW Cayman (CTW) fell by 9% to $2.29 - Fitell Corporation (FTEL) decreased by 8% to $7.70 - Soluna Holdings, Inc. (SLNH) down by 8% to $2.16 - StableX Technologies, Inc. (SBLX) decreased by 5% to $5.22 - Indaptus Therapeutics, Inc. (INDP) down by 5% to $2.95 [4]

Group 1 - The Trump administration is reportedly seeking to acquire an equity stake of up to 10% in Lithium Americas, indicating a move towards state capitalism [1] - The company is currently renegotiating terms of a $2.26 billion agreement with the Energy Department [1] Group 2 - The stock market experienced a decline as Fed chief Powell commented on the high valuation of stock prices [2] - Micron's earnings and guidance exceeded expectations, contributing to a rise in tech futures [1]

Shares of Lithium Americas surged by almost 60% in premarket trading on Wednesday after a Reuters report that the Trump administration is seeking an equity stake of up to 10% in the Canadian miner. Th... ...

Core Insights - Nevada Lithium Resources Inc. has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Hydro Lithium Inc. to recover critical minerals from its Bonnie Claire lithium and boron project in Nevada [1][2] - The collaboration aims to utilize Hydro Lithium's proprietary extraction technologies to enhance revenue streams from the Bonnie Claire project and potentially other North American properties [2][6] - The LOI is set to terminate on September 25, 2026, unless a definitive agreement is signed before that date [3] Company Overview - Nevada Lithium Resources Inc. focuses on mineral exploration and development, particularly through its 100% owned Bonnie Claire Lithium Project located in Nye County, Nevada [7] - The company completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) in August 2025, indicating the potential to produce over 62,300 tonnes of lithium carbonate and 129,500 tonnes of boric acid annually over a 61-year mine life [8] - The PEA highlights strong investment metrics, including a 32.3% Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and a capital payback period of 2.8 years [9] Technology and Collaboration - Hydro Lithium's CEO, Dr. Uong Chon, has developed successful lithium extraction technologies, including the CULH and CULX processes, which are expected to enhance the economic viability of the Bonnie Claire project [4][5] - Hydro Lithium currently produces battery-grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate with an annual capacity of 3,600 tonnes and is constructing a second plant expected to increase capacity significantly by 2030 [10][11] - The collaboration is seen as a strategic partnership to leverage Hydro Lithium's technology for sustainable extraction of underutilized natural resources while minimizing environmental impact [6][7]

Core Insights - U.S.-listed shares of Lithium Americas surged over 70% in premarket trading due to reports of the Trump administration seeking a 10% equity stake in the company, highlighting government interest in critical industries for national security [1][2] Company Developments - The Trump administration is negotiating a $2.26 billion government loan for Lithium Americas' Thacker Pass lithium mine, which is a joint venture with General Motors [2][3] - The Thacker Pass project is expected to become the largest source of lithium in the Western Hemisphere by 2028, potentially surpassing Albemarle's facility [3] - Lithium Americas recently split its operations into North American and Argentine segments to focus on the Thacker Pass project [5] Industry Context - The Thacker Pass project is seen as a strategic move to enhance U.S. production of critical minerals and reduce dependence on China, the largest lithium processor [4] - The Trump administration's interest in equity stakes extends to other sectors, including a stake in chipmaker Intel and mining company MP Materials, aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and supply chains [4] - The positive news surrounding Lithium Americas also positively impacted other lithium miners, with Albemarle and Sigma Lithium seeing gains of 5.2% and 5.3%, respectively [6]

Alibaba - Alibaba's shares surged to their highest in nearly four years in Hong Kong following the announcement of increased AI spending plans beyond the initially planned 380 billion yuan ($53 billion) over the next three years [2][3] - CEO Eddie Wu anticipates that global investment in artificial intelligence will accelerate to approximately $4 trillion over the next five years, indicating the need for Alibaba to enhance its AI infrastructure [3] - Alibaba unveiled its open-source large language model, Qwen3-Omni, capable of processing text, images, audio, and video [4] Ford - Ford is offering lower interest rates to attract riskier borrowers for its F-150 pickups, aiming for a strong sales close to the quarter [4][5] - The automaker has been absorbing tariff costs on imported materials to maintain sales volume, despite the impact on profits [5] - The program to offer lower rates is not expected to continue beyond the end of the month [5] Lithium Americas - Lithium Americas' shares increased by 78% in pre-market trading after reports that the Trump administration is seeking a 10% equity stake in the company while renegotiating terms of a $2.3 billion Department of Energy loan for its Thacker Pass lithium project [5][6] - The Thacker Pass project, valued at approximately $3 billion, was approved by Trump at the end of his first term, with the loan closing last year under the Biden administration [6] - General Motors, which invested $625 million for a 38% stake in the mine, has the right to purchase all lithium from the project's phase 1 and part of phase 2 for 20 years, although Trump officials are now seeking guarantees regarding GM's purchases [7]