Stockwinners Market Radar for June 17, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:19 EDT Innovent Biologics doses first patient in phase 2 tiral of Taletrectinib - Innovent Biologics announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase II basket trial of taletrectinib for solid tumors containing NTRK fusion. In June 2021, Innovent entered an exclusive agreement with AnHeart Therapeutics Co., Ltd., a clinical stage oncology company focused on underserved patients in global markets, under which Innovent obtained exclusive rights to co-develop and commercialize taletrectinib in Greater China.

19:46 EDT Pennant Group CEO sells 70K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Pennant Group disclosed that its CEO Daniel Walker sold 70K shares of common stock on June 15th in a total transaction size of $2.84M, reducing his stake by about 4%.

19:06 EDT Applied Materials CEO sells 102.9K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Applied Materials disclosed that its CEO Gary Dickerson sold 102.9K shares of common stock on June 15th in a total transaction size of $14.4M, reducing his stake by about 5%.

18:32 EDT Bristol-Myers, Eisai enter agreement to co-develop, commercialize MORAb-202 - Eisai (ESALY) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) announced today that the companies have entered into an exclusive global strategic collaboration agreement for the co-development and co-commercialization of MORAb-202, an antibody drug conjugate. MORAb-202 is Eisai's first ADC and combines Eisai's in house developed anti-folate receptor alpha antibody, and Eisai's anticancer agent eribulin, using an enzyme cleavable linker. It is a potential best-in-class FRalpha ADC with a favorable pharmacology profile and demonstrated single agent activity in patients with advanced solid tumors. Eisai is currently investigating MORAb-202 in FRalpha-positive solid tumors (inclusive of endometrial, ovarian, lung and breast cancers) in two studies: a Phase 1 clinical study in Japan and a Phase 1/2 clinical study in the United States. The companies are planning to move into the registrational stage of development for this asset as early as next year. Under the agreement, Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb will jointly develop and commercialize MORAb-202 in the following collaboration territories: Japan; China; countries in the Asia-Pacific region; the United States; Canada; Europe, including the European Union and the United Kingdom; and Russia. Bristol Myers Squibb will be solely responsible for developing and commercializing the drug in regions outside of the collaboration territories. Eisai will remain responsible for the manufacturing and supply of MORAb-202 globally. Under the financial terms of the agreement, Bristol Myers Squibb will pay $650M U.S. dollars to Eisai including $200M U.S. dollars as payment toward Eisai research and development expenses. Eisai is also entitled to receive up to $2.45B U.S. dollars in potential future development, regulatory, and commercial milestones. The parties will share profits, research and development and commercialization costs in the collaboration territories and Bristol Myers Squibb will pay Eisai a royalty on sales outside of the collaboration territories. Eisai is expected to book sales of MORAb-202 in Japan, China, countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Russia. Bristol Myers Squibb is expected to book sales of MORAb-202 in the United States and Canada.

18:12 EDT Asana CEO buys 320K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Asana disclosed that its CEO Dustin Moskovitz bought 320K shares of common stock on June 15th in a total transaction size of $15.4M, boosting his stake by about 5%.

18:02 EDT Athira Pharma CEO Leen Kawas placed on temporary leave pending board review - Athira Pharm "announced that Mark Litton, PhD, MBA, in his capacity as Chief Operating Officer, has assumed day-to-day leadership responsibilities for the company, effective immediately. This follows the Board's determination to place Leen Kawas, PhD, President and CEO of Athira, on temporary leave pending a review of actions stemming from doctoral research Dr. Kawas conducted while at Washington State University. Dr. Kawas will remain on the Board. The Board has formed an independent special committee to undertake this review. The Company does not intend to comment further on this matter until the review has concluded." Shares of Athira Pharma are down 39.7% afterhours at $11.00.

17:39 EDT Magnolia Oil & Gas falls over 3% after block sale by top holder EnerVest - Shares of Magnolia Oil & Gas are down 3.7% after hours at $14.36 following a 7.6M share block trade. The shares are being offered by the company's top holder EnerVest, Bloomberg reports.

17:27 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings fall from 1,045.78MT to 1,041.99MT - This is the lowest level of holdings since June 8th.

17:08 EDT Triumph selected by Lockheed to support F-35 sustainment at MCAS Cherry Point - Triumph Group (TGI) announced that its Actuation Products & Services operating company will provide hydraulic utility actuation valves to Lockheed Martin (LMT) to support F-35 fleet readiness at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The Clemmons, North Carolina based Triumph facility will provide engineering and material support for the program over the next five years, bolstering the company's efforts to grow defense contract programs. Triumph has provided original equipment and aftermarket HUAV parts for the F-35 program since 2014. The company began working with Lockheed Martin to provide HUAV aftermarket parts for military depot operations last year. The engineering and logistics agreement in support of sustainment efforts at the MCAS Cherry Point will further showcase Triumph's technical capability in high demand depot settings. "We are excited to expand our support of the F-35 program and support MCAS Cherry Point and the U.S. fighters who expect and demand fleet readiness," said Scott Ledbetter, President of Triumph Actuation Product & Services operating company. "Our Clemmons team will provide exceptional service to Lockheed Martin and their Marine Corps customers over the next five years. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Lockheed Martin to support future depot opportunities."

16:54 EDT StoneCastle reports NAV $21.92 as of May 31 - StoneCastle Financial announced that the company's estimated and unaudited Net Asset Value as of May 31 was $21.92. The NAV was up 12c from the prior month-end.

16:43 EDT Adobe sees Q3 digital media segment revenue up 22% - Sees Q3 digital experience segment revenue up 21%. Sees Q3 digital experience subscription revenue up 25%.Sees Q3 tax rate 16%. Says return of summer seasonality is expected. Says pleased with first half performance and expects the momentum to continue, with typical Q4 strength. Guidance and comments taken from Q2 investor presentation slides.

16:42 EDT W.P. Carey raises quarterly dividend to $1.05 per share - W.P. Carey reported that its board of directors increased its quarterly cash dividend to $1.05 per share, equivalent to an annualized dividend rate of $4.20 per share. The dividend is payable on July 15, 2021 to stockholders of record as of June 30, 2021.

16:32 EDT Columbia Financial to aqcuire Freehold Bank - Columbia Bank and Freehold Bank announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Columbia will acquire Freehold, with Freehold MHC and Freehold Bancorp merging into Columbia Bank, MHC and Columbia Financial, respectively. At the effective time of these mergers, Freehold Bank will convert to a federal savings bank and operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Financial. Freehold Bank is Monmouth County's oldest savings institution, having provided financial services in its local community for more than 167 years, and operates from its main office and one branch office, both of which are located in Freehold, New Jersey. As of March 31, 2021, Freehold Bank had total assets of $299.8M, loans of $155.9M, deposits of $197.2M and equity capital of $39.5M. The transaction, which has been approved by each company's Board of Directors, is subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of various regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021 after all such conditions are met. On a pro forma basis, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Columbia's 2022 net income, but slightly dilutive to 2022 earnings per share by approximately 2% pursuant to the additional shares issued to Columbia Bank, MHC. The transaction is projected to be approximately 3% accretive to fully converted tangible book value.

16:23 EDT U.S. Steel says higher steel selling prices continue to be reflect in contracts - The company states: "The Flat-rolled segment is expected to generate more than double first quarter's EBITDA. Higher steel selling prices continue to be reflected in our adjustable contracts and spot selling prices. Additionally, the absence of seasonal mining headwinds from the first quarter are also expected to contribute to higher EBITDA performance, quarter-over-quarter. The Mini Mill segment is expected to exceed first quarter's already industry leading EAF-based performance. Improved efficiencies from a fully ramped Phase 2 expansion and higher steel selling prices are expected to contribute to record setting EBITDA margins for the segment. Continued strong demand in our European segment and higher steel prices are expected to deliver increased EBITDA performance compared to the first quarter. Higher raw material costs, particularly for iron ore, and increasing costs for emission allowances are expected to be a continued headwind. In Tubular, market conditions are steadily improving. Oil and natural gas rigs are coming back on-line supported by higher oil and natural gas prices. This is starting to move pipe inventory within the supply chain and increase customer demand for new product. We expect near breakeven EBITDA performance in the second quarter aided by increased customer activity, higher selling prices, and improved cost performance as we begin consuming more internally produced rounds from the Fairfield electric arc furnace."

16:19 EDT U.S. Steel CEO says higher steel prices, demand driving EBITDA twice that of Q1 - CEO David Burritt says: "Higher steel prices and strong flat-rolled steel demand coupled with well-run operations are expected to deliver adjusted EBITDA that more than doubles our first quarter performance. Continued strong demand and low steel inventories are empowering today's ongoing market improvements. These market fundamentals are showing no signs of slowing down and have us increasingly confident of another strong year in 2022."

16:18 EDT Smith & Wesson Brands jumps 4% to $20.70 after Q4 results beat estimates

16:10 EDT Smith & Wesson Brands reports Q4 gross margin 45.1% vs. 32.2% last year

16:09 EDT Smith & Wesson Brands raises quarterly dividend 60% to 8c per share - This quarter's dividend will be paid to stockholders of record on July 1st with payment to be made on July 6th.

16:08 EDT Adobe jumps 2.8% to $567 after Q2 earnings beat and Q3 guidance

16:08 EDT RumbleOn names COO Peter Levy to board of directors - RumbleOn announced Peter Levy, the company's Chief Operating Officer has been appointed to its Board of Directors, effective June 17, 2021. "Peter has been instrumental to the evolution of RumbleOn and we are thrilled to welcome Peter to our Board of Directors," said Marshall Chesrown, RumbleOn's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Not only is he passionate about the powersports industry, but he has a deep understanding of our business and is highly respected by colleagues across both our organization and RideNow's. He has worked alongside Steve, me and our entire executive team since 2017 and is a natural fit to join our Board as we enter the next stage of growth."

16:07 EDT RumbleOn names Beverly Rath interim CFO - RumbleOn announced that Beverly Rath will act as Interim Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately, following the unexpected death of Steven Berrard, RumbleOn's co-founder and CFO on June 7, 2021. Rath will report to Marshall Chesrown, RumbleOn's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The Company also announced the promotion of Carlos Ramirez to Assistant Controller. "It gives me great confidence to know such a seasoned financial executive is stepping into the role as our Interim CFO. Beverly has worked alongside Steve for five years, and has been a key part of our finance organization since the beginning," commented Marshall Chesrown, RumbleOn's Chief Executive Officer. "I'm also pleased to announce that Carlos Ramirez was promoted to Assistant Controller. Carlos has been an integral part of the finance team and will support Beverly as we grow our finance operation. I look forward to working closely with the team as we continue to execute on our existing vision, plan and strategy."

16:06 EDT Pilgrim's Pride acquires Kerry Consumer Foods' Meats and Meals business - Pilgrim's Pride announced that it has executed an acquisition agreement to acquire the Meats and Meals business of Kerry Consumer Foods in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Following the Acquisition, Pilgrim's will be a leading food company, with a significant value-added protein and integrated prepared foods business anchored by a portfolio of strong brands. The Acquisition, which was unanimously approved by Pilgrim's Board of Directors, values the acquired businesses at a GBP 680 million or approximately $952 million based on a 1.40 USD/GBP exchange rate as of June 16. enterprise value. The purchase amount represents an 8.5x multiple on implied expected standalone EBITDA for 2021. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to position Pilgrim's as a leading prepared foods and branded products player through the acquisition of Kerry Consumer Foods' Meats and Meals business," said Fabio Sandri, Pilgrim's' Chief Executive Officer. "The transaction enhances our value-added portfolio by adding market-leading brands such as Denny, Richmond and Fridge Raiders, which we expect to deliver a higher and more stable margin profile." "We look forward to welcoming Kerry Consumer Foods' Meats and Meals business' talented management team and other team members, led by Nick Robinson, to the Pilgrim's family, and we look forward to working together to drive growth and deliver value for all of our stakeholders," Sandri continued.

16:02 EDT Biodesi announces biomarker webinar in partnership with Seer - Biodesix (BDSX) announced in partnership with Seer, Inc. (SEER), a life sciences company commercializing a disruptive new platform for proteomics, a webinar to present the newest trends in proteomics for biomarker discovery and translational research. The webinar entitled "A New Era in Precision Medicine - Uncovering the Depth & Breadth of the Plasma Proteome with Novel Proteomic Technologies" will be presented by Robert Georgantas, III, PhD, Senior Vice President, Research and Translational Science at Biodesix and Daniel Hornburg, PhD, Principal Scientist from Seer.

15:23 EDT Jumia Technologies up 4% after recommendation on Reddit's Wallstreetbets - Shares of Jumia Technologies are moving higher after a user in Reddit's Wallstreetbets forum recommended the name. Jumia in afternoon trading is up 4% to $29.58. Reference Link

13:59 EDT Viridian reports 9.99% stake in Catabasis Pharmaceuticals - Viridian Therapeutics (VRDN) disclosed a 9.99% stake in Catabasis Pharmaceuticals (CATB), which represents over 7.6M shares. The filing with the SEC allows for activism. The stake following Viridian's acquisition of Quellis Biosciences.

13:52 EDT Bitfarms to commence trading on Nasdaq on June 21 - Bitfarms, a publicly traded Bitcoin mining company that said it is "currently powering approximately 1% of the Bitcoin network with greater than 99% green hydroelectricity," announced that the company has received DTC eligibility for the company's common shares in connection with their listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Trading on Nasdaq is expected to begin this coming Monday, June 21, under the symbol "BITF". Bitfarms will retain its listing on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "BITF". "Listing on Nasdaq is an important achievement for Bitfarms and is a significant milestone following multiple years of development and achievement by the Company. We started this company four years ago with a clear belief in the institutional adoption of Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining. This belief has guided us as we worked to build one of the largest Bitcoin mining operations worldwide. When Bitfarms begins trading on the Nasdaq, it will be the largest publicly traded Bitcoin miner in North America using greater than 99% hydroelectric renewable electricity. We are proud to be a leader in the industry in setting the highest standards for ourselves and our mining operations and to be uplisting to one of the most prestigious stock exchanges in the world. Having reached this milestone we are even more excited about where it will take our company next," said Bitfarms' Founder and CEO Emiliano Grodzki.

13:10 EDT Viavi 'ready to engage' with Lamonde, Exfo special committee - Viavi Solutions (VIAV) issued the following statement: "We are extremely disappointed that, without engaging with us, Mr. Lamonde and the EXFO Special Committee quickly rejected our superior proposal to acquire EXFO Inc. (EXFO) for US$7.50 per share, all-cash. We reiterate our Proposal to the EXFO Board, which we continue to believe offers compelling value to EXFO shareholders, including Mr. Lamonde, and is in the best interest of all EXFO stakeholders. VIAVI stands ready to engage with Mr. Lamonde and the EXFO Special Committee in order to reach a definitive agreement to implement a transaction."

12:33 EDT Connecticut Governor 'looks forward' to signing adult-use cannabis bill - Governor Ned Lamont released a statement regarding final approval in the Connecticut General Assembly of legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis in Connecticut, in which he stated in part: "It's fitting that the bill legalizing the adult use of cannabis and addressing the injustices caused by the war of drugs received final passage today, on the 50-year anniversary of President Nixon declaring the war... The states surrounding us already, or soon will, have legal adult-use markets. By allowing adults to possess cannabis, regulating its sale and content, training police officers in the latest techniques of detecting and preventing impaired driving, and expunging the criminal records of people with certain cannabis crimes, we're not only effectively modernizing our laws and addressing inequities, we're keeping Connecticut economically competitive with our neighboring states. Connecticut residents will benefit from the portion of cannabis revenues that will be dedicated to prevention and recovery services. This measure is comprehensive, protects our children and the most vulnerable in our communities, and will be viewed as a national model for regulating the adult-use cannabis marketplace. I look forward to signing the bill and moving beyond this terrible period of incarceration and injustice." Publicly traded companies in the cannabis space include Aurora Cannabis (ACB), CV Sciences (CVSI), CannTrust Holdings (CNTTF), Canopy Growth (CGC), Cronos Group (CRON), General Cannabis (CANN), India Globalization Capital (IGC), Tilray (TLRY), Trulieve Cannabis (TCNNF) and Zynerba (ZYNE).

12:05 EDT Danone agrees to sell plant-based nutritional products brand Vega - Danone announced that it has signed an agreement to sell Vega, the Canada and U.S. plant-based nutritional products brand, to funds managed by WM Partners, a U.S.-based private equity investment firm focused on the health and wellness industry. "The sale of Vega is part of Danone's continuous capital allocation optimization and of the strategic review of Danone's portfolio of brands, SKUs and assets announced in October 2020. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions," the company said.

12:02 EDT Nintendo's 'Pokemon UNITE' coming to Switch July 2021 - The Pokemon Company International and TiMi Studio Group announced that Pokemon's first strategic team battle game, "Pokemon UNITE," will release in July 2021 on Nintendo Switch (NTDOY) systems and in September 2021 on mobile devices. Pokemon UNITE will be free-to-start, with optional in-game purchases available. Cross-platform play between Nintendo Switch and mobile devices is planned, which will allow players on both platforms to battle together. Additionally, players may use their Pokemon Trainer Club account or Nintendo Account on both Nintendo Switch and mobile to easily keep their progress synced between devices. Reference Link

12:00 EDT Waterdrop falls -11.7% - Waterdrop is down -11.7%, or -92c to $6.92.

12:00 EDT Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 3X ETF rises 9.8% - Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 3X ETF is up 9.8%, or $1.62 to $18.17.

12:00 EDT AMC Entertainment rises 10.3% - AMC Entertainment is up 10.3%, or $5.67 to $60.85.

11:21 EDT Hudson Executive Investment investors approve combination with Talkspace - Hudson Executive Investment Corp. announced that its stockholders approved all the proposals related to the previously announced business combination with Talkspace. At a special meeting of HEIC stockholders held Thursday, approximately 94.51% of the votes cast, representing approximately 74.05% of HEIC's outstanding shares, voted to approve the business combination with Talkspace. The closing of the business combination is anticipated to take place on June 22, 2021, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions. The combined company will be renamed Talkspace Inc., and its common stock and warrants are expected to commence trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbols, "TALK" and "TALKW," respectively, on June 23, 2021.

11:12 EDT Veritone awarded U.S. patent for AI model orchestration - Veritone announced it has received a new US patent for its Conductor technology that performs dynamic AI model orchestration through the use of a proprietary deep neural network. Veritone has a large funnel of pending patents and Patent No. US 11,017,780 is Veritone's 14th US awarded patent, the company said in a statement.

11:10 EDT Lennar: Targeting spinoff asset base of $5B-$6B

10:56 EDT Lennar seeing strength in all markets

10:45 EDT Lennar: Demand continuing to strengthen, housing market strong - Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

10:31 EDT Northern Trust surpasses $1T in defined contribution assets under custody - New business from large corporate and public retirement plans has boosted Northern Trust's defined contribution global assets under custody and administration past $1T, the company said in a statement. Northern Trust has more than 140 global DC clients, now with over $1.4T in assets as of March 31, 2021, it said.

10:11 EDT UTime Limited trading resumes

10:05 EDT Supreme Court upholds Affordable Care Act - In an opinion posted to its site, the Supreme Court writes: "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as enacted in 2010 required most Americans to obtain minimum essential health insurance coverage and imposed a monetary penalty upon most individuals who failed to do so. Amendments to the Act in 2017 effectively nullified the penalty by setting its amount to $0. Subsequently, Texas (along with over a dozen States and two individuals) brought suit against federal officials, claiming that without the penalty the Act's minimum essential coverage provision, codified at 26 U. S. C. Section5000A(a), is unconstitutional... Plaintiffs do not have standing to challenge Section5000A(a)'s minimum essential coverage provision because they have not shown a past or future injury fairly traceable to defendants' conduct enforcing the specific statutory provision they attack as unconstitutional." Publicly traded hospital companies include Community Health (CYH), HCA Healthcare (HCA), LifePoint (LPNT), Tenet Healthcare (THC) and Universal Health (UHS). Publicly traded healthcare insurance companies include Anthem (ANTM), CVS Health (CVS), Centene (CNC), Cigna (CI), Health Net (HNT), Humana (HUM), Molina Healthcare (MOH), UnitedHealth (UNH) and WellCare (WCG).

10:00 EDT TAL Education falls -6.7% - TAL Education is down -6.7%, or -$1.60 to $22.37.

10:00 EDT ProShares Ultra Silver falls -7.6% - ProShares Ultra Silver is down -7.6%, or -$3.86 to $46.69.

10:00 EDT Boqii rises 9.3% - Boqii is up 9.3%, or 48c to $5.62.

09:58 EDT AGM Group Holdings Inc (Class A Stock) trading resumes

09:49 EDT UTime Limited trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EDT Endeavour Silver falls -7.9% - Endeavour Silver is down -7.9%, or -57c to $6.62.

09:47 EDT Lannett rises 5.1% - Lannett is up 5.1%, or 25c to $5.06.

09:47 EDT Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 3x Shares rises 6.7% - Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 3x Shares is up 6.7%, or 59c to $9.34.

09:35 EDT Brooge Energy Ltd trading resumes

09:30 EDT Brooge Energy Ltd trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:23 EDT DavidsTea obtains recognition order from US Bankruptcy Court - DAVIDsTEA announce that it has obtained an order from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware recognizing a sanction order issued yesterday by the Quebec Superior Court, all in connection with DAVIDsTEA's plan of arrangement under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act. The Recognition Order was issued under Chapter 15 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. DAVIDsTEA will now fund PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Court-appointed Monitor in the CCAA proceedings, with approximately C $18M for distribution to the creditors of DAVIDsTEA and of DAVIDsTEA Inc., its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, in full and final settlement of all claims affected by the Plan of Arrangement. The funding of PwC will complete DAVIDsTEA's legal obligations under the Plan of Arrangement. As previously announced, the Plan of Arrangement was approved on June 11, 2021 by the creditors of DAVIDsTEA and of DAVIDsTEA Inc., respectively.

09:20 EDT VivoPower completes $120M definitive Canadian distribution agreement - VivoPower International announce that the company has signed a definitive agreement with Canadian industrial equipment distributor Acces Industriel Mining for Acces to distribute electric light vehicles in Canada, using e-LV conversion kits from VivoPower's wholly-owned subsidiary Tembo. Under the agreement, Acces intends to purchase 1,675 Tembo e-LV conversion kits between now and December 2026. The company estimates these orders to be worth $120M in total value over the next five-and-a-half years, with a delivery schedule weighted towards the latter part of the Distribution Agreement period. Acces will be responsible for acquiring original vehicles from Toyota, converting the vehicles to ruggedized e-LVs using the Tembo solutions, selling the units to end-customers and providing ongoing servicing and maintenance. The Distribution Agreement follows January's distribution agreement with GB Auto Group and GB Electric Vehicles. The company has announced plans to complete a global Tembo distribution network by the end of this year, and discussions with other distributors are active and ongoing across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia.

09:19 EDT Boeing, ESG and Lufthansa Technik partner for potential German P-8A support - Boeing announced that it signed agreements with ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Lufthansa Technik that outline joint efforts to explore potential areas of collaboration in systems integration, training, support and sustainment work. The signed memorandum of understanding may lead to more definitive agreements should Germany select the P-8A Poseidon as its next maritime surveillance aircraft. Boeing, ESG and Lufthansa Technik have identified opportunities to collaborate in a number of areas and will explore these in more detail, including training and simulation, cyber security, systems integration, certification, environmental compliance, communications systems, electronic attack and electronic protect systems, aircraft and engine sustainment, component support services, predictive maintenance analysis and logistics services. Dr. Michael Haidinger, president of Boeing Germany, Central & Eastern Europe, Benelux & Nordics. "Our partnership with ESG and Lufthansa Technik is another testimony to who we are and how we operate in Germany. We are shaping meaningful and long-term industry partnerships that impact the local economy."

09:16 EDT GenTech signs agreement to acquire MPB Cookies - GenTech announces the signing of an asset purchase agreement to acquire all of the assets, accounts receivable, and customer relationships related to MPB Cookies. MPB is a protein cookie company that makes gluten-free, high-protein snacks. "We love the product and the branding MPB has established," noted David Lovatt, CEO of GenTech. "They make a great-tasting, satisfying, guilt-free snack that represents a perfect complementary addition to our current product portfolio. We understand this opportunity extremely well and see robust synergies with our existing operations. We have immediate plans to expand distribution of MPB's current products and to broaden and diversify the product base to unlock much greater value."

09:14 EDT PlayAGS enters Canadian market with Ontario Lottery & Gaming - AGS announced its first launch into the Canadian real money online gaming market with Ontario Lottery & Gaming. Rakin' Bacon! is a game available for play on Ontario Lottery & Gaming's internet gaming site. The company's Golden Wins game is now live and available to play through OLG's internet gaming site . Additional games will launch over the next few months.

09:09 EDT Comtech gets $5M contract to deploy 911 solution to U.S. government end customer - Comtech Telecommunications announced that Comtech Solacom Technologies a division of Comtech's Commercial Solutions segment, was awarded a Next Generation 911 modernization project for a U.S. Government end customer. Of the total $5M contract value, $3.2M was awarded to Comtech in its fourth fiscal quarter.

09:08 EDT MDC Partners partners with Australian media agency This is Flow - MDC Partners has entered into a partnership with Australia-based media agency This is Flow. The partnership with This is Flow aims to unlock the team's media expertise and capabilities in Australia and surrounding areas while giving This is Flow access to MDC Partners' and The Stagwell Group's media planning technologies and tools. This is Flow is a full-service media agency based in Sydney with clients such as TPG Telecom, McVitie's, Coors and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?.

09:07 EDT National Fuel board increases quarterly dividend 2.2% to 45.5cper share - National Fuel Gas Board of Directors approved a 2.2% increase in the dividend on the company's common stock, raising the quarterly rate from 44.5c per share as approved in June 2020 to 45.5c per share for an annual rate of $1.82 per share. This dividend is payable July 15, 2021, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 30, 2021. The company has approximately 91.2M shares of common stock outstanding. It has no preferred stock outstanding.

09:06 EDT SS&C will not exercise matching right in Mainstream Group acquisition offer - SS&C Will Not Exercise Matching Right In Respect of Latest Offer to Acquire Mainstream Group SS&C has decided not to exercise its matching rights in connection with a competing offer made by a third party for an acquisition of 100% of the shares and outstanding equity rights in Mainstream Group Holdings pursuant to a scheme of arrangement between SS&C and Mainstream. The most recent bid received by Mainstream was $2.80, a 133% increase to the original bid.

09:03 EDT David Tepper tells CNBC stock market 'is still fine' - Appaloosa Management's David Tepper told CNBC's Scott Wapner that the Federal Reserve did a good job yesterday and that the stock market "is still fine."

09:01 EDT Gevo appoints Kimberly Bowron as Chief Human Resources Officer - Gevo announce Kimberly Bowron has joined Gevo as its Chief Human Resources Officer. Bowron has served over 20 years in senior management roles in the chemicals, utilities infrastructure, and IT industries. Most recently, Bowron was the Director of Human Resources at TPC Group and previously the VP of Human Resources at Heath Consultants.

08:57 EDT Nutmeg CEO confirms company to become part of JPMorgan - Nutmeg CEO Neil Alexander said in a statement: "Since the beginning of our journey, Nutmeg has attracted the interest of venture capitalists, institutional investors, international and global leaders in the financial services sector and, two years ago, we welcomed over 2,000 crowdfund investors - all of whom share our vision for the future of investment and wealth management. Today, I'm pleased to announce that the next chapter for the Nutmeg business will begin, as Nutmeg will become part of JPMorgan Chase. With more than 140,000 clients and over GBP3.5B of AUM, Nutmeg will form the bedrock of the bank's retail digital wealth management offering internationally over the long term, complementing the launch of Chase as a digital bank in the UK later this year." Commenting on the acquisition, Sanoke Viswanathan, CEO of International Consumer at JPMorgan Chase, said: "We are building Chase in the UK from scratch using the very latest technology and putting the customer's experience at the heart of our offering, principles that Nutmeg shares with us. We look forward to positioning their award-winning products alongside our own and continuing to support their innovative work in retail wealth management." Reference Link

08:50 EDT Genasys announces Zonehaven launch in Alameda County, California - Genasys announced Alameda as the latest California county to launch the company's Zonehaven emergency evacuation software-as-a-service solutions. This week, Alameda County and Genasys' Zonehaven finalized and released 1,076 evacuations zones for the county's 1.7M residents and initiated a "Know Your Zone" campaign. Under a multi-year contract, Genasys will provide planning, training, and resources to Alameda County first responders, public safety agencies, and cities to manage emergency evacuations and repopulations. "Our Zonehaven SaaS solutions provide essential emergency evacuation planning capabilities and resources that California and Western states need to better safeguard the public during longer, increasingly severe fire seasons, and other disasters," said Richard S. Danforth, Chief Executive Officer of Genasys. "The Zonehaven platform provides access to real-time weather, traffic and fire information, and models traffic and fire spread scenarios to plan and execute evacuations successfully."

08:46 EDT Constellation Brands acquires minority stake in Dos Hombres - Constellation Brands announced that it has acquired a minority stake in Dos Hombres, an artesanal and hand-crafted mezcal brand created by Breaking Bad co-stars Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston. The investment was made through Constellation's venture capital group, and Dos Hombres remains independently owned and will continue to manage, market, and produce its mezcals. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

08:44 EDT Lordstown clarifies recent executive remarks, has 'no binding purchase orders' - In a regulatory filing, Lordstown Motors stated: "As previously disclosed in our Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 8, 2021, an important aspect of our sales and marketing strategy involves pursuing relationships with specialty upfitting and fleet management companies to incorporate the Endurance into their fleet management programs. Fleet management companies sometimes purchase vehicles and then lease them to their own customers. In other instances, fleet management companies facilitate purchasing or leasing of vehicles by their customers which are generally large fleets... These vehicle purchase agreements generally include a projected buyer order schedule over the 3 to 5 year life of the agreement, and may be terminated by either party at will on 30 days' notice. They do not commit the counterparties to purchase vehicles, but we believe that they provide us with a significant indicator of demand for the Endurance. To clarify recent remarks by company executives at the Automotive Press Association online media event on June 15, although these vehicle purchase agreements provide us with a significant indicator of demand for the Endurance, these agreements do not represent binding purchase orders or other firm purchase commitments. As previously disclosed in our Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 8, 2021, to date, we have engaged in limited marketing activities and we have no binding purchase orders or commitments from customers."

08:42 EDT Live Ventures agrees to acquire Salomon Whitney in all-cash transaction - Live Ventures Incorporated announced that it entered into an agreement to acquire Salomon Whitney, a broker-dealer operating under the name SW Financial. Live Ventures agreed to acquire 100% of the membership interests in Salomon Whitney in an all-cash transaction. At the initial closing on June 14, 2021, Live Ventures acquired 24.9% of SW Financial. The acquisition of the remaining interest of SW Financial is subject to approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and other customary closing conditions. "This acquisition will add a successful financial services provider to our portfolio of companies and provide a 'roll-up' strategy of similarly situated broker-dealers for Live Ventures," said Jon Isaac, Live Ventures' President and CEO. "SW Financial has established a successful track record that we believe is complementary to our other service offerings. In working closely with the management team, including the two principals at Salomon Whitney LLC, Thomas Diamante and Lawrence Zelin, it is apparent that our goals are closely aligned, and we believe the venture will continue to thrive under their leadership. This venture will enable us to focus on driving sustainable, profitable growth while delivering value to our stockholders."

08:39 EDT CACI gets $82M contract to support U.S. Army's cyber and ground EW missions - CACI International announced the U.S. Army's C5ISR Center Electronic Warfare Air/Ground Survivability Division has awarded CACI a four-year $82M contract to continue support for the Army's cyber and ground electronic warfare missions. CACI's technicians and engineers will partner with the Army to monitor, analyze and develop complex technology tools and systems to counter evolving threats. CACI experts provide the analysis to help ensure that Army EOD ECM systems provide maximum protection. CACI also supports compatibility testing with new and legacy C5ISR systems to uncover system vulnerability and compatibility issues with other Army EW or tactical communication systems. John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Working closely with the Army, CACI is bringing decades of expertise in software enabled tools to help secure critical systems and advance the speed of decision-making across the connected battlefield."

08:38 EDT Turning Point Therapeutics granted FDA orphan drug designation for TPX-022 - Turning Point Therapeutics announced that TPX-0022, the company's inhibitor of MET and the associated cancer signaling pathways of SRC and CSF1R, has been granted orphan drug designation by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with gastric cancer, including gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. TPX-0022 is a potent inhibitor of the MET tyrosine kinase and has the potential to modulate the tumor microenvironment to augment its therapeutic effect. Initial clinical data presented from the ongoing Phase 1 SHIELD-1 study in October 2020 showed TPX-0022 has been generally well-tolerated and demonstrated clinical activity in patients with MET-amplified gastric cancer.

08:37 EDT Castor Maritime announces new charter agreement, delivery of M/T Wonder Musica - Castor Maritime announces that the M/V Magic Rainbow, a 2007 built Panamax dry bulk carrier, following completion of its scheduled drydocking, has been fixed on a time charter contract earning a daily gross charter rate of $25,000 commencing today with a term of between 7 to 9 months. The company also announces that on June 15, 2021, it took delivery of the M/T Wonder Musica, the 2004 Korean-built Aframax/LR2 tanker it had agreed to acquire as previously announced on April 30, 2021. The M/T Wonder Musica acquisition was financed in its entirety with cash on hand.

08:36 EDT Actinium Pharmaceuticals' Iomab-B granted patents in EU and Japan - Actinium Pharmaceuticals' intellectual property portfolio around its lead Phase 3 candidate, Iomab-B, has been extended with two international patents. In the EU, Actinium has been issued a patent covering the composition and methods administration of Iomab-B, an Antibody Radiation Conjugate comprised of apamistamab, a CD45 targeting antibody, and the radioisotope iodine-131. The issued patent in the EU is expected to have a useful life through 2036. In addition, Actinium has been granted a patent covering the same composition and methods of administration claims in Japan.

08:36 EDT Cboe Global Markets to launch enhanced block trading service in Canada - Cboe Global Markets announced plans to launch Cboe LIS powered by BIDS in Canada, bringing to the region an enhanced block trading service based on a successful model that it first introduced in Europe with BIDS Trading. Planned for launch on February 1, 2022, the new Canadian offering, which is subject to regulatory approval, will combine industry-leading block trading capabilities from MATCHNow and BIDS to create an enhanced market center for block-sized liquidity for buy-side and sell-side participants. With its expansion into the Canadian market, Cboe will also continue to extend its global equities block trading network to new geographies beyond the U.S. and Europe.

08:34 EDT Revive Therapeutics partners with University of Health Sciences Antigua - Revive Therapeutics announce it has entered into an agreement with the University of Health Sciences Antigua to collaborate on utilizing Revive's novel psychedelic-assisted therapies and pioneering the clinical research and development of psychedelics in Antigua and Barbuda. As part of the proposed collaboration, Revive and UHSA aims to accomplish the following activities: Development of a Psychedelic treatment center in Antigua and Barbuda using Revive's novel formulations and delivery forms of psychedelics, including its proprietary psilocybin oral-thin film product to treat mental health and substance abuse disorders; Research on UHSA's campus will exclusively use Revive's intellectual property, developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with the aim to be the foundation for novel psychedelic therapies for research and commercial use in Antigua and Barbuda; Conduct clinical studies to support regulatory drug approvals in the Caribbean and to accelerate U.S. FDA clinical development plans; and Establishment of a Master's in Psychedelic Medicine for Doctor of Medicine students and for those seeking to expand their knowledge of the field of psychedelic medicine.

08:33 EDT Color Star Technology names Basil Wilson as new Chairman and CEO - Color Star Technology announces the appointment of Basil Wilson as the company's new Chairman and CEO. Luke Lu, the former CEO of Color Star, commented: "We are very pleased to have Basil Wilson join us. Currently, the company is building up its research and development team. We will continue to build and launch new AR entertainment products, non-fungible token products, and VR scenes. Basil Wilson's joining will help strengthen Color Star's technology sector and to diversify the company's product development capabilities. I believe he will lead the company to new heights."

08:31 EDT Spark Networks names David Clark CFO - Spark Networks appointed David Clark as CFO, effective August 10th. Clark currently serves as CFO for Synchronoss Technologies. Prior to Synchronoss, Clark served as the CFO of The Meet Group, a subsidiary of ParshipMeet Group, a provider of interactive dating solutions. He was the CFO of Nutrisystem from 2007 to 2013.

08:30 EDT Allstate announces May 2021 catastrophe losses of $213M pre-tax - The Allstate Corporation announced estimated catastrophe losses for the month of May of $213M pre-tax, or $168M, after-tax. Catastrophe losses for April and May totaled $598M, after-tax. Catastrophe losses in May comprised seven events at an estimated cost of $193M plus unfavorable prior period reserve estimates. Two large hail events, primarily impacting Texas, accounted for approximately 60% of May estimated

08:28 EDT Calix announces surge in net-new subscribers for Mainland Telecom - Calix, announced that Canadian broadband service provider, or BSP, Mainland Telecom has experienced a 66% surge in net-new subscribers in just three months since expanding the availability of its managed Wi-Fi services to residents in the rural municipality of Clare, Nova Scotia, with Revenue Edge. These services, which are delivered via the Wi-Fi 6 certified GigaSpire Blast u6 systems and the optional, intelligent mesh extensions of the GigaSpire BLAST u4m, are helping increase the appeal of the community in the midst of a booming real estate market as a viable option to live and work from remotely.

08:23 EDT U.S. Global Investors partners with HANetf - U.S. Global Investors announce its partnership with HANetf to launch Europe's first and only global airlines industry ETF. The U.S. Global Jets UCITS ETF launched today on the London Stock Exchange. This move marks the second time this year that the Company has expanded its product line to international markets, the first case being in April when it launched its airlines ETF on the Mexican Stock Exchange.

08:18 EDT Entera Bio receives foundational patents for its oral PTH - Entera Bio announced the European Patent Office has granted a patent titled "Methods and Compositions for Oral Administration of Proteins" to Entera. The patent addresses Entera's oral PTH formulations currently in advanced clinical stages for osteoporosis and hypoparathyroidism. "This is a critical patent that covers lead PTH products utilizing Entera's platform technology. This European Union patent, along with a variety of other patents covering oral formulations and target indications, granted and pending, provide Entera with robust protection of its intellectual property. This granted patent comes in addition to numerous issued patents in strategic countries including the USA, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Israel. We are particularly pleased to have successfully completed the nine-month time window in which the patent could have been opposed. Entera has fortified its leadership position in the oral delivery of proteins as we look forward to reporting the full 6 month BMD results from our Phase 2 study, as planned this Q2/2021 and potentially initiating a pivotal Phase 3 study with our oral PTH for the treatment of osteoporosis next year," stated Entera CEO Spiros Jamas. "We continuously strive to strengthen our portfolio with new patents addressing specific applications as well as novel improvements to our platform."

08:16 EDT Kroger reports Q1 identical sales, without fuel, down 4.1% - Two-year stack increased 14.9%. Digital sales grew 16%; two-year stack grew 108%.

08:14 EDT Medallia partners with New Metrics to expand operations in the Middle East - Medallia announced a partnership with New Metrics . Under the agreement, New Metrics will resell Medallia software and provide professional services. "Our mission at New Metrics is to create flawless brand experiences for leading organizations across the Middle East," said Mohamad El-Hinnawi, Partner and Practice Leader for Experience Management and Digital Transformation at New Metrics. "We are thrilled to partner with a like-minded leader in customer and employee experience to bring Medallia technology to market across the region."

08:13 EDT ManTech awarded $61M contract to provide engineering, assistance to DoD IWTSD - ManTech announced that it has been awarded a $61M contract to provide systems engineering and technical assistance services to the Department of Defense, or DoD, Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate, IWTSD. The contract is for one year with four one-year options. ManTech will provide technical and analytical services, program management, administrative and operations support to the IWTSD mission of delivering irregular warfare capabilities used by the U.S. operational community, as well as member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

08:13 EDT Amneal Pharmaceuticals submits Bevacizumab BLA to FDA for review - Amneal Pharmaceuticals announced the FDA has accepted for review the biologics license application, or BLA, for Bevacizumab, pursuant to Section 351(k) pathway of the Public Health Service Act, and with a standard review goal date in the second quarter of 2022 according to the BsUFA.

08:10 EDT Alignment Healthcare expands, adding two new Nevada counties in 2022 - Medicare Advantage company Alignment Healthcare announced the expansion of its health plans to two new counties in Nevada in 2022, pending regulatory approval. The company currently serves seniors in Clark County, Nevada. With this expansion, Medicare-eligible seniors in both Nye and Washoe counties will also gain access to Alignment's HMO plan options during Medicare's annual enrollment period, which begins Oct. 15, 2021.

08:09 EDT PhaseBio enters exclusive bentracimab licensing agreement with Alfasigma - PhaseBio announced that it has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Alfasigma, a privately owned specialty pharmaceutical company focused on commercializing medicines in Europe and other markets, for the commercialization of bentracimab. The agreement covers countries in the European Union and European Economic Area, as well as the United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine and other countries within the Commonwealth of Independent States. Bentracimab is a novel, human monoclonal antibody fragment that in earlier clinical trials has shown immediate and sustained reversal of the antiplatelet effects of Brilinta/Brilique. Under the terms of the license agreement, PhaseBio will receive a $20M upfront payment and will be eligible to receive up to $35M in pre-revenue regulatory milestones and up to $190M in payments contingent upon the achievement of certain sales milestones. PhaseBio will also receive tiered royalties on net sales, with percentages starting in the low double digits and escalating up to the mid-twenties. PhaseBio will be responsible for developing bentracimab and securing approval with the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, after which marketing authorization will be assigned to Alfasigma. Alfasigma will be responsible for securing regulatory approval in other territories not covered by EMA or MHRA approvals, and for obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals necessary to market and sell the product, including pricing approvals and post-marketing commitments.

08:08 EDT Kroger reports Q1 gross margin 22.6% - Gross margin was 22.6% of sales for the first quarter. The FIFO gross margin rate, excluding fuel, decreased 65 basis points compared to the same period last year. This decrease was primarily related to sales deleverage, higher shrink, continued price investments, and charges related to COVID-19, partially offset by sourcing benefits and growth in Alternative Profits.

08:07 EDT Ford announces reservations for new vehicles - Farley will report that reservations have swelled to 190,000 for the reimagined full-size Bronco SUV, which is now in production, 125,000 of which have already been converted to orders; 100,000 for the battery-electric F-150 Lightning pickup; 36,000 for the all-new Maverick compact pickup, just a week after it was introduced to the world; and 20,000 for the all-electric E-Transit commercial van.

08:06 EDT BRP Group announces new collaboration with Nasdaq - BRP Group announced an exclusive collaboration with Nasdaq, to offer tailored D&O Liability Insurance programs and solutions for companies listed on Nasdaq through its subsidiary, AHT Insurance. "We're thrilled about our new collaboration with Nasdaq," says Trevor Baldwin, BRP Group's Chief Executive Officer. "BRP Group and AHT have deep expertise and experience in providing solutions that can meet the needs of the high-growth companies on The Nasdaq Stock Market."

08:06 EDT Ford sees Q2 adjusted EBIT better than last year, net income worse - Ford said adjusted EBIT for Q2, which ends in two weeks, will surpass its expectations and be significantly better than a year ago. The company provided the insight ahead of president and CEO Jim Farley's participation this afternoon in Deutsche Bank's Global Auto Industry Conference. Farley will tell conference attendees that Ford is seeing improvement in its automotive business since providing full-year operating guidance on April 28, despite continuing uncertainty about supplies of semiconductors. The improvement in automotive is being driven by lower-than-anticipated costs and favorable market factors. Additionally, higher vehicle auction values are benefitting Ford Credit. Net income for Q2 is expected to be substantially lower than a year ago, when results included a $3.5B gain on Ford's investment in Argo AI. At the Deutsche Bank event, Farley will provide an update on progress against the Ford+ plan. "We're providing customers with great value today and there's much more on the way, because we're executing Ford+ from strength - with iconic nameplates and leading positions with retail and commercial customers around the world, and the best financing company in our industry in Ford Credit," said Farley.

08:05 EDT Playtika promotes Erez Rachmil to Chief Technology Officer - Playtika announced the appointment of Erez Rachmil to Chief Technology Officer. Most recently, Rachmil served as Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Playtika's Casual games division. Ira Holtzer previously held this position and will transition to the role of EVP Strategic Technologies, where he will focus on exploring new technology opportunities for Playtika. In his new role as CTO, Rachmil will oversee Playtika's technology roadmap.

08:04 EDT Kroger reports Q1 identical sales, without fuel, up 4.1%; 2-year stack up 14.9% - Digital sales grew 16%; two-year stack grew 108%.

07:59 EDT KULR Technology up over 70% after getting DOT permit for lithium cell transport - Shares of KULR Technology are up over 70% in pre-market trading after the company announced receipt of a special permit from the U.S. DoT authorizing the transport of prototype lithium cells and batteries aboard cargo aircrafts.

07:47 EDT Mirion to become public through GS Acquisition Holdings Corp II combination - Mirion announced it will become a publicly traded company through a business combination with GS Acquisition Holdings Corp II (GSAH). Larry Kingsley, former CEO of Pall Corporation, will serve as chairman when the transaction closes. Mirion will continue to be led by 20-year industry veteran and company founder, CEO Thomas Logan. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2021 and at close Mirion's stock will trade under the ticker symbol (MIR). The transaction, unanimously approved by both boards of directors, is expected to close in the second half of 2021, subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and approval of GSAH's stockholders. At closing, the public company's name will be changed to Mirion Technologies, Inc. Upon closing, Mirion will have an anticipated pro forma enterprise value of approximately $2.6B, or 13.3x the company's estimated CY22 Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $192M. Upon completion, it is expected that, assuming no redemptions by the public stockholders of GSAH, Charterhouse Capital, alongside its co-investors and Mirion management will hold approximately 19% of Mirion. The sponsor will defer 100% of its sponsor shares and such shares will be subject to forfeiture five years after closing if certain targets are not met. In addition to the approximately $750M of cash held in GSAH's trust account, additional investors have committed to participate in the transaction through a $900M private placement. In addition to the $200M anchor PIPE investment, Goldman Sachs has provided an additional $125M equity commitment to be used as a backstop in the event that the minimum cash condition fails to be satisfied. After giving effect to any redemptions by the public stockholders of GSAH, the balance of the approximately $750M in cash held in GSAH's trust account, together with the $900M in private placement proceeds, will be used to pay $1,31B in cash consideration to Mirion stockholders, and to pay transaction expenses and reduce Mirion's existing indebtedness to up to 3x LTM estimated pro forma adjusted EBITDA as of June 30. The remainder of the consideration payable to the stockholders of Mirion will consist of shares of GSAH common stock and Mirion rollover equity. The transaction will be effected pursuant to a business combination agreement entered into by and among GSAH, Mirion, funds advised by Charterhouse Capital Partners and the other parties thereto.

07:42 EDT Pembina Pipeline, TC Energy partner to create carbon transportation solution - Pembina Pipeline (PBA) and TC Energy (TRP) announce their plan to jointly develop a world-scale carbon transportation and sequestration system which, when fully constructed, will be capable of transporting more than 20M tonnes of CO2 annually. "By leveraging existing pipelines and a newly developed sequestration hub, the Alberta Carbon Grid represents the infrastructure platform needed for Alberta-based industries to effectively manage their emissions and contribute positively to Alberta's lower-carbon economy and create sustainable long-term value for Pembina and TC Energy stakeholders," the company said. "Advancing ACG is also an important step in both Pembina's and TC Energy's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity across our businesses while supporting emissions abatement across the industry. Given the shared capabilities in this area, Pembina and TC Energy recognize they must take a leadership role in reducing GHG emissions while proudly supplying the world with affordable and reliable energy," the company added.

07:35 EDT W.P. Carey announces industrial investments totaling $137M - W. P. Carey announced three industrial investments totaling $137M and covering approximately two million square feet. The investments comprise five operationally-critical properties net leased to industry-leading tenants, bringing investment volume year-to-date to approximately $900M with a weighted-average lease term of approximately 22 years.

07:33 EDT Tian Ruixiang signs cooperation agreement with Anqing Road Transport - Tian Ruixiang announced that it entered into a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with Anqing Road Transport Administrative Center of Anhui Province on June 15. Pursuant to the agreement, the company will provide Anqing Road Transport Administrative Center with professional risk management services. Anqing Road Transport Administrative Center is a public welfare unit at the sub-county level under the Anqing Municipal Transport Bureau, and is responsible for providing guidance and government services to the city's road and transportation industry including but not limited to: production safety, emergency response, environmental protection, energy preservation, national defense transportation, credit system management, administrative supports, and supervision of construction, management, operations, and maintenance of East Gate ferry. There are approximately 824,000 vehicles and 1.24M drivers registered in the Anqing city.

07:30 EDT American Lithium provides update on its plan of operations for TLC - American Lithium provided an update on recent developments at its Tonopah Lithium Claims Project located close to Tonopah, Nevada, or TLC. Highlights: The Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, has confirmed that American Lithium's Plan of Operations, submitted in January 2021, has been accepted for review and is deemed complete. Biological and Cultural Baseline Surveys prepared by American Lithium, in conjunction with EM Strategies of Reno, conducted in 2020 confirmed that "no species or habitat protected under the Endangered Species Act are present within the Project Area". BLM has confirmed that a standard Environmental Assessment is sufficient for approval of this PO. Approval of PO anticipated within 3 months, enabling next phase of development. Next phase at TLC to include a drill program of up to 95 drill holes to extend, expand and upgrade existing resource and complete up to 5 test pits for metallurgical bulk sampling. Strong alignment with 100-Day Review focused on strengthening Critical Supply Chains, including domestic lithium supply, recently announced by The White House. Simon Clarke, Chief Executive Officer & Director of American Lithium stated, "We are very pleased that the BLM has accepted the Company's Plan of Operations as complete. This is a key step towards the approval of the PO and the launch of the next phase of development and operations at TLC. The proactive and early steps taken by the Company to ensure that no major environmental issues exist at TLC are helping us move the project ahead as quickly as possible and differentiate us positively from several other claystone projects in Nevada." As reported on January 13,, the Company filed an Application for a Plan of Operations for its next phase of development and operations at TLC. This PO increases the surface disturbance allowance to 168 acres in two phases, 84.5 acres in Phase 1, and 78.5 acres in Phase 2, and includes all necessary descriptions of environmental and reclamation planning for the next phase of operations. The BLM has accepted and deemed the PO complete with no significant issues. At this stage of development, and based on the environmental work conducted to date, the BLM has commenced an Environmental Assessment for the TLC Project as opposed to the more arduous Environmental Impact Study.

07:22 EDT Ormat Technologies signs new product supply agreement in Indonesia - Ormat Technologies announced that it has secured a new contract with Star Energy Geothermal Salak to supply products to extends the Salak geothermal field in Indonesia. The Salak geothermal field is located near Jakarta on the southwest flank of the Gunung Salak volcano and is currently contains geothermal power plant utilizing steam. The new 14 MW Salak geothermal power plant will use air-cooled Ormat Energy Converter and will allow 100% geothermal fluid reinjection which serves both to sustain the reservoir and to produce electrical power with virtually no environmental impact. Ormat is in partnership with local contractor that will provide the EPC services. The supply of the plant is expected to be completed within 12 months from contract start.

07:17 EDT Atlas Technical Consultants awarded $25M contract with Georgia DOT - Atlas Technical Consultants through its subsidiary Long Engineering was selected for a Statewide contract to provide on-call SUE services by the Georgia Department of Transportation, or Georgia DOT. The newly awarded contract will remain in effect for three years, with the opportunity to extend it for an additional two years. "Locating underground utilities is critical to the design and construction of roadways. Slight adjustments in designs can produce substantial cost savings by reducing utility relocations and project delays. We are excited to continue our long-standing partnership with GDOT and deploying our SUE expertise to support them in predictable delivery of their programs," said Atlas CEO Joe Boyer.

07:14 EDT Akoustis announces new WiFi 6E router uses its XBAW filters - Akoustis Technologies announced that its patented XBAW filters are being designed into a new enterprise-class WiFi 6E router platform from a tier-1 WiFi OEM. The new router design will use four 5.5 GHz and four 6.5 GHz XBAW(R) coexistence filters for a tri-band multi-user, multiple-in-multiple-out router. The 5.5 GHz filter module covers the UNII 1-3 spectrum of the WiFi 6E standard, while the 6.5 GHz filter module covers the entire UNII 5-8 spectrum. The Company expects the new router to enter production in early 2022. Dave Aichele, EVP of Business Development of Akoustis, stated, "The momentum in WiFi 6E continues to build for Akoustis given our market-leading performance in BAW filters at high frequency and with wide bandwidth that enable simultaneous radio operation between the full UNII 1-3 bands and UNII 5-8 bands." Aichele continued, "We expect continuing success in WiFi 6E with our 5.5/6.5 GHz and 5.6/6.6 GHz solutions as they offer the greatest flexibility, spectrum use and signal selectivity in a micro-acoustic filter form factor. "

07:12 EDT FibroGen, HiFiBiO announce partnership to advance therapies - FibroGen and HiFiBiO Therapeutics announced a partnership covering three HiFiBiO programs. Under the terms of the agreement, FibroGen will make a $25M upfront payment to HiFiBiO, as well as payments upon option exercise. In addition, HiFiBiO may receive up to a total of an additional $1.1B in future option, clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments across all three programs. HiFiBiO will also be eligible to receive royalties based upon worldwide net sales. FibroGen exclusively licensed all products in the Galectin-9 program and will have sole right to develop them worldwide. The lead product candidate in the Galectin-9 program is expected to enter clinical development in the first quarter of 2023. FibroGen has also obtained exclusive options to license all product candidates in HiFiBiO's CXCR5 and CCR8 programs. Each option may be independently exercised following delivery of program-specific data to be generated by HiFiBiO. If an option is exercised, FibroGen will have the sole right to develop products from that program worldwide. The lead product candidates from the CXCR5 and CCR8 programs are expected to enter clinical development by the middle of 2023.

07:08 EDT BeiGene doses first patient in Anti-TIGIT Antibody Ociperlimab trial for NSLC - BeiGene announced that the first patient was dosed in the global Phase 3 AdvanTIG-302 trial of BeiGene's investigational anti-TIGIT antibody ociperlimab (BGB-A1217) in combination with its anti-PD-1 antibody tislelizumab, for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors exhibit high PD-L1 expression and do not harbor EGFR-sensitizing mutations or ALK translocations. This marks the initiation of the first Phase 3 clinical trial in the planned global pivotal program for ociperlimab. "Ociperlimab is a potent anti-TIGIT antibody with intact Fc function, which we believe to be critical for the anti-tumor activities of TIGIT antibodies. Ociperlimab is our fourth internally discovered molecule entering the pivotal stage of clinical development, and now one of the most advanced anti-TIGIT antibodies in development globally. We intend to explore the potential use of ociperlimab in additional settings and indications in our late-stage development program," commented Yong Ben, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Immuno-Oncology, at BeiGene. "We hope that the AdvanTIG-302 trial will support a new and improved chemotherapy-free regimen for a significant portion of first-line patients with NSCLC and potentially other cancer patients with unmet needs."

07:07 EDT Opko Health's EirGen Pharma sells Ireland facility to Horizon Therapeutics - OPKO Health (OPK) announces that its subsidiary, EirGen Pharma has entered into a definitive agreement to sell one of its facilities in Waterford, Ireland to Horizon Therapeutics (HZNP) for $65M in cash less certain assumed and accrued liabilities relating to transferred employees. The facility houses EirGen's sterile-fill-finish business. EirGen's research and development employees who were located at the site will transition to a new facility. OPKO expects the transaction to close in approximately one month, subject to governmental consent in Ireland and customary closing conditions.

07:07 EDT Viking Therapeutics reports results from Phase 1 trial of VK0214 - Viking Therapeutics announced results from the company's Phase 1 single ascending dose and multiple ascending dose clinical trial of VK0214, a novel, orally available small molecule thyroid receptor beta agonist in development for the potential treatment for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. In this study, VK0214 demonstrated encouraging safety and tolerability, as well as a predictable pharmacokinetic profile. The company expects to initiate a Phase 1b study of VK0214 in patients with X-ALD in the coming weeks. VK0214 was shown to be safe and well-tolerated at all doses evaluated in this study. No serious adverse events were reported, and no treatment or dose-related trends were observed for vital signs, gastrointestinal effects, cardiovascular measures, or physical examinations. VK0214 demonstrated dose-dependent exposures, no evidence of accumulation following multiple doses, and a half-life consistent with anticipated once-daily dosing regimens. While the study's primary objective was to evaluate safety and tolerability, laboratory assessments included a lipid panel to determine potential pharmacodynamic effects following exposure to VK0214. The results showed that subjects who received VK0214 experienced reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B following 14 days of treatment at all VK0214 doses. Many of the observed lipid reductions achieved statistical significance, though the study was not powered to demonstrate statistical significance on laboratory assessments.

07:06 EDT Aaon announces price increase of 5% on all AAON HVAC equipment - AAON announced a price increase of 5% on all AAON HVAC equipment. This price increase is a result of inflationary pressures. The price increase is effective September 1, 2021.

07:04 EDT Brady acquires The Code Corporation for $173M - Brady announced that it has acquired The Code Corporation for approximately $173M. Brady will fund the transaction with cash on hand as well as with borrowings on its existing revolving line of credit. Code has forecasted sales of approximately $50M for Brady's first full fiscal year of ownership, which is for the year ending July 31, 2022. Brady anticipates EBITDA from Code of approximately $10M for the first full fiscal year ending July 31, 2022, inclusive of integration-related costs. "Code is a highly-regarded brand for its offering of durable high-performance barcode scanners," said Brady's President and CEO, J. Michael Nauman. "The addition of Code's high-quality complementary product offering to Brady's already existing leadership position in niche application industrial printers and materials will accelerate Brady's expansion in the industrial track-and-trace market. Once integrated, our complete service offering in these faster growing end markets should accelerate Brady's overall growth profile. We also intend to increase investments in research and development and increase Code's addressable market through Brady's global footprint throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas."

07:02 EDT Match Group closes acquisition of Hyperconnect - Match Group announced it has completed the acquisition of Hyperconnect, a social discovery and video technology company. The $1.725B transaction was completed 50% in cash and 50% in Match Group stock.

06:56 EDT N-able appoints Jeff Nulsen as Chief Marketing Officer - N-able has named Jeff Nulsen as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Most recently, Nulsen was the Chief Marketing Officer at Bluehost, and before that, served as VP of product management and marketing at Vistaprint.

06:51 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 51.1K shares of Kratos Defense on Wednesday - Shares of Kratos Defense are up 2.9% in pre-market trading.

06:48 EDT Sonoco Products expands recycling of iconic paper containers in U.S. - Sonoco announced it is expanding recovery and recycling of scrap materials from the production of its iconic EnviroCan paper containers in the U.S. to be used as raw material at three of its uncoated recycled paperboard mills to produce new paperboard. According to Elizabeth Rhue, Sonoco's staff vice president of Sustainability, Sonoco expects to divert from landfills approximately 3,300 tons of scrap materials annually from four of its U.S. paper container operations in West Chicago, Ill., Greenville, Wisc., Jackson, Tenn., and Norwalk, Calif. This material, which is projected to equal approximately 165 truckloads, will be sent to Sonoco paper mills in Menasha, Wisc., Newport, Tenn., and City of Industry, Calif., where it will be used as raw material to produce 100% recycled paperboard, with up to 85% post-consumer fiber.

06:47 EDT Calavo Growers CFO Kevin Manion to depart, Farha Aslam named interim CFO - Calavo Growers announced that Kevin Manion, CFO, will be departing the company effective July 16. Farha Aslam, a financial expert serving on Calavo's Board of Directors, will assume the CFO role on an interim basis. The company has engaged an executive search firm to identify candidates as Manion's successor. Manion will continue to work with the company through his employment term, and thereafter as a consultant to ensure a smooth transition.

06:33 EDT Aerie Pharma completes enrollment in Phase 3 trial of ophtalmic solution - Aerie Pharmaceuticals completed patient enrollment for its first Phase 3 clinical trial of netarsudil ophthalmic solution in Japan, comparing netarsudil ophthalmic solution 0.02%, administered once a day in the evening, to ripasudil hydrochloride hydrate ophthalmic solution 0.4%, administered twice a day, in the morning and evening. The first patient to enter this Phase 3 study was dosed in early December 2020. A total of 245 patients were successfully randomized across the netarsudil and ripasudil treatment arms. Aerie and Santen Pharmaceutical announced an exclusive collaboration and license agreement for Rhopressa and Rocklatan in Japan and several other Asian countries in October 2020. As part of this agreement, Santen is responsible for all development and commercialization costs and activities related to the products in the territories covered by the agreement; however, Aerie and Santen have collaborated for this first Phase 3 study for Rhopressa in Japan, which they are co-funding. The study was designed in accordance with the requirements of Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency to support a potential regulatory submission of netarsudil ophthalmic solution in Japan.

06:02 EDT KBR, Mura announce first joint contract award for plastics recycling technology - KBR and Mura Technology announced the first joint contract award for its plastics recycling technology, Hydro-PRTSM, with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, or MCC, in Japan. Developed by Mura and licensed exclusively by KBR, Hydro-PRT employs a patented process utilizing supercritical steam to convert all types of plastics into commercial products that can be used to produce new plastics to deliver a truly circular economy.

05:57 EDT Justice Department sues to block Aon acquisition of Willis Towers Watson - The Department of Justice last night filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today to block Aon's (AON) proposed acquisition of Willis Towers Watson (WLTW). As alleged in the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the merger "threatens to eliminate competition, raise prices, and reduce innovation for American businesses, employers, and unions that rely on these important services," the agency said in a statement. "Today's action demonstrates the Justice Department's commitment to stopping harmful consolidation and preserving competition that directly and indirectly benefits Americans across the country," said Attorney General Merrick Garland. "American companies and consumers rely on competition between Aon and Willis Towers Watson to lower prices for crucial services, such as health and retirement benefits consulting. Allowing Aon and Willis Towers Watson to merge would reduce that vital competition and leave American customers with fewer choices, higher prices, and lower quality services." Reference Link

05:34 EDT The9 announces custody account with Coinbase subsidiary - The9 (NCTY) announced Coinbase Custody, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coinbase (COIN), as the custodian for The9's digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC). The9 plans to deposit at Coinbase Custody part of its cryptocurrencies mined. The first batch will be 200 Bitcoin to be deposited into The9's segregated cold storage account at Coinbase Custody, which is an offline cold storage solution. The9 plans to increase deposits into this custody account, from time to time, as The9 mines more cryptocurrencies.

05:31 EDT Rio Tinto appoints Peter Cunningham as CFO - Rio Tinto has appointed Peter Cunningham as CFO with immediate effect. Peter, who has been interim CFO since January, will also join the Rio Tinto board as an executive director at the same time. Peter was previously group controller and has held a number of senior financial and non-financial leadership positions across Rio Tinto in Australia and the UK.

05:27 EDT Elbit Systems subsidiary awarded $29M in PEO orders - Elbit Systems announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Elbit Systems of America, recently was awarded two orders with an aggregate value of approximately $29M by the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office, or PEO, Soldier under an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity, or ID/IQ, contract issued in 2020. The orders will be executed from the Elbit Systems of America facility in Roanoke, Virginia with deliveries through September. Under the orders, Elbit Systems of America will upgrade the U.S. Army active duty and National Guard rotary-wing aviation units' AN/AVS-6 Aviator's Night Vision Imaging Systems, or ANVIS, with high performance white phosphor image intensifier tubes. The night vision upgrade to the U.S. Army fleet's legacy ANVIS goggles will replace the existing green image intensification. White phosphor enhances the ANVIS goggles as it presents visuals in black and white detail, which may appear more natural to the eye. The new image intensification tubes will also provide better contrast, along with high image resolution at greater distances for pilots.

05:19 EDT Nokia accelerates joint 5G network rollout in Denmark - Nokia announced that it continues to build upon its ongoing business with Danish mobile operators, Telenor and Telia via their joint network, or TTN, accelerating the delivery of 5G services nationwide following the availability of 3.5 GHz spectrum. Nokia is the exclusive supplier of 5G RAN and will support the modernization of the shared network. The availability of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band will offer incredibly fast 5G speeds to customers. The modernization deal will focus initially on Denmark's four largest cities before expanding to cover most Danish customers during 2022. The deal will see Nokia continue its partnership with both companies and the operation of the joint network, which first started in 2012. TTN is Denmark's largest mobile network with more than 4,300 sites. The merger between the two networks first began in 2012 with both companies each owning 50% of the network.

05:06 EDT Northern Trust enters agreement with 3D to distribute funds to investors - Northern Trust has entered into an agreement with Distributor Due Diligence, or 3D, to support its asset manager clients with elements of how they oversee distribution of their funds to investors. The service is named Network Monitor. Under the agreement, Northern Trust will make 3D's platform service available to clients in an effort to help them discharge their regulatory responsibilities for performing due diligence of their distributor networks. By drawing on 3D's platform and distributor coverage spanning more than 75 countries, clients can automate aspects of distributor due diligence questionnaire processes. This supports asset managers' focus on overseeing appointed intermediaries and complying with regulations.