Stockwinners Market Radar for April 15, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:33 EDT XPeng to partner with Zhongsheng Group on smart EV products - The company states: "XPeng announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Zhongsheng Group, a leading automobile dealership group in China, to establish a long-term strategic partnership to provide both XPeng's industry-leading Smart EV products and Zhongsheng's high quality services to consumers, in order to further accelerate the Smart EV adoption in China. Through the partnership, the Company will leverage Zhongsheng's well-established dealership network and expertise in serving consumers for mid-to-high end automobiles to further accelerate XPeng's sales growth, while strengthening its after-sales services capabilities. Looking ahead, both parties will also explore more strategic cooperation opportunities in business model innovations, creating long-term competitive advantages and value propositions to seize huge growth potential in Chinese Smart EV market."

19:28 EDT Apache affirms Q1 total production outlook of 324MBOE/d - The company states: "APA is providing the following adjustments to its expected production for the first-quarter 2021: Total Adjusted Production guidance remains 324 Mboe/d, which reflects an increase in U.S. volumes to 208 Mboe/d from previous guidance of 204 Mboe/d. Roughly half of this increase is attributable to oil volumes. Partially offsetting higher U.S. volumes, International adjusted production for the first-quarter 2021 is estimated at 116 Mboe/d, compared to 120 Mboe/d in the prior guidance, which is a result of production sharing contract affects associated with higher realized oil prices in Egypt and extended maintenance downtime in the North Sea."

19:01 EDT C3.ai director sells 50K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, C3.ai disclosed that its director Shankar Sastry sold 50K shares of common stock on April 14th in a total transaction size of $3.47M, reducing his stake by about 67%.

18:59 EDT Kazia Therapeutics trading halted, news pending

18:13 EDT Target EVP McNamara sells 31.4K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Target disclosed that its Executive VP / CIO Michael McNamara sold 31.4K shares of common stock on April 13th in a total transaction size of $6.42M, reducing his stake by about 21%.

17:48 EDT Marvell shareholders approve acquisition of Inphi - Marvell's (MRVL) shareholders have voted to approve the proposed acquisition of Inphi (IPHI) and also Marvell's proposal to reorganize so that the combined company will be domiciled in the U.S. More than 99% of votes represented voted in favor of approving these proposals. Inphi shareholders also voted to approve the merger with Marvell. Marvell expects the transaction to close on or around April 20.

17:27 EDT Landec VP Hall buys 10K shares of company stock - Landec VP James Hall disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 10,000 shares of company stock at $10.62 per share on April 14, for a total transaction cost of $106,200.

17:20 EDT Progyny to replace Domtar in S&P 400 at open on 4/20

17:19 EDT PTC to replace Varian Medical in S&P 500 at open on 4/20 - Siemens Healthineers AG acquired Varian Medical Systems in a deal that closed April 15.

17:09 EDT Hain completes sale of non-dairy brands Dream and Westsoy to SunOpta for $33M - The Hain Celestial Group (HAIN) announced that it has completed the divestiture of its North America non-dairy beverages brands, Dream and Westsoy to SunOpta (STKL), for $33m, subject to customary post-closing adjustments. Mark L. Schiller, Hain Celestial's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "With today's announcement and the strategic sale of our North America non-dairy beverages business to SunOpta, we provide the market with the latest example of what has been an ongoing transformation of our brand portfolio. We considered this business to be non-core within our North American business, and as such, this divestiture fully aligns with both our portfolio simplification process and prioritization efforts of our Get Bigger brands. Additionally, this transaction improves our growth profile without impacting the profit margin for the remaining Hain Celestial business, providing us with increased confidence in our ability to continue to enhance shareholder returns over the long-term."

17:05 EDT SunOpta acquires plant-based brands Dream and WestSoy for $33M - SunOpta acquired the Dream and WestSoy plant-based beverage brands from The Hain Celestial Group. The acquired brands will add to SunOpta's Plant-Based Foods and Beverages segment.The Dream is a brand of shelf-stable, plant-based milks, originally launched in 1982. SunOpta currently produces approximately 50% of the Dream product portfolio and has done so for over a decade. The WestSoy brand is the only branded shelf stable soy beverage with a USDA organic certification and the American Heart Association certification of a heart-healthy product. SunOpta currently produces the entire WestSoy product portfolio. The purchase price is $33M, funded principally by a new $20M FILO term loan within SunOpta's ABL facility at LIBOR plus 250 to 300 basis points.

17:01 EDT Nike VP Hilary Krane sells over $2M in shares - Nike VP Hilary Krane disclosed in a filing that she had sold 15,000 shares of company stock at $133.54 per share on April 14 for a total transaction amount of $2,003,100.

16:58 EDT Take-Two president sells 271K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Take-Two disclosed that its President Karl Slatoff sold 271K shares of common stock on April 13th in a total transaction size of $49.6M, reducing his stake by about 38%.

16:42 EDT Facebook tests new tools within News Feed to recommend businesses - In an earlier blog post Facebook informed, in part: "According to our recent State of Small Business Report, more than half (55%) of small businesses say they're using digital tools to communicate with customers. Thankfully, using more digital tools is also helping their bottom line - SMBs reporting higher shares of digital sales were also more likely to report more sales.Today we're announcing new tools and features to help businesses connect with their customers online and grow more efficiently...Starting in the US, we're beginning to test a new experience from News Feed where people can tap on topics they're interested in under posts and ads in Feed, such as beauty, fitness or clothing, and explore content from related businesses...We're also giving businesses using the new Page experience, first announced in January, new tools to manage their business Page, all without leaving the Facebook app...Later this month, we'll launch the most requested features for Facebook Business Suite, including ways to publish and schedule Stories on mobile and desktop, save posts as drafts and edit scheduled posts. These new features will help businesses save time and more easily schedule and create compelling content to connect with their customers." Reference Link

16:37 EDT Precision BioSciences names Alan List, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer - Precision BioSciences announced that Alan List, M.D. has been appointed as the company's Chief Medical Officer and a member of the senior leadership team at Precision BioSciences. Dr. List is a hematologist with extensive academic and clinical experience in the research and development of hematology and oncology products. He has led clinical development programs for multiple FDA-approved drugs to treat hematologic malignancies, including myelodysplastic syndromes, acute leukemia, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma.

16:35 EDT Colony Capital sells 74% interest in Dublin office properties for $351M - Colony Capital announced the monetization of additional Other Equity and Debt portfolio holdings. The company sold its 74% controlling interest in two high-quality office properties located in Dublin's city center for total gross proceeds of $351M to Blackstone Property Partners Europe Holdings S.a.r.l. The sale of the company's interests in Burlington Plaza, a 238K square foot office complex located in central Dublin, and The Three Building, a 157K square foot office property located in the South Docks, generated $102M in net equity proceeds to Colony. These interests were held in the company's 'Tolka Irish NPL Portfolio' within OED, which will continue to own several Irish assets on a debt-free basis subsequent to the transaction, which was consummated in-line with carrying values for the assets. Gross and net proceed figures reflect Euro/USD foreign exchange pricing as of April 15, 2021.

16:33 EDT Steel Dynamics to invest at least $400M in new flat roll steel coating lines - Steel Dynamics provided a strategic update concerning its ongoing and new flat roll steel growth initiatives. The company plans to invest $225M in two new flat roll steel coating lines to be located in the Southern U.S. to support its Sinton Steel Mill that is planned to begin production in late summer 2021. The lines will be comprised of a 300,000-ton flat roll galvanizing line with Galvalume coating capability and a 240,000-ton paint line. Galvalume products represent the fasted growing flat roll steel market in the United States, primarily serving the metal building industry. Site location selection and engineering specifications are underway. The company currently expects the new Southern U.S. coating lines to begin production in the second half of 2022. The company also plans to invest between $175M and $200M in two new flat roll steel coating lines to be located in the Midwest to support its regional flat roll steel operations, providing them with more value-added product diversification to serve customer needs and increase through-cycle cash generation. The lines will be comprised of a 300,000-ton flat roll galvanizing line also with Galvalume coating capability and a 240,000-ton paint line. These lines will also benefit from the company's differentiated supply-chain. Site location selection and engineering specifications are underway. The company currently expects the new Midwest coating lines to begin production in the second half of 2022.

16:31 EDT MER Telemanagement to resume trading at 16:35ET

16:30 EDT MER Telemanagement signs merger agreement with SharpLink - Mer Telemanagement Solutions announced that it has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger with SharpLink, an online technology company that works with sports leagues, fantasy sports sites and sports media companies "to connect fans to relevant and timely betting content sourced from its sportsbook partners." Upon the closing of the merger, which is conditioned upon approval of MTS shareholders and other standard closing items, the company will change its name and pursue the business of SharpLink under new management and Board control. Under the terms of the merger agreement, the holders of SharpLink's outstanding common stock and preferred stock immediately prior to the merger will receive ordinary shares and preferred shares, as applicable, of MTS in the merger. On a pro forma and fully-diluted basis for the combined company, SharpLink shareholders are expected to own approximately 86% of the combined company.

16:23 EDT DraftKings to become NFL betting partner, extend current fantasy relationship - DraftKings and the National Football League, or NFL, announced that DraftKings will become an official sports betting partner of the League and extend its current relationship as the exclusive official daily fantasy partner. As an official sports betting partner of the NFL, DraftKings will have the right to integrate relevant sports betting content directly into NFL Media properties including NFL.com and the NFL App. As part of the agreement, DraftKings will utilize the NFL's official League data feed. DraftKings will renew its exclusive relationship as the official daily fantasy partner of the NFL, which provides DraftKings with exclusive rights to NFL marks to promote daily fantasy sports contests. DraftKings will continue to collaborate with the League on a variety of content and product offerings that fans can engage with on the DraftKings Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports apps. The deal also includes integrations across NFL Media properties including a continued presence within the NFL RedZone channel.

16:22 EDT Alcoa jumps 2% to $33.50 after Q1 earnings beat

16:20 EDT SeaSpine falls 5% to $19.89 after common stock offering

16:18 EDT U.S. Well Services files patent suit against Halliburton and Cimarex Energy - U.S. Well Services (USWS) has filed suit in the District Court for the Western District of Texas - Waco Division for patent infringement against Halliburton Company (HAL) and Cimarex Energy (XEC). The original complaint alleges infringement of multiple U.S. Well Services patents. The alleged infringements are related to U.S. Well Services patents as well as 4 other related patents. U.S. Well Services currently has a portfolio of 42 patents granted, 4 patents allowed, and 185 patents pending.

16:16 EDT Hanover Insurance sees Q1 catastrophe losses $105M after taxes - The Hanover Insurance Group announced it expects its first quarter catastrophe losses to be approximately $133M, before taxes, or $105M after taxes, driven primarily by the severe winter freeze events that spread throughout the Southern United States in February. The largest impact was in Texas, where the company estimates catastrophe losses related to two major winter events to be approximately $90M, before taxes, primarily in its commercial multiple peril line.

16:15 EDT Alcoa reports Q1 adjusted EBITDA $521M, up 44% from Q4 - Reports Q1 Alumina production 3,327kmt vs. 3,298kmt last year and primary aluminum production 548kmt vs. 564kmt last year.

16:13 EDT Alcoa expecting strong 2021 on continued economic recovery - The company states: "Alcoa is expecting a strong 2021 based on continued economic recovery and increased demand for aluminum in all end markets. The Company's Aluminum segment is forecasting double digit growth on year-over-year sales of value-add products. In the first quarter of 2021, shipments for value-add products, which includes specific shapes and alloys such as billet, slab, foundry and rod, increased 10 percent sequentially, posting three consecutive quarters of improvement. The Company's 2021 shipment outlook for Bauxite and Aluminum remains unchanged from the prior full-year estimates. Total alumina shipments are expected to increase 100 thousand metric tons to between 14.0 and 14.1 million metric tons. Total annual bauxite shipments are expected to range between 49.0 and 50.0 million dry metric tons. The Aluminum segment is expected to ship between 2.7 and 2.8 million metric tons. In the second quarter of 2021, Alcoa expects another strong quarter despite the absence of the Warrick rolling mill results, current energy market conditions, and seasonal maintenance typically higher in the second quarter than other quarters. Based on current alumina and aluminum market conditions, the Company expects second quarter tax expense to approximate $90 million, which may vary with market conditions and jurisdictional profitability. The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, and its magnitude and duration continue to be unknown. The uncertainty around its future impact on the Company's business, financial condition, operating results, and cash flows could cause actual results to differ from this outlook."

16:12 EDT Alcoa says company capturing benefits of improved demand, stronger prices - CEO Roy Harvey says: "We had an excellent first quarter with our best quarterly result since a record-setting year in 2018. We excelled from the top line to the bottom line, controlling production costs and capturing the benefits of improved demand and stronger prices for alumina and aluminum. In addition to exceptional operating performance, we made the Company even stronger this quarter by improving the balance sheet," Harvey said. "Using cash on hand and the proceeds from our debt issuance with our lowest-ever coupon rate, we paid off higher-interest rate notes in April and funded more of our pension obligations. This provides even greater flexibility to execute on our long-term strategy in the years ahead. Our teams have demonstrated relentless discipline to ensure we are ready for whatever the markets may bring. We've proven we can operate during uncertain times, and we're well positioned for the future with excellent environmental, social and governance practices and a low-carbon product portfolio that is the industry's most comprehensive."

16:11 EDT Brooklyn ImmunoTherapeutics pays $1M toward mRNA tech platform license - Brooklyn ImmunoTherapeutics announced it has paid $1 million towards the acquisition of a license for Factor Bioscience's and Novellus' mRNA Gene Editing and Cell Therapies technology and has extended through May 21, 2021 its option exercise period for entering into a related license agreement with Factor Bioscience and Novellus. If a license agreement is completed, it would allow Brooklyn to utilize an extensively patented process to seek to develop gene edited compounds using mRNA, which preclinical data suggest to be more efficient, non-immunogenic and non-mutagenic, for treatment of several solid tumor and liquid indications, sickle cell anemia, as well as a number of additional inherited disorders. Gene editing is an investigational technique that is used to add, delete, or correct a patient's genetic material in an effort to treat a disease. Research suggests that editing genes in patients could potentially result in cures for a number of genetic diseases. The licensed platform would include mRNA cell reprogramming, mRNA-based gene editing, a proprietary gene editing protein, and the proprietary ToRNAdo lipid delivery system that provides efficient delivery of mRNA ex vivo and in vivo to skin, brain, eye and lung tissue. If Brooklyn does not enter into the license agreement by May 21, 2021, it will be entitled to be reimbursed for the $1 million payment.

16:08 EDT Banc of California names Alex Kweskin chief HR officer - Banc of California (BANC) announced the appointment of Alex Kweskin as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of the company and the Bank, effective Monday, May 3, 2021. Kweskin will be based in Santa Ana and report to Jared Wolff, President and CEO. Kweskin joins the Company from MUFG Union Bank, N.A., a division of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), with assets of $132 billion, where he has worked since 2011. "We are excited to have Alex join our executive leadership team," said Jared Wolff, President & CEO of Banc of California. "Alex is a proven leader who will help Banc of California continue to build a culture of excellence with our engaged, diverse and high-performing talent. Alex's deep experience in banking and human resources, along with his extensive knowledge of the Southern California banking landscape, will help us recruit, develop and retain our most important asset, our people."

16:07 EDT Silk Road Medical appoints William Hill as general counsel - Silk Road Medical (SILK) announced the appointment of William Hill as general counsel. The veteran corporate executive joins the company to oversee all risk management and legal matters, reporting directly to president and CEO, Erica Rogers. Prior to joining Silk Road Medical, Hill served as general counsel for Natus Medical (NTUS) for over 14 years. He was responsible for managing a broad range of global legal issues, including corporate-wide liability mitigation and international legal compliance strategies, mergers and acquisitions, general commercial law and litigation, and employment law.

16:06 EDT Veracyte CFO Keith Kennedy to retire - Veracyte announced that Keith Kennedy, CFO and COO, will retire from the company, effective May 15, 2021, following the company's release of its full quarterly financial results and the filing of its Form 10-Q for the first quarter 2021. Jane Alley, vice president and corporate controller, will become acting CFO until a replacement is named. Veracyte is conducting a search for a new CFO.

16:00 EDT MER Telemanagement trading halted, news pending

15:51 EDT HempFusion Wellness sees no undisclosed events to warrant share price decline - HempFusion Wellness issued a press release in response to recent trading activity and the decline in its share price. "The company wishes to reassure investors that all aspects of its business, including the five-channel distribution strategy, are in-motion and that there are no undisclosed events that the company believes warrant the share price decline. The company has disclosed all material information in its press releases and other disclosure documents in compliance with its continuous disclosure obligations. HempFusion further confirms that its material contracts and relationships with its key distributors, both domestic and international, are in good standing," HempFusion stated.

15:30 EDT ShiftPixy teases Friday announcement - ShiftPixy shared a video via Twitter with a caption reading, "One more day till Friday. Stay tuned. #TikTok #ThursdayMotivation" Reference Link

15:19 EDT Ballys trading resumes

14:58 EDT NetApp to move global headquarters to new San Jose, CA offices - NetApp announced plans to move its global headquarters to new San Jose, Calif. offices that are more optimized for its future hybrid work model and employee needs. The move from the company's current campus location to state-of-the-art offices in the Santana Row section of San Jose is part of the company's ongoing transformation, accelerated by the pandemic, and its future of work strategy to thrive in the next normal. The new office amenities will be designed to promote cross-functional collaboration and teamwork, cultivate inclusion, and increase business agility while prioritizing employee health, safety and wellness. NetApp's new headquarters will keep the company in the heart of Silicon Valley and more closely embed it with the local community. NetApp's new 303,000-square-foot global headquarters will be located at 700 Santana Row (also known as 3060 Olsen Drive), a modern eight-story, mixed-use complex in a walkable district of San Jose with easy access to the freeway system and shuttles to the nearby Diridon Caltrain station. NetApp has completed the sale of its Sunnyvale campus for a purchase price of $365M, and will be further customizing and moving into its new headquarters throughout the remainder of 2021.

14:22 EDT Congress to host big bank CEOs for hearings the week of May 24 - Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, announced that hearings with the CEOs of the nation's largest banks, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), Wells Fargo (WFC), Goldman Sachs (GS), and Morgan Stanley (MS), will be held the week of May 24, 2021. Reference Link

14:15 EDT Blue Apron up 7% after meal kit service rival HelloFresh raises FY21 outlook - In afternoon trading, Blue Apron shares are up 43c, or 7%, to $6.73.

14:06 EDT Citi March charge-offs 2.49% vs. 2.76% last month - Reports March 30-plus day delinquency 1.26% vs. 1.31% last month.

13:37 EDT Moody's upgrades Netflix bond ratings on 'rapid credit improvement' - Moody's upgraded Netflix's corporate family rating to Ba1 from Ba3, probability of default rating to Ba1-PD from Ba2-PD, and senior unsecured debt ratings to Ba1 from Ba3. The outlook remains positive. The upgrade reflects the company's "rapid credit improvement due to continuing strong subscriber growth and operating margin expansion in most of its operating regions around the world," Moody's said in a statement. The COVID-19 lockdowns have led to greater than pre-crisis expected subscriber additions and pricing power, said the rating agency. Moody's expects the "stronger momentum to continue to a degree through 2021."

13:11 EDT Cubic and MTC launch Clipper on iPhone and Apple watch - Cubic (CUB) announced that its Cubic Transportation Systems, CTS, business division and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission have introduced Clipper on iPhone and Apple Watch (AAPL) , giving transit riders a contactless way to pay for their trips on trains, buses and ferries in the San Francisco Bay Area. Cubic and MTC have launched their first mobile app for the region, the Clipper app, a helpful tool for card and account management. Riders now have the convenience of a contactless fare payment option on their iPhone, eliminating multiple touchpoints throughout the transit riding experience and simplifying commutes. With Clipper on iPhone and Apple Watch, riders can add their Clipper card to Apple Wallet and easily use their iPhone and Apple Watch to tap at gates and fareboxes at Clipper's 24 partner transit agencies. Clipper on iPhone and Apple Watch offers the ability to instantly view balances and top-up cash value with Apple Pay through the Apple Wallet app, eliminating physical contact and standing in line at ticket vending machines. "Contactless transit payment and the Clipper mobile app are changing the way Bay Area transit riders move around their city, giving users more control and making public transit safer and more convenient," said Jeff Lowinger, president of Cubic Transportation Systems. "The expansion of digital payments to transit is a testament to technology companies and agencies working together to deliver customer-focused mobility solutions to the public." "

12:23 EDT Twitter launches Responsible Machine Learning initiative - Twitter introduced its Responsible Machine Learning initiative as part of efforts to improve its ML algorithms within the platform. The company said responsible ML consists of the following pillars: Taking responsibility for algorithmic decisions; Equity and fairness of outcomes; Transparency about decisions and how the company arrived at them, and; Enabling agency and algorithmic choice. "Technical solutions alone do not resolve the potential harmful effects of algorithmic decisions," Twitter said in a blog post. "Our Responsible ML working group is interdisciplinary and is made up of people from across the company, including technical, research, trust and safety, and product teams. Leading this work is our ML Ethics, Transparency and Accountability (META) team: a dedicated group of engineers, researchers, and data scientists collaborating across the company to assess downstream or current unintentional harms in the algorithms we use and to help Twitter prioritize which issues to tackle first." Reference Link

12:15 EDT Nabriva announces start of exclusive distribution of Sivextro in U.S. - Nabriva Therapeutics (NBRV) announced that it has begun exclusive distribution of Sivextro in the United States. Sivextro is now listed in the National Drug Code Directory under the Nabriva label. Since April 12, 2021, Nabriva has been marketing and distributing Sivextro in the United States and certain of its territories as part of an exclusive agreement signed in July 2020 with subsidiaries of Merck (MRK), the company noted. Under the terms of the agreement with Merck, Nabriva will continue to procure Sivextro from Merck and be solely responsible for marketing, sales, and distribution of Sivextro in the United States at least through December 31, 2023, with renewable three-year extensions. As a result, Nabriva expects to recognize 100% of net product sales of Sivextro in its results of operations beginning on April 12, 2021, the company said.

12:00 EDT Virgin Galactic falls -11.4% - Virgin Galactic is down -11.4%, or -$3.05 to $23.63.

12:00 EDT QuantumScape falls -11.8% - QuantumScape is down -11.8%, or -$4.82 to $36.03.

12:00 EDT Weingarten Realty rises 10.6% - Weingarten Realty is up 10.6%, or $2.89 to $30.23.

11:49 EDT Disney suspends U.S. cruise departures though June - Disney said, "We are carefully reviewing the most recently released guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and working toward resuming operations. As we continue to refine our protocols for our eventual return to service, we are cancelling all Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wonder sailings departing through June 2021...We have canceled Disney Magic sailings through October 9, 2021. The Disney Magic will set sail in the United Kingdom for a limited time this summer on short voyages limited to UK residents, pending the issuance of UK Government guidelines and authorizations...In light of the Canadian government's announcement that they will not allow ships with more than 100 passengers to dock in any Canadian port until February 28, 2022, we continue to evaluate various options for the Disney Wonder's scheduled season in Alaska."

11:16 EDT U.S. Bancorp sees Q2 noninterest expense relatively stable vs. Q1

11:06 EDT Wells Fargo reports head of Human Resources leaving company - Wells Fargo announced that David Galloreese, head of Human Resources, will leave Wells Fargo on April 23 to take a role outside the company. Kleber Santos, head of Diverse Segments, Representation and Inclusion and a member of the Operating Committee, will take on the additional role of interim head of Human Resources while the company conducts a thorough and formal search for a new head of Human Resources.

11:03 EDT Citi expects Q1 to be low point for NIM

11:02 EDT Citi has already started process for retail banking exits

11:02 EDT Citi: 'No fire sales' at Citi for retail banking exits

10:50 EDT Citi ses bigger U.S. deals 'if they make sense'

10:44 EDT Citi still plans to return capital to shareholders

10:36 EDT Citi expects additional reserve releases, but not as big as in Q1

10:30 EDT Citi sees decline in NIR of $1B-$2B, with stabilization continuing in Q2

10:22 EDT Bank of America reports March net charge-offs 3.17% vs. 2.67% last month - Reports March 30-plus day delinquencies 1.31% vs. 1.50% last month.

10:16 EDT Citi 'well-positioned' to capture strong growth in wealth

10:07 EDT Delta Air Lines says will start selling middle seats May 1 - Sees return to profitability in September quarter.

10:02 EDT Citi 'optimistic' about recovery ahead - Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

10:00 EDT Virgin Galactic falls -8.1% - Virgin Galactic is down -8.1%, or -$2.17 to $24.51.

10:00 EDT Natuzzi falls -9.6% - Natuzzi is down -9.6%, or -$1.44 to $13.56.

10:00 EDT Linx S.A. rises 7.7% - Linx S.A. is up 7.7%, or 48c to $6.71.

09:59 EDT Bank of America sees Q2 expenses 'just north' of $14B - Expects expenses to rise about 1% per year. Says COVID expenses to "wind down" over next six months.

09:54 EDT GlaxoSmithKline, Vir Biotechnology announce EMA review of VIR-7831 - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology (VIR) announced that the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, has started a review of VIR-7831, an investigational dual-action SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over and weighing at least 40 kg with COVID-19 who do not require oxygen supplementation and who are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19. The review is being carried out by the EMA's Committee for Human Medicinal Products, or CHMP, and will provide EU-wide recommendations for national authorities who may take evidence-based decisions on the early use of the medicine, ahead of any formal Marketing Authorization Application. "This week, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), part of the Department of Health, granted VIR-7831 a provisional determination. VIR-7831 is the first anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody to have been granted this designation which provides a formal and transparent mechanism for accelerating the registration of promising new medicines with preliminary clinical data. VIR-7831 is an investigational compound and has not been granted a marketing authorisation anywhere in the world. An Emergency Use Authorization application for VIR-7831 has been submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration," the companies said.

09:47 EDT Virgin Galactic falls -6.7% - Virgin Galactic is down -6.7%, or -$1.78 to $24.90.

09:47 EDT QuantumScape falls -11.4% - QuantumScape is down -11.4%, or -$4.64 to $36.21.

09:47 EDT Linx S.A. rises 8.2% - Linx S.A. is up 8.2%, or 51c to $6.74.

09:36 EDT Bank of America expects card losses to be lower in Q2 - Says "plenty of room for growth in balance sheet."

09:30 EDT MasterCard appoints Tim Murphy as chief administrative officer - Mastercard announced the appointment of Tim Murphy, the company's general counsel, to the newly created position of chief administrative officer. In this role, he will have oversight of the company's law, franchise and integrity activities, as well as the added management of its people and capabilities function. Richard Verma, executive vice president for global public policy and regulatory affairs, has been promoted to general counsel and head of global public policy. He will now lead the company's core legal and regulatory functions, as well as its global and regional public policy teams.

09:29 EDT Legion files proxy statement and issues letter to OneSpan shareholders - Legion Partners Asset Management, beneficially owns 2,790,121 shares of common stock of OneSpan representing approximately 6.9% of the outstanding stock, today announced the filing of its definitive proxy statement and issued an open letter to stockholders in connection with its nomination of four highly-qualified independent directors for election to the Company's Board of Directors at the Company's 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders Sarika Garg, Sagar Gupta, Michael J. McConnell and Rinki Sethi. The Company has not set the date or time for the Annual Meeting. In the letter, Legion outlines its case for Board refreshment at OneSpan. Legion is the second-largest institutional stockholder of OneSpan and has repeatedly attempted to engage constructively with the Board and management team for years to help improve OneSpan's persistently low valuation. Unfortunately, the Board has consistently dismissed several ideas to unlock stockholder value - ideas that Legion believes have widespread support amongst OneSpan's stockholder base. Over the past two years the Company has added new directors and seen the long overdue resignations of two long-tenured directors. Legion believes these incremental changes were only driven by its pressure for change and would not have occurred without this involvement. While Legion welcomes fresh perspectives, we find most of their recent additions generally lack relevant skillsets in cloud-first recurring revenue. Even with these reactive steps, not enough has been done to alter the base of power in the boardroom and reverse the severe underperformance of OneSpan's stock.

09:28 EDT CleanSpark purchases 22,680 additional bitcoin miners - CleanSpark has secured multiple contracts for mining equipment. The company has now secured contracts for all of the equipment necessary for CleanSpark's mining operation to increase its Bitcoin mining capacity to meet its stated objective of a total hash rate capacity of more than 1.1 EH/s by summer. Additionally, CleanSpark has now secured a total of 22,680 S19j Pro and S19 Pro Antminers for future delivery under annual contracts. These annual contracts are expected to provide an additional 2.23 EH/s in hash rate capacity. The units purchased under these contracts are expected to be delivered at an average rate of approximately 1,620 units per month over a 14-month period, with the first batch scheduled for delivery in August. The Company expects that these new units will enable CleanSpark to increase its total mining production capacity to over 3.2 EH/s, following the delivery and deployment of all the equipment. The company aims to achieve carbon-neutrality from its current cryptocurrency operations in the near future.

09:18 EDT Willis Towers Watson commits delegated investment portfolios to net zero - Willis Towers Watson Investments announced that it is targeting net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest, with at least a 50% reduction by 2030, in its fully discretionary delegated investment portfolios.

09:16 EDT Bank of America sees 'significant decline' in expenses in Q2 - Says COVID expense "remains elevated." Sees 2021 expenses at 2015 levels.

09:16 EDT Surna announces representative agreement with RSX Enterprises - Surna announced that it engaged RSX Enterprises, Inc. to act as an external manufacturer's representative offering Surna's engineering services and environmental control systems to commercial growers in the United States, Canada and Mexico. RSX Enterprises, which was recently founded by cannabis industry veteran Randy Shipley, is a sales and marketing firm that sells and markets equipment for use in controlled environment agriculture on behalf of various manufacturers. As an extension of Surna's in-house sales team, RSX Enterprises will increase the number of "feet on the ground," which Surna believes will generate more sales opportunities at the all-important early design stage.

09:13 EDT MoneyGram's MoneyGram Online reports March transactions up 131% year-over-year - MoneyGram's MoneyGram Online recorded an all-time high in cross-border transactions as well as 131% growth in year-over-year cross-border transactions for the month of March. This marks the fifteenth consecutive month of triple-digit growth for MGO.

09:11 EDT VerifyMe announces filing of co-sponsored SPAC registration statement - VerifyMe announced that that G3 VRM Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company being co-sponsored by the Company, filed a Registration Statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with a proposed initial public offering of its units. The proposed public offering is expected to have a base offering size of $100M, or up to $115M if the underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full. G3 VRM Acquisition intends to search for a target in the technology industry, specifically within the software, technology-enabled and business services sector, and related sectors. G3 VRM Acquisition is directly owned by G3 VRM Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the Company is a member of G3 VRM Holdings. Under the current terms of the co-sponsorship arrangement and proposed public offering, the Company will fund half of the expenses of G3 VRM Acquisition until consummation of an initial business combination, the Company has committed to contribute an amount currently expected to be approximately $2,500,000 to G3 VRM Holdings to purchase private placement warrants upon the pricing of the G3 VRM Acquisition intial public offering, and the Company expects to have an approximately 43% indirect pecuniary interest in the founder shares and private placement warrants following the offering.

09:09 EDT Rogers Communications expands 5G netowk in the West, Ontario - Rogers Communications announced it is expanding its 5G network to now reach residents and businesses in Selkirk and Steinbach, Manitoba and St. Catharines, Ontario. Rogers 5G, powered exclusively by Ericsson, reaches 173 cities and towns nationwide offering 5G access to nearly half of Canada. Also announced, Rogers for Business worked with InDro Robotics and the University of British Columbia's MeridaLabs to complete Canada's first remotely piloted aircraft system flight over a 5G network at the UBC campus in Vancouver, BC. 5G will enable the ability to fly drones on autonomous missions from remote command centres connected over a 5G network. The 5G infrastructure Rogers has installed at UBC is enabling researchers and partners to explore future innovations, including parcel tracking, scheduling, and delivery by drone. 5G drones are expected to provide untapped services for a number of industries including agriculture, natural resources, infrastructure and utilities, construction, first responders and more.

09:08 EDT Blue Hat Interactive signs logo and emoji licensing agreement with Tencent - Blue Hat Interactive signed a two-year licensing agreement with Tencent QQ, an instant messaging and social platform for PC and mobile users, to use its intellectual property of the QQ penguin logo and QQ emoji on Blue Hat's toy products and related marketing materials. Blue Hat is authorized to use the name and IP images on its acoustic and photoelectronic combination toys and bubble toys, as well as on any related instructions, packaging and promotional materials and activities, including online and offline marketing campaigns and product displays, subject to the advance approval by QQ. QQ is obligated to provide such IP materials to Blue Hat. Launched in 1999, QQ is an instant messaging and social platform for PC and mobile users with a penguin logo, with approximately 617 million monthly active users by September 2020.

09:06 EDT EZGO Technologies signs distribution contract for 10,000 e-bicycles - EZGO Technologies signed a contract with a supply chain company located in Hebei, China to sell no less than 10,000 E-bicycles annually. The sale followed the company's participation in the 20th Annual Northern China International Bicycle and Electric Bicycle Exhibition. The company also received orders from various groups or companies at the exhibition, including 1,000 units of light electric motorcycles.

09:04 EDT Nokia, NCTC partner on tailore fiber solutions for cable, broadband operators - Nokia today announced an agreement with the National Cable Television Cooperative to aid and expedite its member companies' broadband service rollouts and expansions. Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will provide NCTC members with tailored fiber solutions and access to premier service programs. Unique in the industry, the Nokia solution also enables a simple upgrade path to 25Gb/s.

09:03 EDT Izea completes sale of $35M through ATM offering - IZEA Worldwide announced that it has completed sales of approximately $35M of its common shares pursuant to the Company's At-The-Market Offering established on January 25, 2021, through National Securities Corporation, acting as sales agent. In the ATM Sales, an aggregate of 7,028,132 common shares have been issued to investors at an average at-the-market price of $4.98 a common share. A $75M shelf registration statement on Form S-3 relating to IZEA's securities was filed with the SEC and became effective on June 2, 2020. The total gross proceeds raised under the Form S-3 since June 2020 is approximately $75M, exhausting the total amount available under the Shelf registration.

08:52 EDT Mercer Park Brand announces proposed extension for GH Group transaction - Mercer Park Brand Acquisition Corp., a Special Purpose Acquisition Company which has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with GH Group, a Californian fully-integrated cannabis business, with the right to combine with a greenhouse and 17 additional dispensary locations that are in the process of applying for licenses, announced that it is seeking a brief extension in its permitted timeline, from May 13, 2021 to July 30, 2021, to enable the Glass House Group transaction to be completed. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions of closing, the Glass House Group transaction is currently anticipated to close in the first half of June 2021. A virtual meeting of the holders of Class A Restricted Voting Shares of Mercer Park Brand Acquisition Corp. is scheduled to be held on May 5, 2021 at 10:00 am. In connection with the meeting, holders of Class A Restricted Voting Shares are being provided with the opportunity to deposit for redemption all or a portion of their Class A Restricted Voting Shares, irrespective of whether such holders vote for or against, or do not vote on, the extension resolution, provided that they deposit their Class A Restricted Voting Shares for redemption prior to 5:00 p.m. on April 28, 2021, which is the fifth business day before the date of the meeting. BRND has updated and finalized its determination of the redemption amount per share to take into account the latest information available to it. BRND now estimates that the amount is approximately US$10.11 per Class A Restricted Voting Share, replacing the US$10.06 per share previously disclosed in the Management Information Circular dated April 5, 2021. The increase relates to an expected tax refund associated with the filing of the fiscal year 2020 income tax return, which was filed on April 14, 2021.

08:51 EDT Delta Air Lines expects to receive $2.7B in Q2 from U.S. Treasury under PSP3 - Delta ended the March quarter with $16.6B in liquidity, including $2.6B in undrawn revolver capacity. The company anticipates receiving approximately $2.7B in the June quarter from the U.S. Treasury under PSP3.

08:48 EDT Delta Air Lines sees Q2 scheduled capacity down ~32% - Sees Q2: sellable capacity down ~40%; Fuel price per gallon $1.85 - $1.95; CASM-Ex up 6%-9%; CapEx ~$550M; Adjusted net debt $19B-$19.5B.

08:44 EDT Longeveron announces completion of Phase I/II study of lomecel-b infusion - Longeveron announced the completion of the Company's Phase I/II clinical study of the use of Lomecel-B to improve immune response to influenza vaccine in subjects with Aging Frailty. Lomecel-B is an allogeneic, bone marrow-derived medicinal signaling cell product manufactured under current good manufacturing practices by Longeveron. The two-phase, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted at 7 hospitals and clinics throughout Florida and Maryland, and was supported in part by a grant from Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund under the Maryland Technology Development Corporation and the National Institute on Aging. It is well established that an aging immune system is less effective at producing protective antibodies following vaccination, and this reduced immune response contributes to the aging process in general. People with aging frailty are more prone to inflammaging and are more likely to have greater susceptibility to infectious diseases and reduced responses to vaccination. Although commercially available vaccines against influenza provide protection and likely lasting immunological memory in children and adults, they are much less effective in older and frail individuals. Lomecel-B has the potential to reduce inflammation associated with Aging Frailty, and to promote an anti-inflammatory state by releasing anti-inflammatory molecules, which can balance the immune system and improve the function of B lymphocytes. As B cells are responsible for antibody production in response to vaccines, Lomecel-B may boost antibody generation and immunity following vaccination in subjects with Aging Frailty. It is anticipated that the top-line trial results will be announced in the 3rd quarter of 2021. In the open-label Phase I trial, elderly subjects considered to be mild-to-moderately frail per the Clinical Frailty Scale were randomized to receive a single peripheral intravenous infusion of Lomecel-B either one week or four weeks before administration of the flu vaccine to evaluate whether timing of administration of Lomecel-B relative to the vaccine resulted in a significant difference in immune response. Based on the phase 1 results, administration of Lomecel-B one week in advance of flu vaccination was selected for the Phase II randomized, placebo-controlled trial. In Phase II, a total of 39 subjects were enrolled and treated, with 20 receiving placebo and 19 receiving Lomecel-B. The primary objectives of the study were to assess safety, and efficacy of Lomecel-B to improve response to flu vaccine through measurement of serum antibodies. Additional efficacy measures include assessments of physical strength and endurance, quality-of-life and activities of daily living assessments, cognitive function, and blood-based biomarkers.

08:42 EDT Indaba tells Benefitfocus of unwillingness to agree to 'good faith' pact - Indaba Capital Management which collectively with the other participants in its solicitation beneficially owns approximately 9.5% of the outstanding common shares of Benefitfocus, issued the below open letter to the Company's Board of Directors . As a reminder, Indaba recently nominated two highly-qualified and independent candidates - Ronald P. Mitchell and Nicholas K. Pianim - for election to the Company's Board at the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders "Dear Lead Independent Director A. Lanham Napier and Members of the Board, We are writing to you today to express our profound disappointment with the manner in which Benefitfocus has responded to our most recent attempt to achieve a settlement that supports further Board refreshment. It is confounding that the Company once again demonstrated an unwillingness to compromise with us and commit to promptly improving its insular Board. Given our status as one of the Company's largest shareholders, allowing us to have input into just one of seven directors on the go-forward Board seems like something Benefitfocus should embrace rather than resist. We cannot understand the Board's unwillingness to agree to our latest proposal, which provided for Indaba withdrawing its nominations and accepting customary settlement terms in exchange for the Board adding Ronald P. Mitchell and committing to basic governance improvements. It is important to stress that Indaba has made a significant effort to compromise with the Board in recent weeks. Despite the many issues plaguing Benefitfocus, we have not asked the Company to appoint both of our nominees or immediately establish a committee to review strategic alternatives. We proposed a consensual resolution based on the appointment of one director."

08:42 EDT Chinook Therapeutics presents data during ISN world congress, last four posters - Chinook Therapeutics today announced six poster presentations at the ISN World Congress of Nephrology 2021. The final 4 posters include the following information. The third poster is titled "WCN21-0398: Human Renal Mesangial Cell Activation Induced by Endothelin-1 or IgA Nephropathy Patient Immune Derived Complexes is Blocked by Selective ETA Antagonist Atrasentan." Human renal mesangial cell activation is considered the initiating intra-renal event in the pathogenesis of IgAN and occurs in response to the deposition of pathogenic galactose-deficient IgA (Gd-IgA)-containing immune complexes. This activation results in increased cellular proliferation and inflammatory cytokine secretion. Exogenous ET-1 directly stimulates mesangial cell activation, inducing proliferative, pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic pathways, which can be blocked by atrasentan. Atrasentan prevented HRMC hyperproliferation in response to IgAN patient-derived immune complexes. This suggests that the autocrine action of endogenously produced ET-1 on ETA receptors contributes to mesangial cell activation resulting from pathogenic IgA-containing immune complexes. These results support the therapeutic potential of atrasentan in patients with IgAN, not only via its well characterized effect of reducing proteinuria, but also by potentially reducing mesangial cell activation, a hallmark of IgA nephropathy. Poster titled "WCN21-0848: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Atrasentan in Patients with IgA Nephropathy." The ALIGN Study is a global, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial comparing the efficacy and safety of atrasentan versus placebo in patients with IgAN at risk of progressive loss of kidney function. Approximately 320 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN will be randomized to receive 0.75 mg atrasentan or placebo as a once-daily oral pill for approximately 2.5 years. The primary efficacy endpoint of the ALIGN Study is to evaluate the effect of atrasentan versus placebo on proteinuria as measured by urine protein to creatinine ratio from baseline to 24 weeks. Secondary and exploratory objectives include evaluating the change in kidney function over time as measured by eGFR, safety and tolerability, as well as quality of life. Chinook expects to report top-line data from the 24-week primary endpoint efficacy analysis in 2023. Poster titled "WCN21-0717: Atrasentan in Patients with Proteinuric Glomerular Diseases." The AFFINITY Study is a phase 2, open-label, basket study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atrasentan in patients with proteinuric glomerular disease who are at risk of progressive loss of renal function. Four initial cohorts will consist of patients with: IgAN with UPCR of 0.5 to less than 1.0 g/g, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, Approximately 20 patients will be enrolled in each cohort to receive 0.75 mg atrasentan for 52 weeks. Patients in all cohorts will continue receiving an optimized and stable dose of a RAS inhibitor as standard of care. The primary efficacy endpoint of the AFFINITY Study is the effect on proteinuria as measured by UPCR in patients with IgAN, FSGS and Alport syndrome and the change in albuminuria as measured by urine albumin to creatinine in patients with DKD, from baseline to 12 weeks. Chinook expects to report data from initial cohorts of patients in the AFFINITY Study during 2022. Poster titled "WCN21-0612: Discovery of CHK-336: A First-in-Class, Liver-Targeted, Small Molecule Inhibitor of Lactate Dehydrogenase for the Treatment of Hyperoxaluria." CHK-336, is a liver-targeted oral small molecule LDHA inhibitor for the treatment of PH. LDHA catalyzes the final step in the production of oxalate in the liver, and therefore LDHA inhibition has the potential to treat all forms of PH - PH1, PH2 and PH3 - as well as other disorders arising from excess oxalate. CHK-336 demonstrates tight LDHA binding and a very slow enzyme off-rate, to extend the duration of action and enable the potential of once-daily dosing in humans. CHK-336 was engineered with a liver-targeted distribution profile to effectively block hepatic oxalate synthesis while minimizing systemic exposures.

08:41 EDT Assure Holdings acquires Elevation, terms not disclosed - Assure Holdings is pleased to announce that effective March 15, 2021, and taking the form of an asset purchase agreement, it acquired the assets of Elevation EP, a Texas-based IONM service provider. Assure acquired Elevation's contracts, employees, business relationships and assets. Elevation's operations are based in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area of Texas. In 2020, Elevation performed approximately 550 IONM procedures and approximately 55% of these procedures were commercial insurance payors. Elevation employed two technologists supporting two surgeons at one facility.

08:38 EDT Allstate reports estimated March catastrophe losses of $252M - Allstate announced estimated pre-tax catastrophe losses for the month of March of $252M, $54M after-tax and anticipated reinsurance recoveries. Catastrophe losses in March comprised six events at an estimated cost of $208M, plus increased prior period reserve estimates of $44M. One large wind/hail event accounted for approximately 55% of March estimated catastrophe losses. The nationwide aggregate reinsurance cover will offset $184M of losses. Losses before reinsurance, subrogation recoveries and taxes for Q1 totaled $1.67B, and were partially offset by $1.08B in anticipated reinsurance and subrogation recoveries. As a result, 2021 first quarter catastrophe losses are estimated to be $466M, after-tax.

08:37 EDT CLPS provides update on expansion in Asia Pacific region - CLPS provided an update on the latest implementation of its global expansion strategy. Its expansion pipeline includes the establishment of a subsidiary in the Philippines, boosting the business in Southeast Asia, and pursuing overseas merger and acquisition. For the six months ended December 31, 2020, CLPS reported revenue generated outside of Mainland China increased by 53.9% to $6.6M vs. the prior year period.

08:35 EDT Hamilton Thorne appoints Thomas Ebner, Cynthia Hudson to SAB - Hamilton Thorne announced the strengthening of its Scientific Advisory Board with the appointments of Dr. Thomas Ebner and Cynthia Hudson. Thomas Ebner, PhD, is an ESHRE-certified Senior Clinical Embryologist with 25 years of hands-on experience in IVF laboratories. Cynthia Hudson is the Executive Director of Embryology, Strategy, and Operations for TMRW Life Sciences, a company that created the world's first and only automated platform for the management and storage of cryopreserved fertility tissue.

08:33 EDT Luckin Coffee enters investment agreement with Centurium affiliate, Joy Capital - Luckin Coffee announced that it has entered into an investment agreement with an affiliate of Centurium Capital, as the lead investor, and Joy Capital. Both Centurium Capital and Joy Capital are leading private equity investment firms in China and current shareholders of the Company. Pursuant to the Investment Agreement, Centurium Capital has agreed to an investment, through a private placement, totaling approximately $240M in senior convertible preferred shares of the Company, and Joy Capital has agreed to an investment, through a private placement, totaling approximately $10M in Senior Preferred Shares. Under certain circumstances, Centurium Capital and Joy Capital may be able to upsize on a pro rata basis for an additional $150M. The closing of the Transactions will be subject to a series of closing conditions, including the implementation of a restructuring of Luckin Coffee's $460 million 0.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 through a scheme of arrangement under section 86 of the Cayman Islands Companies Act in accordance with the terms of the recently announced restructuring support agreement. A summary of key terms of the Transactions is attached as Exhibit 99.2 to the Current Report on Form 6-K furnished by the Company today. Luckin Coffee plans to use the proceeds of the investment to facilitate the Company's proposed offshore restructuring and fulfill its obligations under its recently announced settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Transactions allow the Company to focus its balance sheet on the continued execution of its business plan, focused on growing the core coffee business and achieving its long-term growth targets.

08:32 EDT Independence Holding to sell Standard Security Life Insurance Company - Independence Holding Company reported its agreement to sell Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York to Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, a member of the Tokio Marine Group. On April 14, 2021, Independence Holding Company and its wholly owned subsidiary Independence Capital Corp. entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company to sell all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York, an insurance company domiciled in the State of New York and wholly owned subsidiary of ICC, for an aggregate purchase price of $180M in cash. In addition, in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, at closing, Standard Security will make a dividend to ICC in an amount equal to the excess of the aggregate statutory capital and surplus of Standard Security as of the closing date over $53M. Standard Security had statutory capital and surplus of $64.6M at December 31, 2020. The closing of the transaction, the closing dividend and certain other items are subject to customary closing conditions including applicable regulatory approvals, one of which is the approval of the New York State Department of Financial Services.

08:31 EDT Nemaura Medical appoints Samantha Sanders as global head of digital programs - Nemaura Medical announced the appointment of Samantha Sanders as its Global Head of Digital Programs. "Samantha will lead the customer interface of Nemaura's digital portfolio, from a product design, product placement, and customer service perspective. She takes a passionate approach to ensure that products are designed with the user in mind, developing and managing products that enhance everyday lives and we are looking forward to her contribution to ensure optimized access to our product portfolio for the end user," commented Dr. Faz Chowdhury, Nemaura's CEO.

08:30 EDT Brown-Forman announces Leanne Cunningham as CFO - Brown-Forman announces a leadership change in its chief financial officer, CFO, role. Jane Morreau, executive vice president, chief financial officer, will be leaving Brown-Forman after a nearly three-decade career at the company on July 1. Leanne Cunningham, senior vice president, shareholder relations officer, global commercial finance and financial planning and analysis, has been appointed chief financial officer, to succeed Morreau on July 2.

08:28 EDT PepsiCo sees 2H gross mrgin in 'flattish' range - Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:24 EDT Gold Standard Ventures general manager Don Harris retires - The Company also announces the retirements of Don Harris, General Manager, effective May 13, 2021, and Steven Koehler, Manager of Projects, effective April 21, 2021. Richard Yancey will join the project team as Geology Manager, effective May 3, 2021. Mr. Yancey brings over 30 years of geology and exploration experience and was most recently with Coeur Mining at the Rochester mine in Pershing County, Nevada. Prior to that, he held positions with Tahoe Resources, Kennecott Copper, and Barrick Gold. Eric Hill will also join the project team as Chief Metallurgist, effective May 3, 2021. Mr. Hill has over a decade of experience in metallurgy, operations, and project management. Mr. Hill has worked for Newmont, Kinross Gold, and Jacob's Engineering.

08:23 EDT Galecto announces publication of paper on galectin-3 and gastric cancer - Galecto announced the publication of a paper in Gastric Cancer, a joint official peer-reviewed journal of the International Gastric Cancer Association and the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association, demonstrating the key role galectin-3 plays in gastric cancer. The paper, entitled "Crosstalk between WNT and STAT3 is mediated by galectin-3 in tumor progression," outlines how galectin-3 promotes cancer cell growth through the well-established STAT3-WNT pathway. The preclinical research published in Gastric Cancer demonstrates that GB1107, one of Galecto's galectin-3 inhibitors optimized for mouse galectin-3, is potent in inhibiting the cancer promoting effects of galectin-3. The scientific work is a collaboration between Yonsei University and Chosun University, both in South Korea, Lund University and Galecto. Dr. Hans Schambye, CEO of Galecto added, "This research is very exciting as it outlines a potential new cancer indication in which galectin-3 plays a key role. In this preclinical study, GB1107, our orally active galectin-3 inhibitor optimized for murine activity, demonstrated the ability to inhibit tumor growth in orthotopic gastric cancer-bearing mice. We believe these data together with existing data on the role of galectin-3 in cancer provide a solid basis for exploring clinical application of our galectin-3 inhibitors in gastric cancer therapy."

08:18 EDT Adverum files definitive proxy materials, accelerates ADVM-022 commercialization - Adverum Biotechnologies announced that it has filed definitive proxy materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with Adverum's 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held virtually on May 12 at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time. The Adverum board of directors unanimously recommends that stockholders vote the white proxy card for Adverum's three directors standing for election - Dawn Svoronos, Reed Tuckson, M.D. and Tom Woiwode, Ph.D. In conjunction with the definitive proxy filing, Adverum is mailing a letter to stockholders detailing the significant clinical advancements the board and management team are executing to accelerate toward commercialization and create value for stockholders. In the letter, the board of directors included information on accelerating ADVM-022 toward commercialization, stating, "Your Board and management team are taking decisive action to accelerate our ADVM-022 development and commercialization plans to launch our first mass-market gene therapy to treat millions of patients with wet AMD and DME if ADVM-022 receives FDA approval. We are focused on execution, with the goal of delivering this transformative gene therapy to patients globally as early as possible."

08:15 EDT Apollo Global announces completion of tender offer for shares of Michaels - Magic MergeCo, an entity controlled by funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) announced the completion of the previously commenced cash tender offer by the Purchaser to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of The Michaels Companies (MIK). The tender offer, which was extended on April 8, 2021, expired at 5:00 P.M., New York City time on April 14, 2021. As of the expiration of the tender offer, a total of 122,994,416 shares of common stock of Michaels, representing approximately 85.92% of the outstanding Michaels shares, were validly tendered into and not validly withdrawn from the tender offer. As of such expiration, all conditions to the tender offer have been satisfied or waived. Purchaser has accepted for payment, and expects to promptly pay for, all such Michaels shares validly tendered into and not withdrawn in accordance with the terms of the tender offer. As a result of its acceptance of the shares tendered in the tender offer, Purchaser has acquired a sufficient number of shares of Michaels' common stock to, and expects to, close the merger of Purchaser with and into Michaels without the affirmative vote of Michaels' other stockholders pursuant to Section 251(h) of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Purchaser expects to consummate the merger on April 15, 2021. In connection with the merger, the remaining outstanding shares will be converted into the right to receive $22.00 per share in cash, being the same price paid in the tender offer. As a result of the tender offer and the merger, Michaels will become a privately-held, indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Apollo Funds and Michaels' common stock will cease trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

08:13 EDT Abiomed says1st patient enrolled in PROTECT IV RCT of Impella - Abiomed announced that the first patient has been enrolled in PROTECT IV, a large, prospective, multi-center randomized controlled trial that is designed to provide the level of clinical evidence needed to achieve a Class I guideline recommendation for Impella in high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (HRPCI). The first patient was enrolled at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit by Dr. Ted Schreiber, chief of cardiology at Ascension St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital and Dr. Amir Kaki, interventional cardiologist and director of mechanical circulatory support at Ascension St. John Hospital.

08:10 EDT FBL Financial says Iowa Insurance Division finishes review of FBPCIC acquisition - FBL Financial Group announced that the Iowa Insurance Division has completed its review of the proposed acquisition by Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company of all of the outstanding shares of FBL Financial Group Class A and Class B common stock, excluding shares owned by FBPCIC and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, for $56.00 per share in cash. Based on this review, the Division informed FBPCIC that is not requiring FBPCIC to make a filing on Form A in connection with the proposed transaction, satisfying the applicable insurance regulatory closing conditions. Receipt of clearance from the Division is an important step in the process to closing the proposed transaction. FBL Financial Group has scheduled a Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held on April 29, 2021 to vote on the proposed transaction. T

08:10 EDT Brickell Biotech announces publication of HDSM-Ax scale validation results - Brickell Biotech announced that results from a Phase 2b study evaluating the use of Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Measure-Axillary, or HDSM-Ax, Brickell's proprietary patient reported outcome scale, to measure primary axillary hyperhidrosis, or AHH, severity were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. The article, entitled "Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Measure-Axillary: Evaluation of Measurement Performance," can be accessed online here. The psychometric analyses conclude that HDSM-Ax is a "well-defined and reliable measure of primary AHH severity that is expected to improve the assessment of axillary hyperhidrosis treatment effects compared to pre-existing scales, such as the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale," the company said. The analyses determine that a 1-point change in HDSM-Ax severity score represents a clinically meaningful change in AHH severity.

08:08 EDT TypTap receives approval to write homeowners insurance in Connecticut - TypTap Insurance Group, has received regulatory approval to write homeowners insurance in Connecticut. The approval is part of TypTap's planned nationwide expansion announced in August of 2020. TypTap has received approvals in 12 states outside of Florida.

08:07 EDT Citi reports Q1 ROE 17.2%, RoTCE 20.1% - Reports Q1 SLR 7%. Reports Q1 liquidity coverage ratio 115%. Reports Q1 payout ratio 35%.

08:07 EDT Panbela reports partial clinical hold lifted on Phase 1 study of SBP-101 - Panbela Therapeutics announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has lifted the partial clinical hold on the company's Phase 1 first-line study of SBP-101 when used in combination with standard of care agents gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel for treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. SBP-101 is the company's first polyamine metabolic inhibitor therapeutic candidate. The company has agreed to include in the design of all future studies the exclusion of patients with a history of retinopathy or at risk of retinal detachment and scheduled ophthalmologic monitoring for all patients. Additionally, in future dose-finding studies screening for retinal toxicity will be included.

08:06 EDT Citi reports Q1 cost of credit ($2.1B) - Citigroup cost of credit of ($2.1B) in Q1 compared to $7B in the prior-year period, largely reflecting a release of allowance for credit loss reserves in ICG and GCB, driven by improvements in the macroeconomic outlook and lower loan volumes.

08:05 EDT electroCore announces publication reviewing gammaCore - electroCore announced the publication of a paper, entitled, "Cluster headache pathophysiology - insights from current and emerging treatments," by Drs. Diana Wei and Peter Goadsby in Nature Reviews: Neurology. The paper reviews data on existing and emerging treatments for the acute and preventive treatment of cluster headache, as well as insights into the pathophysiology of cluster headache. Among the emerging treatments, electroCore's gammaCore is identified as the only therapy that has been shown to be effective in clinical trials for both the acute treatment of episodic cluster headache as well as the preventive treatment of cluster headache. "This dual ability offers a unique, nonpharmaceutical advantage to patients suffering from cluster headache who are looking for a treatment that can both acutely decrease or eliminate the pain from an acute cluster headache in as soon as 15 minutes, as well as decrease the number of weekly attacks they experience," the company said.

08:03 EDT IBM to acquire process mining software company myInvenio - IBM announced a definitive agreement to acquire myInvenio, a process mining software company based in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The acquisition will provide organizations with data-driven software that should help them identify the most impactful business processes to automate using AI - including sales, procurement, production and accounting. Financial details were not disclosed. IBM's acquisition of myInvenio builds on its OEM agreement with the company. Upon close of the acquisition, IBM has plans to integrate myInvenio's capabilities into its Automation portfolio, including IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation, IBM's hybrid cloud software for AI.

08:03 EDT JPMorgan reports March net credit losses 2.03% vs. 2.11% last month - Reports March 30-plus day delinquencies 0.89% vs. 0.97% last month.

07:54 EDT CureVac provides business update, Covid-19 progress - "2020 was a year of fundamental corporate transformation, which has propelled CureVac forward in its growth from a research-oriented biotech to an integrated, commercial biopharma company based on our unique mRNA technology and a broad clinical COVID-19 vaccine program," said Franz-Werner Haas, Chief Executive Officer of CureVac. "mRNA has emerged as a key technology that leads the charge against the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is only starting to realize its full potential in the development of new prophylactic vaccines and therapeutics in other areas such as oncology. Moving into 2021, we will continue the development of our company and, subject to regulatory approval, execute on our core mandate to broadly deliver a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. We have made great progress in achieving these goals and are now leveraging the solid foundation we laid to further tackle emerging variants in our COVID-19 vaccine program, advance into second-generation COVID-19 vaccines and infectious diseases and expand our clinical pipeline in oncology and protein therapies." "We closed 2020 with a strong cash position of EUR 1.32 billion, including the proceeds of a private round financing in July, our IPO in August and a grant from the German government in September. This was further complemented by a significant upfront payment from our Advanced Purchase Agreement with the European Commission for 225 million doses of CVnCoV with an option for an additional 180 million doses," said Pierre Kemula, Chief Financial Officer of CureVac. "In addition, in February 2021, we successfully raised aggregated gross proceeds of approximately $517.5 million in our first follow-on financing. With our strong cash position, we believe we are in a great position to accelerate our corporate transformation from a research-oriented biotech to a commercial-stage biopharma company and to continue to grow the business around our broad clinical pipeline while building up commercial expertise and infrastructure."

07:45 EDT Global Internet of People enters into $1.2M contracts with Beijing Taxation Star - Global Internet of People announced that its subsidiary, Global Mentor Board Information Technology, entered into service contracts worth approximately $1.22M with Beijing Taxation Star Technology in April. Pursuant to the service contracts, Global Internet of People will provide "tailor-designed 'Platinum Membership' services to Taxation Star for a fee of approximately $764,000 based on the latter's business needs," the company said. Additionally, the company will also provide Taxation Star with enterprise services including startup incubation, event promotion, project roadshow, and mobile application promotion services for a fee of approximately $458,400.

07:42 EDT Amerant Bank expands use of nCino to retail banking, portfolio analytics - nCino (NCNO) announced that Amerant Bank (AMTB) has expanded its use of nCino beyond Commercial Banking and added nCino's Retail Banking Solution and Portfolio Analytics, part of the nCino IQ application suite. The bank is now adding nCino's Retail Banking Solution and nIQ Portfolio Analytics to the platform's functionality to "improve its consumer banking client experience and better manage risk through portfolio metrics and trends. With COVID-19 demanding changes to the way financial institutions operate, Amerant recognized that its success was largely dependent on integrating the right systems and tools to be a more digitally driven institution. By adopting nCino's retail lending and analytics capabilities, the bank will be more empowered to give its clients what they need while still upholding its commitment to personal service and attention," the company said.

07:37 EDT Wesdome Gold Mines reports Q1 gold production 22,564 ounces - Wesdome Gold Mines announces its gold production results for the first quarter of 2021. Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO commented, "First quarter production of 22,564 ounces was within our expectations. Eagle River grades were slightly below the low end of our guidance, however increased through the quarter, reaching 15.3 g/t in the month of March and we expect to be within guidance for the year. Underground operations showed steady improvement in efficiencies throughout the quarter and this trend is expected to continue. Mill throughput increased by 6% over Q1 2020 due to higher mill availability. Quarterly gold production is expected to increase for the remainder of the year. We remain on track to achieve our guidance of 92,000 - 105,000 ounces at the Eagle River Mine this year. At Kiena we completed the reconciliation of the Kiena Deep A Zone bulk sample, resulting in a positive reconciliation of 6% more gold compared to that of the mineral resource block model and subsequently sold 1,793 ounces in Q1 2021. We are in the final stages of completing the pre-feasibility study and intend to publish the results this quarter."

07:35 EDT Arrowhead announces ARO-DUX4 as muscle targeted RNAi candidate - Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals announced ARO-DUX4 as Arrowhead's first muscle targeted investigational RNAi therapeutic candidate to utilize its proprietary Targeted RNAi Molecule platform. ARO-DUX4 is designed to target the gene that encodes human double homeobox 4 protein as a potential treatment for patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. Pending abstract acceptance, Arrowhead intends to present preclinical data on ARO-DUX4 at the 28th Annual FSHD Society International Research Congress being held virtually on June 24-25, 2021. Arrowhead is currently conducting IND/CTA enabling toxicology studies and intends to file for regulatory clearance in the third quarter of 2021 to begin clinical studies of ARO-DUX4. Chris Anzalone, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer at Arrowhead, said: "ARO-DUX4 represents further expansion of our pipeline into diseases of the skeletal muscle, which is the fourth cell type that we may potentially be able to target with our proprietary TRiMTM platform. In addition, DUX4 fits perfectly with our strategy not only to bring RNAi outside the liver, but also to select gene targets that we believe are clear causes of specific diseases and for which there is strong biologic and genetic validation. We believe our preclinical data, which we intend to present at the FSHD Society International Research Congress in June pending abstract acceptance, highly support progressing ARO-DUX4 into clinical studies. In our various animal models, ARO-DUX4 reduced DUX4 expression by greater than 70%, prevented body weight loss associated with tamoxifen-induced DUX4 expression, and prevented loss of muscle function." FSHD is an autosomal dominant disease associated with the failure to maintain complete epigenetic suppression of DUX4 expression in differentiated skeletal muscle, leading to overexpression of DUX4, which is myotoxic and can lead to muscle degeneration. As DUX4 expression is recognized as the cause of muscle pathology in FSHD patients, Arrowhead believes that the selective targeting and knockdown of DUX4 using RNAi may prevent or reverse downstream myotoxicity and lead to muscle repair and improvement in muscle function in patients. There are currently no effective treatments specifically for FSHD.

07:34 EDT LifeMD to take 'appropriate legal action' following anonymous short report - The company said, " Yesterday, an unsigned note making false claims against LifeMD and its present and former officers was posted on the website of a purported research firm. LifeMD has never had any contact or interaction with anyone affiliated with that firm. The Company's outside legal counsel, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, is investigating the source of these false claims, and the Company will take appropriate legal action. The Company will soon provide a more detailed public response. Anyone with information regarding the persons or entities behind these claims is encouraged to contact the Company at Legal@LifeMD.com. LifeMD stands behind its prior statements and regulatory disclosures as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission."

07:19 EDT Alberton Acquisition announces cash contribution in connection with extension - Alberton Acquisition Corporation announced that in light of the upcoming special shareholder meeting in lieu of the 2020 annual meeting of shareholders to be held on April 23, 2021, if the shareholders approves the proposal to extend the date by which the Company must complete its initial business combination from April 26, 2021 to October 26, 2021 or such earlier date as determined by the board, for each public share that is not redeemed by the Company's shareholders in connection with the Extension, for each monthly period, or portion thereof during the Extension, it will deposit 6c per Remaining Share. If no shares are redeemed, the monthly payment to the trust account as additional interest will be $84,808.80, based on a commitment from its sponsor. The per-share pro rata portion of the trust account on March 18, 2021 after taking into account taxes owed but not paid by such date was approximately $10.97. If the Extension is approved and the Company takes the full six months to complete its initial business combination, the redemption amount per share at the meeting for such business combination or the Company's subsequent liquidation will be approximately $11.33, in comparison to the current redemption amount of $10.97. On April 12, 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission released a statement highlighting a number of important financial reporting considerations for SPACs, which among other matters included the accounting considerations for SPAC warrants. The Company is currently in the process of reassessing the accounting treatment of its warrants in accordance with the recent SEC guidance and its potential impact on the Company's financial statements, including its historical financial statements. Although there has yet to be any conclusion or determination as of the date of this release, the Company is committed to ensuring compliance with its filing obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

07:17 EDT PepsiCo sees North America snacks business remaining resilient - Expects Quaker Foods North America to moderate as it looks to capitalize on at-home breakfast and litesnack occasions while other stay-at-home trends may ease as population mobility improves.

07:16 EDT PepsiCo sees organic revenue growth accelerating in Q2 - PepsiCo is assuming that vaccination efforts will accelerate and population mobility will improve, which should benefit the foodservice channel as and when travel, lodging, dining, education, and entertainment trends accelerate.

07:15 EDT PepsiCo 'optimistic' about ability to improve performance in energy category

07:15 EDT Vizio to open office in Denver, hire over 100 team members by 2022 - Vizio announced the opening of its newest office location in Denver, Colorado. Having experienced growth in 2020, the company plans to expand its tech and innovation team into the Denver market. The office plans to hire 100+ full-time team members by the end of 2022.

07:14 EDT Vicarious Surgical to become public through D8 Holdings Corp. combination - Vicarious Surgical and D8 Holdings Corp, a special purpose acquisition company, announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement. Upon the closing of this transaction, the combined company will operate as Vicarious Surgical and will be listed on the NYSE under the new ticker symbol (RBOT). Vicarious Surgical is a robotics company developing a technology with the goal of increasing the efficiency of surgical procedures, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. The company was founded in 2014. Vicarious Surgical's management team is led by co-founder and CEO, Adam Sachs, co-founder and CTO, Sammy Khalifa, co-founder and CMO, Barry Greene, CFO, Bill Kelly and general counsel and CLO, June Morris. Vicarious Surgical's management team will continue to lead the combined company following the transaction. Vicarious Surgical's executive chairman, David Styka, will serve as chairman of the combined company's board. The transaction is expected to deliver up to $460M of gross proceeds, including up to $345M of cash held in D8's trust account. The transaction is further supported by a $115M private placement of common stock, or PIPE, priced at $10.00 per share. Assuming no redemptions, the company is projected to have more than $425M in cash on the balance sheet after closing. The transaction values the combined company at an enterprise value of approximately $1.1B and implies approximately 3.1x 2025 estimated revenue of $355M. Assuming no public shareholders of D8 Holdings Corp. exercise their redemption rights and based on current assumptions regarding the financial condition of Vicarious Surgical as of the closing of the transaction, current Vicarious Surgical equity holders will own approximately 64.7%, D8 Holdings Corp. equity holders will own approximately 22.3%, D8's sponsor will own approximately 5.6% and PIPE investors will own approximately 7.4% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock, options and warrants to purchase shares of common stock, respectively, of the combined company at closing. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Vicarious Surgical and D8, is subject to approval by D8's shareholders and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in Q3.

07:13 EDT Kaixin Auto announces approval by NASDAQ of Haitaoche acquisition - Kaixin Auto announced that it received the approval by NASDAQ Stock Market for the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Haitaoche Limited pursuant to a share purchase agreement entered into on December 31, 2020. Subject to certain other closing conditions, the company anticipates the acquisition to be closed in May.

07:12 EDT Barrick Gold remains 'on track' to achieve 2021 guidance

07:11 EDT Comscore renews agreement for TitanTV's MediaStar tool - Comscore announced a renewal agreement with broadcast online software and information provider TitanTV. Under the terms of the agreement, Comscore will continue to utilize TitanTV's MediaStar tool to aggregate as-run television schedules from its affiliates.

07:11 EDT Atlas Technical Consultants completes acquisition of Atlantic Engineering - Atlas Technical Consultants announced that it has closed on its acquisition of Atlantic Engineering Laboratories. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. L. Boyer, Atlas' CEO said, "We are excited to complete this transaction. AEL's testing and inspection expertise backed by an exceptional client reputation positions Atlas to capitalize on the increasing infrastructure spend in greater New York and the tri-state region. Our combined expertise will allow us to cross-sell and grow our market share with existing and new clients."

07:10 EDT Recro Pharma expands development, manufacturing relationship with Ensyce - Recro Pharma announced the signing of additional agreements with an existing customer, Ensysce Biosciences. Under these new agreements, Recro will provide early-stage development and manufacturing services to support two of Ensysce's development programs. Recro and Ensysce have already commenced the initial phase of these projects.

07:08 EDT Aphria shareholders approve merger with Tilray - Aphria's (APHA) shareholders at the special meeting of Aphria Shareholders approved the previously announced arrangement under the Business Corporations Act pursuant to which, among other things, Tilray (TLRY) will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Aphria Shares. Pursuant to the arrangement, the Aphria Shareholders will receive 0.8381 of a Tilray share of class 2 common stock for each Aphria Share held, while holders of Tilray Shares will continue to hold their Tilray Shares with no adjustment to their holdings. Of the total Aphria Shares voted, 99.38% voted for the arrangement. Closing of the Arrangement remains subject to certain customary closing conditions, including court approval and the approval of Tilray Stockholders.

07:07 EDT Green Thumb Industries launches Cann beverage brand in Illinois - Green Thumb Industries announces the launch of Cann, a cannabis-infused beverage brand, in Illinois. Green Thumb and Cann previously announced a partnership to bring the beverage brand to Illinois and New Jersey with plans to expand to additional markets. Cann is now available at all Rise Illinois dispensary locations, as well at Ascend, Moca and MedMen retail stores. Rise Joliet, Rise Lake in the Hills and Rise Niles will also host a Cann pop-up store through August with an on-site Cann brand ambassador to answer questions about the newly available cannabis social tonics.

07:05 EDT Arch Biopartners enters license agreement with Telara Pharma - Arch Biopartners announced it has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Telara Pharma of Spain to clinically develop and market cilastatin, a small-molecule drug candidate for the treatment and prevention of acute kidney injury. With this license, Arch secures the commercial rights to the patents around the use of cilastatin that it does not already own. The patents held by Arch and Telara are now unified into one clinical development program to be led by Arch. These patents include method of use claims for the use of cilastatin as a potential drug to prevent AKI from a variety of causes including ischemia-reperfusion injury, sepsis and toxins. Cilastatin is a known small molecule inhibitor of the enzyme dipeptidase-1 previously developed in the 1980s to prevent the degradation of the antibiotic imipenem in the kidney. In the past, cilastatin was used only as an active ingredient in a dual formulation with imipenem and has yet to be approved or sold as a stand-alone product. The Arch team recently discovered that DPEP-1 is an adhesion receptor of neutrophil recruitment in the lungs, liver and kidneys, a pathway that is targeted by Arch's lead drug candidate Metablok. Currently, Arch is nearing completion of a Phase II trial for Metablok targeting this new pathway in the prevention of acute lung injury and AKI in COVID-19 patients. Cilastatin inhibits DPEP-1 by binding to a different part of the DPEP-1 molecule than Metablok. Although DPEP-1 is expressed by the lungs, liver and kidneys, pre-clinical animal studies to date have shown that cilastatin is effective in preventing AKI induced by sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion injury and drugs/toxins1. Unlike Metablok, cilastatin is not effective in preventing liver inflammation2. Pre-clinical studies to assess cilastatin's ability to prevent lung inflammation are still ongoing. As a result, the license with Telara provides Arch a co-lead drug candidate in its next Phase II clinical trial which will target the prevention of AKI in human diseases outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new license further adds to the Arch pipeline of DPEP-1 targeting agents, which currently includes several other proprietary drug candidates besides Metablok. As part of the license agreement and collaboration, the Telara team will provide to Arch the Phase I safety data and the newly established cilastatin drug manufacturing program to support a future Phase II trial application with regulatory agencies in Europe and North America.

07:04 EDT AES Corp. recommends rejection of TRC Capital's mini-tender offer - AES Corporation has been notified of an unsolicited "mini-tender" offer by TRC Capital to purchase up to 4M shares of AES' common stock, or approximately 0.598% of outstanding shares, at a price of $26.50 per share. This price is approximately 6.6% below the closing price of AES' common stock on April 14 and a 4.4% discount to the closing price of AES' common stock on the date of the tender offer of $27.72 on April 9. AES does not endorse TRC Capital's offer and recommends that AES' stockholders reject the offer and not tender their shares in response to TRC Capital's unsolicited mini-tender offer. AES believes that TRC Capital's offer is an opportunistic attempt by TRC Capital to purchase shares at a discount to the market price.

07:04 EDT FibroGen receives rare pediatric disease designation from FDA for pamrevlumab - FibroGen announced that the Food and Drug Administration has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for the company's anti-CTGF antibody, pamrevlumab, for the treatment of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or DMD. Pamrevlumab has also received Fast Track designation from the FDA and is currently being evaluated in two Phase 3 trials for the treatment of DMD.

07:02 EDT Destination XL appoints Elain Rubin to board of directors - Destination XL Group announced that it has appointed Elaine Rubin to the Company's Board of Directors. She will serve as a director until the Company's next annual meeting of stockholders, at which time she will stand for re-election. With her appointment, the size of the Company's Board of Directors is seven members. Ms. Rubin is currently the founder and president of Digital Prophets Network, a consumer-centric digital consulting, advisory and placement firm with a network of digital commerce experts that supports the growth of retail and direct-to-consumer businesses.

06:54 EDT Merck to discontinue development of MRK-7110 in COVID-19 treatment - The company states: "Merck (MRK) announced the discontinuation of development of MK-7110 for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Merck acquired MK-7110 in December 2020 through its acquisition of OncoImmune, a privately-held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. As previously reported, Merck subsequently received feedback from the US Food and Drug Administration that additional data, beyond the study conducted by OncoImmune, would be needed to support a potential Emergency Use Authorization application. Based on the additional research that would be required - new clinical trials as well as research related to manufacturing at scale - MK-7110 would not be expected to become available until the first half of 2022. Given this timeline and these technical, clinical and regulatory uncertainties, the availability of a number of medicines for patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and the need to concentrate Merck's resources on accelerating the development and manufacture of the most viable therapeutics and vaccines, Merck has determined to discontinue development of MK-7110 for COVID-19 and to focus its pandemic efforts on advancing molnupiravir and on producing Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) COVID-19 vaccine."

06:50 EDT Tapestry names Todd Kahn as CEO, Brand President of Coach - Tapestry announced the appointment of Todd Kahn as CEO and Brand President of Coach, effective immediately, following a comprehensive search. In this role, Kahn is responsible for all aspects of the brand globally, reporting to Joanne Crevoiserat, CEO of Tapestry. Kahn joined the company in January 2008 and has held a number of leadership roles within the organization, most recently serving as Interim CEO and Brand President of Coach since July 2020.

06:48 EDT U.S. Bancorp reports Q1 Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 9.9% - Reports strong levels of liquidity.

06:47 EDT U.S. Bancorp reports Q1 return on average assets of 1.69% - Reports Q1 return on average common equity of 19%.

06:37 EDT Kimco Realty says collected 94% of total pro-rata billed base rents in Q1 - During the first quarter, Kimco executed 358 leases totaling 2.8M square feet which includes 121 new leases for 586,000 square feet. Pro-rata rental rate spreads on comparable leases increased 6.8%, with rental rates for new leases up 8.2% and renewals and options growing by a combined 6.4%. Kimco ended the quarter with a pro-rata occupancy of 93.5% with anchor and small shop occupancy at 96.2% and 85.8%, respectively. For the first quarter, Kimco collected 94% of its total pro-rata billed base rents.

06:34 EDT Immunic announces interim data from Cohort 2 of EMPhASIS trial - Immunic announced interim data from Cohort 2 of its phase 2 EMPhASIS trial of IMU-838 in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, or RRMS. Immunic has concluded from this data, along with previously published data from Cohort 1, that 30 mg once daily IMU-838 is the most appropriate dose for future phase 3 trials in patients with RRMS. In support, Immunic notes that both the 30 mg and 45 mg dosing groups of IMU-838 in Cohort 1 performed equivalently regarding efficacy-related endpoints and there was no safety signal for either dosing group, as compared to placebo. The second cohort of the EMPhASIS trial was designed to confirm that a dose lower than the 30 mg and 45 mg daily dose groups studied in the first cohort was unlikely to match the efficacy seen in these higher doses, thus enabling a straightforward and simpler phase 3 design. As anticipated, the 10 mg dose of IMU-838 proportionally showed less magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, lesion suppression in RRMS than the previously published results of the 30 mg and 45 mg doses of IMU-838. In particular, the 10 mg dose of IMU-838 in Cohort 2 demonstrated a placebo-adjusted reduction of 32% and 40% in combined unique active and gadolinium-enhancing MRI lesions at week 12, respectively. This result is numerically lower than the analogous reduction in MRI lesions observed in the 30 mg and 45 mg IMU-838 dosing arms of Cohort 1 at week 12, which ranged between 62% and 75%. Collectively, Immunic believes that these data demonstrate a clear dose-response pattern for IMU-838 in RRMS. The Cohort 2 interim analysis was performed after 59 randomized patients, receiving either 10 mg of IMU-838 or placebo once daily, completed week 12 MRI assessments. All Cohort 2 patients continue to be treated and will proceed to complete their 24-week blinded treatment. Immunic remains in discussions with regulatory authorities, including the FDA and the European Medicines Agency, regarding the planned phase 3 program in RRMS. At the FDA's request, Immunic plans to proceed directly to submitting an investigational new drug, or IND, application, instead of holding an end-of-phase 2 meeting. As previously announced, feasibility and other preparatory activities for the phase 3 program are already ongoing and initiation is expected in the second half of 2021.

06:24 EDT TSMC sees 2021 capital budget $30B - The management further expects the 2021 capital budget to be around $30B.

06:18 EDT BlackRock reports Q1 long-term net inflows $132.64B

06:17 EDT JPMorgan targets over $2.5T over 10 years for climate and sustainability actions - JPMorgan aims to finance and facilitate more than $2.5T over 10 years - beginning this year through the end of 2030 - to advance long-term solutions that address climate change and contribute to sustainable development. This long-term target complements the firm's Paris-aligned financing strategy and will help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy by encouraging actions that set a path for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The new 10-year effort announced today will further the J.P. Morgan Development Finance Institution's objective to promote economic and social development. The new $2.5 trillion effort will be focused on the following objectives: $1T for green initiatives that support climate action, with the goal of accelerating the deployment of solutions for cleaner sources of energy and facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy; development Finance: the firm will finance and facilitate transactions that support socioeconomic development and quality of life in developing countries. The firm will mobilize capital to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in emerging economies. In Community Development, JPMorgan Chase will advance economic inclusion in developed markets. This includes the firm's recent $30B commitment to advance racial equity.

06:14 EDT Bank of America CFO says 'we saw strong growth in our capital markets' - CFO Paul Donofrio said, "Because of the responsible way we have operated the company over many years, coupled with government stimulus and strong customer liquidity, we were able to report improved asset quality metrics and lower credit costs. We saw strong growth in our capital markets and wealth management businesses, which allowed us to absorb additional expenses and still report $8.1 billion in earnings. We believe our strong balance sheet, the diversity of our business lines, and the careful way we have managed risk for many years should enable us to continue to return to our shareholders the excess capital that is not needed to support economic growth, deliver for customers and communities, invest in our future and sustain strength and stability through future economic cycles."

06:10 EDT Bank of America reports net interest income down 16% to $10.2B - Driven primarily by lower interest rates.

06:09 EDT PepsiCo doesn't expect to repurchase additional shres for balance of year

06:08 EDT Bank of America CEO says 'our team produced exceptional results this quarter' - CEO Brian Moynihan said, "Our team produced exceptional results this quarter: record or near-record levels of deposits, investment flows, investment banking revenue, digital users and client engagement. Meanwhile, brand loyalty, customer satisfaction and employee engagement reached new highs. While low interest rates continued to challenge revenue, credit costs improved and we believe that progress in the health crisis and the economy point to an accelerating recovery. The strength of our balance sheet, our complementary and diverse set of businesses, and our talented teammates position us to perform well in that environment."

06:03 EDT Aurora Mobile enters partnership agreement with Wanda Film Holding Co. - Aurora Mobile announced that it has entered into a partnership agreement with Wanda Film Holding Co. Leveraging its artificial intelligence-based processing platform, Aurora Mobile aims to help Wanda Film get more accurate insights on consumers' needs and bring a smarter movie experience to everyone.

05:34 EDT Tencent Music appoints Cussion Kar Shun Pang as chairman, Zhu Liang as CEO - Tencent Music announced the appointment of Cussion Kar Shun Pang as TME's executive chairman of the board. Zhu Liang has been appointed as the company's new CEO and a member of the board. Prior to this appointment, Liang served as VP of Tencent Holdings where he was responsible for overseeing a number of major online platforms including QQ, a social communication and entertainment platform in China with 595M MAU on smart devices, as well as Qzone, a social platform that enables users to share their lives and interact with friends and relatives anytime and anywhere. James Gordon Mitchell has been appointed as the chairman of compensation committee of the board. These changes will go into effect immediately. Tong Tao Sang, TME's current chairman of the board, will resign from the positions of chairman of the board, chairman of compensation committee and all his roles as a director or an officer of affiliates of the company. Song has served as chairman of the board since 2016. As the company's newly appointed executive chairman, Cussion will be responsible for setting the company's long-term strategy, overall coordination and management of the board and the company. Liang joined Tencent in 2003. Prior to joining TME, he served as VP of Tencent, a role he has held since 2016.

05:25 EDT PTC Therapeutics announces FIREFISH trial results at AAN virtual meeting - PTC Therapeutics (PTCT) announced that results from Part 2 of the pivotal FIREFISH trial demonstrated that infants with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, treated with Evrysdi obtained increases in survival and sustained improvements in achieving key motor milestones, including head control, sitting, rolling over, and further developing towards acquiring the ability to stand, and walk. Data were presented at the 2021 American Academy of Neurology, or AAN, virtual annual meeting. Data from Part 2 of the FIREFISH trial demonstrated that at 24 months of treatment, 93% of infants were alive and 83% were alive without permanent ventilation. There were no new deaths between months 12 and 24. Importantly, infants treated with Evrysdi maintained the ability to feed orally 92% at month 24. Further exploratory data suggests similar maintenance in ability to swallow 95%. In the natural course of the disease, infants with type 1 SMA older than 12 months generally require feeding support. In addition, fewer hospitalizations were observed during the second year of treatment with Evrysdi compared with the natural course of the disease, with 34% not requiring hospitalization during 24 months of treatment. Evrysdi is designed to treat SMA by increasing and sustaining the production of the SMN protein, which is found throughout the body and is critical for maintaining healthy motor neurons and movement. Roche leads the clinical development of Evrysdi as part of a collaboration with the SMA Foundation and PTC Therapeutics. Evrysdi is marketed in the United States by Genentech, a member of the Roche (RHHBY).

05:16 EDT Alligator Bioscience, MacroGenics enter joint research collaboration - Alligator Bioscience announced that it has entered into a joint research collaboration with MacroGenics. The research collaboration will lead to the expansion of Alligator's proprietary patient specific immunotherapy Neo-X-Prime by incorporating MacroGenics' proprietary Dart and Trident multi-specific platforms against two undisclosed targets. Under the joint research collaboration agreement, which covers activities from candidate drug generation up until IND-enabling studies, each company will be responsible for its own costs. The parties may continue further development of the resulting bispecific molecule under a separate co-development collaboration and licensing agreement.