Stockwinners Market Radar for July 08, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:36 EDT Smartsheet CFO buys 1.4K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Smartsheet disclosed that its CFO Pete Godbole bought 1.4K shares of common stock on July 6th in a total transaction size of $106K.

19:23 EDT Cyclerion Therapeutics, Beacon Biosignals announces strategic partnership - Cyclerion Therapeutics, Inc. and Beacon Biosignals announced an extended and expanded strategic partnership between the two companies. This collaboration is expected to identify disease-relevant biomarkers to refine patient selection and endpoints to guide the clinical development of Cyclerion's investigational therapeutics for neurological diseases associated with cognitive impairment. "Beacon Biosignals is the leader in the identification of disease-relevant EEG neurological biomarkers. We believe that the application of this technology to our innovative pipeline may be quite powerful in guiding efficient drug development, and we look forward to a productive partnership focused on successfully advancing CY6463 for diseases associated with cognitive impairment," said Andy Busch Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Cyclerion Therapeutics.

17:36 EDT Levi Strauss sees H2 EBIT margins 12% - Sees H2 gross margin 56%. Says "confident" in delivering adjusted EBIT margin of 12% for FY22. Guidance taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

17:16 EDT SAB Biotherapeutics announces data showing SAB-185 neutralizing COVID variant - Ahead of its June 22 planned merger with Big Cypress Acquisition Corp expected to close in Q4 of 2021, SAB announced the publication of in vitro data showing that SAB-185, the company's therapeutic candidate for the treatment of COVID-19 virus infections, demonstrated effective neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 virus strains containing the genetic substitutions present in recent variants of concern. In the study, researchers conducted SAB-185 neutralization assays with multiple mutant SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus strains, including sequences present in recently mutated strains that have emerged as a global concern. SAB-185 retained its neutralization potency for variants of recent concern. Importantly, compared to monoclonal antibodies and convalescent patient serum, where "escape mutants" are readily identified, escape mutants were not isolated after treatment with SAB-185. Escape mutations are naturally occurring genetic mutations that allow viruses to evade both the host's natural immune response and anti-infective therapies.

17:08 EDT Helen of Troy names Matt Osberg as new CFO - Helen of Troy announced the appointment by the company's board of Matt Osberg to serve as CFO of the company, effective as of November 1, 2021. Until the effective date of Mr. Osberg's appointment, Brian Grass will continue to serve as the company's CFO. Osberg joined the Company in September 2016 as Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance.

16:50 EDT Riot Blockchain sees hash rate capacity of 7.7 EH/s by 4Q22 - By Q4 2022, Riot anticipates a total hash rate capacity of 7.7 EH/s, assuming full deployment of its anticipated fleet of approximately 81,146 Antminers acquired from Bitmain, 95% of which will be the latest generation S19 series model of miners. Upon full deployment, the company's total fleet is expected to consume approximately 257 MW of energy, with approximately 206 MW deployed at the company's Whinstone facility and approximately 51 MW deployed at Coinmint, LLC's facility. This would result in an overall hash rate efficiency of 33 joules per terahash.

16:48 EDT New Fortress Energy signs gas supply agreement with Government of Sri Lanka - New Fortress Energy has signed a Framework Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to construct a new offshore liquefied natural gas - LNG - receiving, storage and regasification terminal. The Terminal will be located off the coast of Colombo to supply gas to the country's power plants, primarily located in the Kerawalapitiya Power Complex. The Kerawalapitiya Power Complex consists of 300 MW in operation today and is ultimately expected to grow to over 1,000 MW by 2025. As part of the agreement, New Fortress will supply natural gas to the existing 300 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant and is negotiating the purchase of the Government's 40% stake in the company that owns the power plant. This power plant is currently under a long-term power purchase agreement to provide electricity to the national grid that extends through 2035. This Terminal will introduce natural gas to the country of Sri Lanka for the first time and will assist the transition to lower-carbon energy sources. The Government will facilitate the obtainment of necessary permits and entitlements by New Fortress to construct the LNG terminal. The Terminal is expected to begin operations by the second half of 2022. This investment in Sri Lanka represents New Fortress' first LNG terminal in Asia.

16:42 EDT KB Home names Robert McGibney as CO-COO - KB Home announced that Robert McGibney has been elected Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer, effective July 1, 2021. In this role, Mr. McGibney will be responsible for the Company's operations in its West Coast and Southwest regions, as well as several of the Company's key strategic functions, including architecture, design studio, national contracts and sustainability. Matthew Mandino, also Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer, will continue to have responsibility for the Company's Central and Southeast regions. In addition, he will oversee KB Home's marketing function, customer satisfaction initiatives, and financial services operations.

16:34 EDT Preferred Apartment acquires multifamily community in Dallas-Fort Worth area - Preferred Apartment completed the acquisition of Alleia at Presidio, a 231-Unit Class A multifamily community in Fort Worth, Texas.

16:32 EDT EverCommerce acquires mobile charge capture solutions provider MDTech - EverCommerce has acquired Medical Design Technologies, a provider of mobile charge capture solutions. Based in Houston, Texas, and founded in 2015, MDTech provides charge capture and analytics solutions to small- and medium-sized practices across 20 different specialties and 29 states. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

16:30 EDT J.M. Smucker raises quarterly dividend 10% to 99c per share - The J.M. Smucker Co. announced its Board of Directors approved an increase in the quarterly dividend from 90c to 99c per common share, an increase of 10%. The dividend will be paid on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Friday, August 13, 2021. The company remains committed to returning value to shareholders, as this represents the 20th consecutive year of dividend growth.

16:25 EDT iBio establishes oncology drug discovery pipeline with new antibody programs - " iBio, has taken another major step towards leveraging the speed and throughput of its proprietary, plant-based FastPharming Protein Expression System by announcing it is adding three anti-cancer targets to its pipeline of therapeutic candidates. This development establishes the Company's new drug discovery capabilities announced just a few weeks ago. As part of iBio's efforts to change the drug development paradigm with the FastPharming System by reducing the time and cost to move from initial concept to the clinic, the Company intends to partner with best-in-class technology partners to help achieve that vision. Accordingly, iBio has entered into a research services agreement with FairJourney Biologics , leaders in antibody optimization. Pursuant to the agreement, iBio will gain access to novel display technologies and proprietary antibody libraries," said the company in statement

16:23 EDT Qiagen's NeuMoDx HAdV Quant Assay receives CE-IVD certification - Qiagen announced that its NeuMoDx HAdV Quant Assay for the identification and quantification of human adenovirus DNA has received CE-IVD certification for the European Union and other countries that accept this marking. This milestone marks the 15th assay available on the NeuMoDx 96 and 288 Molecular Systems, which is considered one of the broadest menus available among competitors. The tests can be run in true random access along with Laboratory Developed Tests. Additional assays planned for CE-IVD launch in 2021 include Herpes Simplex Virus, Human Herpesvirus 6 as well as an FDA submission for Chlamydia & Gonorrhea.

16:18 EDT ABM to pay $140M to settle Overtime Cases - ABM has entered into a written settlement agreement in the consolidated action ABM Industries Overtime Cases, pending in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. Filed in 2006, the case relates primarily to a legacy timekeeping system that has not been in use by ABM since 2013. The settlement is subject to court approval. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the company has agreed to pay a total sum of $140M to fully resolve all claims that were asserted by plaintiffs against the company. To meet the final terms of the Bucio case settlement agreement, the company intends to reserve $110M in the third quarter of FY21, supplementing the $30M previously reserved. ABM admits no wrongdoing as part of the settlement.

16:16 EDT MediaAlpha CFO Tigran Sinanyan to resign effective October 1st - MediaAlpha announced that Tigran Sinanyan has notified the Company of his intention to resign as CFO, effective October 1, 2021, to pursue a general management role with a privately-held company. The company has begun a search for a new CFO with the assistance of a leading executive search firm. Mr. Sinanyan will continue to serve as the Company's CFO and assist in the transition over the course of the next three months. MediaAlpha today also reaffirmed its financial guidance for Q2 and FY21, which it had provided in connection with the announcement of MediaAlpha's Q1 financial results on May 12, 2021.

16:16 EDT Abbott's St. Jude agrees to pay $27M to settle False Claims charges, DOJ says - St. Jude Medical has agreed to pay $27M to settle allegations under the False Claims Act that, between November 2014 and October 2016, it knowingly sold defective heart devices to health care facilities that, in turn, implanted the devices into patients insured by federal health care programs, the Department of Justice announced. St. Jude was acquired by Abbott Laboratories in January 2017. Reference Link

16:14 EDT Biogen, Pfizer and AbbVie collaborate on genetic exome sequence analysis - Access to the world's largest browsable resource linking rare protein-coding genetic variants to human health and disease was launched through a genetic exome sequence analysis collaboration between AbbVie (ABBV), Biogen (BIIB) and Pfizer (PFE). Managed by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the browser gives access to results from analyses of whole exome sequencing data from 300,000 UK Biobank research participants. These genetic data have been paired with detailed health information to create this browsable resource. The companies engaged with the Broad Institute for data processing and to conduct single variant and gene-based association testing with nearly 4,000 UK Biobank phenotypes to identify associations between distinct genes or genetic variants and disease. In line with the collaboration members' commitment to openness, these results can now be accessed freely via the new browser. This browser will enable scientists worldwide to explore and utilize the data for their respective areas of interest in accordance with UK Biobank's terms of use.

16:11 EDT IM Cannabis unit Trichome Financial to acquire all shares of MYM Nutraceuticals - MYM Nutraceuticals announces that it has been granted the final court order from the Supreme Court of British Columbia approving the plan of arrangement with IM Cannabis , pursuant to which, among other things, IMC, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Trichome Financial will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of MYM for consideration of 0.022 of an IMC common share in exchange for each MYM Share held, which was previously announced on April 1, 2021. Receipt of the final order follows approval of the Arrangement by shareholders of MYM at its special meeting of MYM Shareholders held on July 5. Assuming the satisfaction of all conditions, closing of the Arrangement is expected to occur on or about July 9, 2021. Upon the closing of the Arrangement, MYM Shareholders will be entitled to receive the Consideration in exchange for each MYM Share held and the MYM Shares will be delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange.

16:07 EDT John B. Sanfilippo & Son announces $2.30 per share special dividend - The Special Dividend will be paid on August 25, 2021 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 10, 2021.

16:04 EDT Flushing Financial reports $197M in PPP loans at June-end - Flushing Financial is providing an update on the Paycheck Protection Program, PPP, activity for the second quarter of 2021. During the quarter, $69M of PPP loans were forgiven by the SBA. We also recognized total net fees, which includes normal amortization and forgiven activity, of $1.2M on the PPP portfolio. At June 30, the Company had $197M in PPP loans, of which approximately $22M are in the process of forgiveness. Over the course of the program, the Company has originated and acquired $310M of loans with forgiveness totaling $113M. The SBA can take up to 90 days to forgive PPP loans. Additional details will be provided with the second quarter 2021 earnings release after the market closes on Tuesday, July 27 and on the earnings conference call on Wednesday, July 28.

16:02 EDT LMP Automotive board authorizes debt refinancing, stock buyback and dividend - LMP Automotive announced that the board has authorized a debt refinancing, and subject to the conditions of such debt refinancing, a stock buy back and dividend. LMP's board of directors authorized the refinancing of its current debt facility, in light of additional anticipated acquisitions in the pipeline. Conditioned upon the terms of such refinanced debt facility, the board has also authorized the use of up to 25% of excess cash to buy back shares of its common stock and up to 15% of excess cash for the issuance of a shareholder dividend beginning in Q4. At our current run rate, excluding our anticipated refinance and additional acquisitions, LMP expects cash balances to exceed $50M, with excess cash of over $36M by year end.

15:11 EDT CPSC sues ThyssenKrupp Access over 'hazardous' gaps in residential elevators - The Consumer Protection Safety Commission or CPSC sais in part: "To prevent children from suffering further serious injury or death, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC, filed an administrative complaint against thyssenkrupp Access alleging that thyssenkrupp's residential elevators contain defects that present a substantial product hazard. CPSC alleges that certain models of thyssenkrupp residential elevators manufactured and distributed through 2012 were installed with a hazardous gap between the exterior hoistway door and the interior elevator car door or gate. The models include, but are not limited to: Chaparral, Destiny, LEV, LEV II, LEV II Builder, Rise, Volant, Windsor, Independence, and Flexi-Lift models. thyssenkrupp has refused to conduct a voluntary recall of the hazardous residential elevators. Children can become entrapped when a residential elevator is installed with excessive space between the exterior hoistway door and the interior elevator car door or gate, and suffer serious injuries or death when the elevator is called to another floor. There have been three incidents involving thyssenkrupp residential elevators, including a 2-year-old child who died in 2017, and a 3-year-old child left permanently disabled in 2010. Additionally, in 2019, a 4-year-old boy was hospitalized after a crush injury."These injuries and deaths are ghastly," said Acting Chairman Robert Adler. 'The gaps in residential elevators are truly a hidden hazard for homeowners, and for anyone who is visiting or renting a home with an elevator." Reference Link

14:06 EDT Raytheon awarded $171.6M contract for lot 1 of Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band - Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, has been awarded a $171.6M contract for Low-Rate Initial Production Lot I, or LRIP I, of the U.S. Navy's Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band, the company announced. "The award advances the program from the development stage into production and deployment. NGJ-MB is the Navy's advanced electronic attack system that offensively denies, disrupts and degrades enemy technology, including air-defense systems and communications. NGJ-MB uses the latest digital, software-based and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies," the company said.

14:01 EDT Troika Media CEO 'beginning to see a recovery' in business as economy reopens - Troika Media (TRKA) is a brand identity and communications agency that provides integrated branding and advertising solutions. In an exclusive interview with The Fly, Chairman and CEO Robert Machinist talked about COVID-related impact and recovery: "Like many businesses, COVID had a meaningful negative impact on our company. The impact went well beyond the loss of revenue. Our employees and their families endured a very challenging time. Happily, we are beginning to see a recovery as our clients resume advertising, ad budgets are growing, and with the re-opening of the economy comes the return of live events which has been an important part of our business. So yes, we are seeing a return to growth in most of our business lines and markets. Much of our agency work is focused on helping brands deepen engagement with audiences and fans throughout the consumer journey. Clients like UFC, Wynn Resorts [WYNN] and Casinos PGA Tour, The Los Angeles Rams, The Las Vegas Raiders are just a few of the notable brands we work with that require an economy that has been safely reopened so they can resume entertaining their fans or guests. Stadiums are filling-up, music events are underway or in the planning stage, and guests are returning to the casinos. Those are all good signs for our clients and for Troika," the CEO explained. "Meet the Company" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive short interviews with Executive Officers to offer a deeper look inside the company. The remainder of this interview to follow.

13:43 EDT Troika CEO sees Redeeem acquisition growing recurring revenue streams - Troika Media (TRKA) is a brand identity and communications agency that provides integrated branding and advertising solutions. In an exclusive interview with The Fly, Chairman and CEO Robert Machinist discussed Troika's recent acquisition of Redeeem: "Building on Redeeem's digital blockchain capabilities, Troika is integrating their products across our media services to work with new and existing brands to offer non-fungible token, or NFT, capabilities, crypto payment APIs, mobile payment expertise, and other revenue-generating products capable of deploying digital tokens throughout Troikas expansive network of brands. Since its inception in 2018, Redeeem has processed over $10 million in crypto payments and manages over $1 million a month in trading volume. We believe the combined offering of Troika's existing portfolio of services, extensive client network, and operational scale with Redeeem's highly innovative platform and experienced team, we can create additional revenue opportunities for the global brands in the entertainment, sports, gaming, and consumer goods we partner with every day and grow recurring revenue streams for Troika," the chief executive said. "Meet the Company" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive short interviews with Executive Officers to offer a deeper look inside the company. The remainder of this interview to follow.

13:39 EDT PagSeguro says does not intend to acquire BV bank

13:28 EDT Troika Media CEO says investors view company 'differently' after coming public - Troika Media (TRKA) is a brand identity and communications agency that provides integrated branding and advertising solutions. In an exclusive interview with The Fly, Chairman and CEO Robert Machinist talked about Troika Media's recent IPO: "The opportunity to complete an IPO of Troika was a very important event for the company and we are very excited about all of the benefits that being public can provide a growing company. In general, being public provides us access to public equity markets for future capital raising; we can more easily attract and reward key employees; and, we have more options on how to acquire other companies or technologies. Specifically, Troika is seeking to acquire additional strategic data and technology platforms to further take advantage of our creative solutions business. These proprietary platforms generally possess market expertise, proprietary technology, leadership and experience within the programmatic ecosystem, coupled with in-house creative teams. I think two good examples of the execution of this strategy are reflected in our formation of Troika Labs, followed by our acquisition of Redeeem, both of which occurred this past May. Troika Labs is a new division with the primary mission to leverage its expansive data and content creation capabilities to provide a fully integrated digital and creative offering to clients on a global scale. The acquisition of Redeeem increases our ability to significantly grow revenue and strategic opportunities to enhance the core businesses of TMG by immediately positioning the company as a go-to expert in the NFT and crypto space, particularly in our sports, gaming, and entertainment business, where we will provide brands new opportunities to foster fandom through NFT integration. I certainly believe investors view Troika differently now that we are public. There is so much more information available now to the investor about our strategy, customers and creative capabilities that was not well known before. Our job is to continue to make sure investors understand our business and growth strategy as we work to create greater shareholder value," the executive explained. "Meet the Company" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive short interviews with Executive Officers to offer a deeper look inside the company. The remainder of this interview to follow.

13:18 EDT FDA warns health care providers about NuVasive's Precice devices - The Food and Drug Administration informed health care providers in a letter about "potential biocompatibility concerns" associated with NuVasive's Precice devices made from stainless steel and titanium. The FDA is also providing health care providers with recommendations for monitoring patients with these devices. It said, "NuVasive is performing additional biocompatibility testing on materials used for all Precice devices against updated testing standards. NuVasive is also conducting a series of assessments of potential mechanical failures that may contribute to biocompatibility issues. The FDA has received reports of pain and changes in the surrounding bone and soft tissue in people implanted with the Precice Stryde device, which is stainless steel (Biodur 108)-based." The agency told healthcare providers to stop implanting any new stainless steel-based Precice devices and to be aware that NuVasive has initiated a voluntary recall for the titanium-based devices. Reference Link

13:11 EDT Castellum divests property portfolio in Jyvaskyla to Nyfosa for SEK2.1B - Castellum recently acquired a Finnish property portfolio through its acquisition of Kielo. Nine properties from the portfolio, located in Jyvaskyla, are now being divested to Nyfosa for SEK 2.1B, the company said in a statement. "The divestment is a geographic focusing of the Finnish portfolio. We are continuing our journey of growth, building an even stronger Nordic platform for sustainable, high-quality office and logistics properties," says Henrik Saxborn, CEO of Castellum AB.

13:09 EDT Investors 'yet to appreciate' potential for recovery, Troika's Machinist says

13:09 EDT Troika CEO sees Redeem deal helping create additional revenue opportunities

13:04 EDT Humana hiring up to 200 seasonal positions in San Antonio - Humana announced it is looking to hire up to 200 virtual, seasonal Enrollment Representatives in and around San Antonio. Humana's Medicare Enrollment Representatives respond to inquiries from current and prospective members seeking to enroll into a 2022 Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan. They also review and process member applications. These seasonal employees will serve for six months or less through the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan open enrollment window, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2021. Although these positions are home-based, Humana is seeking applicants who live within a 50-mile radius of the company's San Antonio location at 8119 Datapoint Dr., as there may be opportunities for some of these roles to transition to full-time employment. These positions offer competitive compensation with a strong hourly rate and eligibility for a retention bonus up to $1000.

12:22 EDT Spartan Acquisition announces stockholder approval for Sunlight combination - Spartan Acquisition Corp. II announced the business combination (the "Business Combination") between Spartan and Sunlight Financial was approved by Spartan's stockholders, with the Business Combination supported by 97% of the shares of Spartan voted at the special meeting of Spartan stockholders. Ten proposals, including sub-proposals, were considered and voted upon by Spartan's stockholders at the Special Meeting on July 8, 2021.The Business Combination is expected to close on July 9, 2021. Following the close, the combined company will be renamed Sunlight Financial Holdings Inc. and its common stock and warrants are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbols "SUNL" and "SUNLW", respectively, commencing on July 12, 2021.

12:02 EDT Capcom says 'Resident Evil Village' exceeds 4.5M unit sales - Capcom (CCOEY) announced that cumulative sales of its 2021 release "Resident Evil Village" has exceeded 4.5M units globally. The game is available on PC, Xbox One (MSFT), Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 (SONY), and PlayStation 5, The Fly notes. Reference Link

12:00 EDT PagSeguro Digital falls -14.5% - PagSeguro Digital is down -14.5%, or -$8.12 to $47.95.

12:00 EDT GasLog Partners rises 6.9% - GasLog Partners is up 6.9%, or 34c to $5.25.

12:00 EDT Virgin Galactic rises 10.6% - Virgin Galactic is up 10.6%, or $4.78 to $49.70.

11:35 EDT Cinedigm announces forgiveness of $2.2M PPP loan - Cinedigm announced that the Company has received forgiveness of approximately $2.2M of loan proceeds and accrued interest previously carried under the Paycheck Protection Program. On July 7, 2021, Cinedigm received notice from East West Bank PPP, the lender of the Company's "PPP" loan, that the U.S. Small Business Administration approved the forgiveness of the PPP loan in its entirety, and that East West Bank has applied the funds and paid off the principal and interest of the PPP loan in full.

11:29 EDT Avanos to pay $22M to resolve fraudulent misbranding charges - Avanos Medical Inc., a U.S.-based multinational medical device corporation, has agreed to pay more than $22M to resolve a criminal charge relating to the company's fraudulent misbranding of its MicroCool surgical gowns. A criminal information filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas charges Avanos with one count of introducing misbranded surgical gowns into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead. According to court filings, Avanos falsely labeled the gowns as providing the highest level of protection against fluid and virus penetration. Under the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement filed with the criminal information, Avanos will pay $22,228,000, composed of a victim compensation payment of $8,939,000, a criminal monetary penalty in the amount of $12,600,000 and a disgorgement payment of $689,000. The deferred prosecution agreement resolves a criminal investigation into Avanos's misbranding of its MicroCool surgical gowns under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the company's obstruction of a 2016 for-cause inspection conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration into Avanos's surgical gown business. As part of the criminal resolution, Avanos has agreed to continue to cooperate with the Justice Department and to report any evidence or allegation of a violation of the FDCA or U.S. obstruction or fraud laws committed by Avanos's employees or agents upon any domestic government agency, regulator or any of Avanos's customers. Reference Link

11:13 EDT Akero reports full results of main portion of BALANCED trial published - Akero Therapeutics announced that full results of the main portion of its Phase 2a BALANCED trial in biopsy-confirmed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, patients with F1-F3 fibrosis have been published in "Nature Medicine." The study met its primary endpoint of absolute change from baseline in hepatic fat fraction measured at week 12, with 48% of EFX patients across dose groups achieving normal levels of liver fat, defined as less than 5 percent liver fat, compared with 5% of placebo patients. Reductions in liver fat were associated with substantial decreases in markers of liver injury and fibrosis. Consistent with these observations, 50% of EFX patients who had F2/F3 fibrosis at baseline and repeat biopsies after 16 weeks of treatment achieved a two-stage regression of fibrosis. Reflecting EFX's potential to have a beneficial impact on whole body metabolism, EFX patients were reported to have significantly improved levels of triglyceride, non HDL-cholesterol and HbA1c, along with a trend toward lower body weight. EFX was reported to be generally well tolerated. There were two Serious Adverse Events, one of which occurred prior to dosing, and there were no deaths in the study. Across EFX groups, the most frequent AEs were grade 1 or 2 gastrointestinal events, which were transient in nature. "This disclosure of EFX data in Nature Medicine marks the first published clinical evidence of fibrosis regression with an FGF21 analog and what we believe are the largest reductions in liver fat publicly reported to date across all NASH investigational drug classes. We're pleased to contribute to the field of NASH clinical research with publication of these data," said Kitty Yale, chief development officer of Akero.

11:06 EDT Wells Fargo names Bei Ling as head of Human Resources - Wells Fargo (WFC) announced that Bei Ling will join the company on Oct. 1 as head of Human Resources. She will report to CEO Charlie Scharf and serve on the company's Operating Committee. Ling joins Wells Fargo from JPMorgan Chase (JPM), where she was most recently managing director and global head of Talent Development and Total Rewards.

11:04 EDT Harley-Davidson announces introduction of LiveWire ONE electric motorcycle - Harley-Davidson announced the introduction of LiveWire ONE, which it calls "the electric motorcycle built for the urban experience." LiveWire ONE is launching at $21,999 and available to order today at LiveWire.com, in addition to select LiveWire dealers, Harley-Davidson announced. Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson, said: "As part of The Hardwire Strategy, we made a commitment that Harley-Davidson would lead in electric. We recognized the pioneering spirit and brand value in LiveWire for our community and took the decision to evolve the original LiveWire motorcycle into a dedicated EV brand. Today's LiveWire ONE builds on the DNA of Harley-Davidson but with the electric focus and ambition of the new LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson and LiveWire will continue to rewrite the motorcycle rulebook and we are excited about this next chapter in our legacy."

11:02 EDT Littelfuse, Hirtenberger Automotive Safety announce product development JV - Littelfuse and Hirtenberger Automotive Safety, announced a product development joint venture referred to as PYTIC, or Pyro Technology for Intelligent Circuit Disconnection. PYTIC is focused on the development and distribution of new and innovative products for eMobility applications and other industrial electrical energy storage applications. This joint venture leverages the best of the companies' combined electrical expertise. Through this collaboration, PYTIC has jointly developed a highly innovative product, the Pyro Safety Module. The PYTIC PSM is currently offered for today's most advanced electric vehicles, including the 500V and 1,000V power classes. The PSM's most important advantage over other products in the market is its even faster detection of the overcurrent event and thus a significantly faster and safer disconnection of the battery from the rest of the vehicle. This means that vehicle fires and electric shocks to passengers and rescue forces can be avoided in the best possible way. As hybrid-electric vehicles and fully electric vehicles are seeing tremendous growth across passenger car and commercial vehicle applications, there continues to be strong demand for safe, reliable products within these markets. PYTIC seeks to be the supplier-partner of choice for products that monitor and disconnect electrical energy storage systems for vehicles and other industrial applications.

10:32 EDT Winnebago names Jil Littlejohn Bostick as head of diversity, equity, inclusion - Winnebago Industries (WGO) announced that effective July 12, 2021, Jil Littlejohn Bostick will be joining Winnebago Industries as Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In this newly created role, Littlejohn Bostick will partner with key stakeholders to advance DEI programs and initiatives at Winnebago Industries and will lead the execution of the overall DEI strategy and roadmap. Littlejohn Bostick will report directly to Winnebago Industries SVP, General Counsel, Secretary and Corporate Responsibility & President, Winnebago Industries Foundation Stacy Bogart. Most recently, she served as the Director of Inclusion and Diversity at Hubbell Incorporated (HUBB).

10:05 EDT Spirit Airlines to resume all remaining international service from Orlando - Spirit Airlines unveiled the largest schedule it has ever operated from Orlando, including new flights to destinations stretching from New Hampshire to the Dominican Republic along with reinstating the balance of its international operation. Spirit confirmed plans to restore pre-pandemic flights to Cartagena, Colombia; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Port-au-Prince, Haiti and San Salvador, El Salvador while increasing San Jose, Costa Rica to daily service. The airline's full reinstatement of its international schedule comes on the heels of a complete reactivation of its domestic network from MCO that was finished in time for the summer travel season. New domestic options include Louisville; Manchester, N.H.; Miami; Milwaukee and St. Louis. Altogether, Spirit Guests will have roughly 20 additional flights and 10 new destinations to choose from each day compared to two years ago. The airline's Orlando operations will be 45 percent larger than they were at the end of 2019 once the new routes and resumptions come online.

10:03 EDT IBM to acquire hybrid cloud consulting firm BoxBoat Technologies - IBM announced plans to acquire BoxBoat Technologies, a DevOps consultancy and enterprise Kubernetes certified service provider. "BoxBoat will extend IBM's container strategy and implementation services portfolio to further advance IBM's hybrid cloud strategy and accelerate Red Hat OpenShift adoption globally," the company said. "BoxBoat will join IBM Global Business Services' fast-growing Hybrid Cloud Services business, enhancing IBM's capacity to meet rising client demand for container strategy and the critical people and process components of the cloud transformation journey. BoxBoat delivers a full suite of services that include customized strategies for Kubernetes and Enterprise Container Platform adoption, application containerization, DevSecOps, training and enablement. BoxBoat guides enterprises on the right tooling, business strategy, workflows and processes to meet their DevOps goals," the company added. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. It is expected to close this quarter.

10:00 EDT FinVolution Group falls -12.8% - FinVolution Group is down -12.8%, or -$1.13 to $7.67.

10:00 EDT Lufax falls -15.7% - Lufax is down -15.7%, or -$1.66 to $8.91.

10:00 EDT Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares rises 7.6% - Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares is up 7.6%, or 57c to $8.18.

09:50 EDT Urban One trading resumes

09:47 EDT New Oriental Education falls -9.6% - New Oriental Education is down -9.6%, or -67c to $6.26.

09:47 EDT Small Cap Bear 3x rises 5.4% - Small Cap Bear 3x is up 5.4%, or $1.65 to $32.47.

09:47 EDT Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares rises 7.2% - Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares is up 7.2%, or 55c to $8.15.

09:42 EDT Flora Growth names strategic advisor, enters into agreement with EAN University - Flora Growth, an all-outdoor cultivator and manufacturer of global cannabis products and brands, has engaged Brigitte Baptiste as a strategic advisor to the company. Baptiste, along with academics and researchers from EAN University, will assist in the company's research and development of sustainable and bioprospection initiatives across Flora's global premium brand portfolio and will oversee and develop the new cannabis and hemp research programs at EAN University, the company said in a statement.

09:37 EDT Newegg Commerce Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:23 EDT GBS Inc. awarded $4.6M Australian Federal Government science grant - GBS announced it has been awarded a $4.7 million, Australian Federal Government scientific grant to fund the build out of a Biosensor manufacturing facility. This project has been identified as one of six National Manufacturing Priorities identified by the Government under Modern Manufacturing Strategy. The Medical Products Priority Grant, from the Australian Federal Government's Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources' Modern Manufacturing Initiative will support the establishment of an Australian high tech medical device manufacturing facility to commence scaled production of the Printable Organic Electronic Biosensor technology for the APAC region. GBS's flagship product, the Saliva Glucose Biosensor, is the first innovation to be developed from the Biosensor Platform and is currently being developed as a point-of-care test intended to provide people living with diabetes a non-invasive solution to finger-prick blood glucose testing. This alternative test will offer a pain-free option to current testing methods by using an Organic Thin-Film Transistor that produces glucose measurements in real-time on an app or dedicated device for the more than 460 million people living with diabetes worldwide. Supplementary to the SGB, the Company also plans to commercialize a SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Biosensor rapid point-of-care diagnostic test to monitor exposure and immunity levels in real time in the fight against COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 Biosensor is being developed in collaboration with the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. The Biosensor will be integrated with the Institute's eRapid electrochemical sensor technology to enable simultaneous electrochemical sensing of multiple biomarkers related to SARS-CoV-2 infection for point-of-care COVID-19 diagnostic applications.

09:17 EDT FocalAgent selects Matterport for 3D home-buying experiences - Matterport, a spatial data company that has entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination with Gores Holdings VI, has been adopted by FocalAgent to create and supply Matterport 3D experiences to all their real estate clients. Focal Agent supplies a suite of digital marketing products to the largest UK estate agents, who are selling properties faster and at up to 15% higher sales price.

09:16 EDT Blink's Blue Corner to install up to 500 EV charging stations across Belgium - Blink Charging announced that its wholly owned European subsidiary, Blue Corner, has signed a contract to sell and operate EV charging stations at the KU Leuven campuses across Belgium. KU Leuven is one of Europe's leading research universities. This exclusive four-year sales contract also includes a 10-year service agreement for the operation of the charging stations. The sales and operations contract is valued at approximately EUR1.5 million or approximately $1.8 million. The tender award is being coordinated through the Blue Corner team based in Antwerp, Belgium which continued to work for the company following Blink's acquisition of Blue Corner, and will begin deployments commencing in the fall of 2021.

09:11 EDT HUMBL announces Brand Ambassador partnership with Gabby Thomas - HUMBL has formally announced its HUMBL Brand Ambassador partnership with USA Track and Field athlete Gabby Thomas. In addition to her accomplishments on the track, Thomas is a graduate of Harvard University where she studied neurobiology and global health. She is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Public Health at the University of Texas.

09:09 EDT Mogo announces new minority investment in Canada's Tetra Trust - Mogo (MOGO) announced a new minority investment in Tetra Trust, "which launched as Canada's first qualified custodian for cryptocurrency asset," the company stated Tetra Trust's core business is the custody and storage of cryptocurrency assets including bitcoin, ether and a variety of other digital assets. Prior to Tetra's launch, the Canadian market for cryptocurrency custody was limited to U.S. providers and unregulated Canadian custodians. For additional information on Tetra Trust, please refer to the company's recent press release. In addition to Mogo, Tetra Trust is backed by several industry participants including Coinsquare, Canada's premier crypto exchange digital asset trading platform, Coinbase Ventures, an investment arm of Coinbase (COIN), the largest publicly traded crypto exchange in the world and the Canadian Securities Exchange. As previously disclosed, Mogo has acquired an approximate 39% ownership position in Coinsquare. Coinsquare owns approximately 47% and Mogo has acquired approximately 4% of the outstanding common shares of Tetra Trust. "This launch represents another important development for Coinsquare as they continue to build their leadership position in the Canadian market and develop the cryptocurrency ecosystem," said Greg Feller, Mogo's President. "As Canada's first regulated custody provider, Tetra Trust serves a vital role in the trading of digital assets."

09:09 EDT Skechers launches 'Ryan's World' collaboration - Skechers is launching the new Skechers x C. Ryan Kaji, nine-year-old star of the global "Ryan's World" franchise, whose YouTube channel has over 30M subscribers, worked with the Skechers Kids design team on the colorful collection launching immediately. Skechers developed the collaboration with pocket.watch and the Kaji family's Sunlight Entertainment.

09:07 EDT Verizon's identity solution adopted by Maven - Maven (MVEN) has adopted Verizon's (VZ) identity solution across its portfolio of digital media brands and sites, including Sports Illustrated and TheStreet. Verizon Media's unified identity solution aims to help advertisers and publishers connect with audiences in mobile, web, connected TV, and more, while respecting consumer choice and privacy.

09:06 EDT Contango Oil & Gas to acquire Wind River Basin assets for $67M - Contango Oil & Gas Company (MCF) announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire low decline, conventional gas assets in the Wind River Basin of Wyoming from ConocoPhillips (COP). HIGHLIGHTS: Acquisition of PDP heavy reserves for $67 million in cash, representing a discount to the proved producing reserve value of the asset; Net production run rate of approximately 78 Mmcfe/d as of July 1, 2021; Expected to increase Contango's run rate production by approximately 57% in Q3 of 2021; Expected production decline of approximately 5% per year over the next 5 years; Significant potential for upside via Contango's track record of optimizing cash flow and reserves on acquired assets. The purchase and sale agreement provides that Contango will acquire approximately 446 Bcfe of PDP reserves for a total purchase price of $67 million in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments, with a June 1, 2021 effective date. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2021, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including those set forth in the purchase and sale agreement. The company intends to fund the purchase price with cash on hand and availability under its existing revolving credit facility.

09:06 EDT Kaleyra acquires Bandyer, amount undisclosed - Kaleyra announced it has acquired Bandyer for an undisclosed amount. Bandyer offers cloud-based audio/video communications services to financial institutions, retail companies, utilities, industries, insurance, human resources and digital healthcare organizations. Bandyer has been serving customers with Audio/Video APIs and SDKs based on WebRTC technology for a variety of use cases including group video calls and webinars. Bandyer's two competitive differentiators are that users do not need to download any software and that the whole user experience can be branded and customized to a user's specifications. "The acquisition of Bandyer adds video capabilities to Kaleyra's already wide offering of communication channels. During the pandemic, consumers got used to having fewer in-person touchpoints with businesses, and video is the best available proxy for these in-person interactions," explains Nicola Jr. Vitto, Chief Product Officer at Kaleyra. " With this acquisition, Kaleyra is continuing to ramp up its M&A activity, as it completed the acquisition of the US-based mobile engagement platform mGage on June 1.

09:05 EDT Robert Half subsidiary Protiviti adopting Galvanize's HighBond platform - Robert Half's wholly owned subsidiary Protiviti, a global consulting firm, has chosen Galvanize's AI-powered HighBond platform to streamline audit workflows, improve enterprise risk assessment, and enhance risk controls across the Asia-Pacific region. Protiviti has already been working successfully with the technology for many years in Japan. Through the strategic partnership Protiviti can also resell HighBond to its clients for implementation. Protiviti is looking to move beyond manual GRC workflows and unify data at the global organization.

09:04 EDT Philips, Cognizant collaborate to introduce digital health solutions - Royal Philips (PHG) and Cognizant (CTSH) announced a new collaboration to develop end-to-end digital health solutions that will enable healthcare organizations and life sciences companies to improve patient care and accelerate clinical trials. The alliance brings together Philips HealthSuite, a cloud-based platform and Cognizant's digital engineering knowledge to deliver and maintain digital health solutions at scale. As part of this collaboration, Cognizant will build, deploy, implement, and operate client-specific applications on Philips HealthSuite. These customizable, scalable solutions integrate advanced data analytics, helping to improve both the patient and clinician experience by providing relevant data to the appropriate point-of-care. "Despite advances, patients and clinicians still face a fragmented technology and data landscape that holds back innovative healthcare services which improve care quality and the human experience," said Shez Partovi, Chief Innovation & Strategy Officer, Royal Philips. "Philips is committed to driving the digital transformation of healthcare. Partnering with Cognizant's experienced digital engineering teams will accelerate the adoption of solutions built on Philips HealthSuite, delivering digital solutions across the healthcare continuum in a secure and compliant manner, and ultimately helping guide better health decisions for patients."

09:01 EDT Takung Art announces $5M private placement - Takung Art announced that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor to raise $5M through a private placement of 571,429 shares of Common Stock at a purchase price of $8.75 per share. The closing of the private placement is expected to occur by July 12, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions set forth in the SPA. Maxim Group LLC is acting as the sole placement agent for the transaction.

08:41 EDT Beyond Meat launches Beyond Chicken Tenders at restaurants nationwide - Beyond Meat launched its new Beyond Chicken Tenders. The company said, "Crafted to look, cook and taste like traditional chicken tenders, the delicious plant-based Beyond Chicken Tenders are breaded to perfection for a crispy outside and irresistibly tender bite. Starting today, consumers can find the latest must-try product from Beyond Meat at select restaurants across the country." Like all Beyond Meat products, Beyond Chicken Tenders are made from plant-based ingredients like faba beans and peas. With 14g of protein per serving, they're a source of protein and have 40% less saturated fat than the leading foodservice chicken tender. Beyond Chicken Tenders are also made with no GMOs, antibiotics or hormones, and have no cholesterol.

08:40 EDT EverCommerce completes acquisition of Timely - EverCommerce announced that it completed the acquisition of Timely Timely joins the EverCommerce suite of integrated SaaS solutions across business management, marketing, customer engagement, and billing and payments. With this acquisition, EverCommerce will expand its product offerings and market reach in the salon and spa industry to the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand markets.

08:39 EDT Quanta's Medolife Rx announces clinical observations on Escozine - Medolife Rx announced new clinical observations made on its lead drug candidate Escozine. Physicians observed that patients who originally had strong adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines and who were given Escozine, experienced significantly lessened side effects. Typical vaccine side effects are similar to symptoms of the actual COVID-19 virus, including body cough, aches, fatigue and fever, among others. These observations have led the Company to move forward with pursuing an additional pilot study on the drug, looking to prove its effectiveness in decreasing side effects of vaccinations for COVID-19. Management plans to meet with the Ministry of Health and the office of the President of the DR to present the observations and seek further guidance on next steps for approval as a complimentary product for vaccine recipients.The Company is currently pursuing approval of Escozine as both a palliative and therapeutic treatment for the virus in the US and the DR, with positive data from preclinical studies suggesting its effectiveness. Given that Escozine has received product registration as a natural alternative medicine in Dominican and been a part of these clinical studies, physicians at the clinic provided doses to certain vaccine recipients and observed this reduction in side effects.

08:37 EDT CarLotz announces partnership with TiiCKER to provide shareholder perks - CarLotz announced a strategic partnership with TiiCKER to connect directly with its consumer shareholders. TiiCKER provides access to shareholder perks, commission-free trading, and shareholder stores. "As CarLotz has grown, so has our fan base and the number of retail investors who are equally excited about our one-of-a-kind consignment model," said Michael Bor, Co-Founder and CEO of CarLotz. "We want to connect with these investors in a meaningful way. Our program will reward our LOTZ owners for their loyalty by giving them access to the LOTZ Shareholder Store and retail investor site that includes a range of perks from branded merchandise to consignment discounts." CarLotz stock perks are now available for shareholders on TiiCKER and include an exclusive discount and LOTZ-branded items for verified shareholders.

08:36 EDT Barfresh says well positioned to support Calif. rollout of free school meals - Riccardo Delle Coste, CEO of Barfresh commented, "The passing of a universal school meal program is a huge win for the students of California and we believe California is the first of many states in the nation to adopt free school meals for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. As an example, this past week Maine has also now joined California in offering free lunches for all students. Our Company is uniquely equipped to provide schools with a full suite of healthy, nutritious and delicious beverage offerings that are compliant with USDA Reimbursable Meal Programs. We have an established presence in the California education system and are very well positioned across the nation to help support school administrators in the upcoming 2021-2022 school year and beyond as they now work to ensure all children are provided a healthy breakfast and lunch each day."

08:36 EDT Taseko Mines reports production at Gibraltar Mine, Florence Project update - Taseko Mines announces that the Gibraltar Mine produced 27M pounds of copper and 400,000 pounds of molybdenum in the second quarter of 2021. In June, mining operations transitioned into higher-grade benches in the Pollyanna Pit which resulted in a 20% increase in copper production over the first quarter, in line with management expectations. Stuart McDonald, President and CEO of Taseko, commented, "We continue to expect strong copper production in the second half of the year, which in the current price environment will lead to robust cashflows. Copper prices remained strong over the second quarter, and the average LME price of $4.40 per pound is the highest ever for a quarterly period. We took advantage of the strong market conditions to extend our price protection program through the acquisition of copper collars. These contracts secure a minimum copper price of $4.00 per pound and a ceiling price of $5.60 per pound for 42 million pounds of copper over the first half of 2022. This supplements the existing put option protection that we have in place for the second half of 2021 and ensures that Gibraltar will be generating strong cashflows during construction of the Florence Copper commercial facility."

08:34 EDT Aeglea BioTherapeutics appoints Alspaugh as Chief Financial Officer - Aeglea BioTherapeutics (AGLE) announced the appointment of Jonathan Alspaugh as Chief Financial Officer. Alspaugh has over a decade of experience advising healthcare companies on strategic and financial matters. He joins Aeglea from Evercore (EVR) where he most recently served as a managing director in the firm's corporate advisory business.

08:26 EDT MindMed announce partnership with Datavant, to use privacy-protecting technology - MindMed and Datavant announced a partnership through which MindMed will use Datavant's privacy-protecting technology to link MindMed's clinical trial data to external data from both clinical and real-world sources. MindMed plans to use Datavant's linking technology across various stages of the drug lifecycle including discovery, clinical development, and commercialization. "While MindMed pursues its mission of radically transforming the paradigm of care for treating psychiatric and substance use disorders, the goal of this initiative is to accelerate efforts to build better psychedelic-inspired medicines and adjacent therapeutic technology", said Robert Barrow, Chief Executive Officer of MindMed. Daniel Karlin, MD, MA and Chief Medical Officer of MindMed, added, "In order to build a deeper understanding of the illnesses we seek to treat, we need to better integrate data on the efficacy and efficiency of existing care models as well as patient and provider-related outcomes... Truly understanding the patient journey by knowing about all relevant encounters and events that lie outside of the limited window of clinical trials will enable us to better develop and deploy therapeutics that offer new hope for people who are suffering."

08:23 EDT Hill to provide project management oversight to Anantara Resort Hotel - Hill International announced it has been awarded a contract by RAK Properties PJSC to provide project management services for the 5-star Anantara Resort Hotel at Mina Al Arab in the Ras Al Khaimah Emirate. The project is tailored to guests desiring overwater luxury in an eco-sanctuary setting and is scheduled for completion in late 2022.

08:19 EDT Genius Sports expands relationship with DIMAYOR - Genius Sports has expanded upon its current relationship with DIMAYOR, the governing body of the premier competitions in Colombian soccer. The new contract grants Genius Sports the exclusive rights to capture and distribute official DIMAYOR data and live video streams for regulated sports betting. This will include all Liga BetPlay, Torneo BetPlay, Copa BetPlay and Superliga BetPlay games. Through the new agreement, Genius Sports' network of over 150 regulated sportsbook partners will gain unprecedented access to more official premium data and streaming content from across Latin America. To maintain the transparency and fairness of Colombian soccer, Genius Sports will continue to provide its bet monitoring system. By analyzing global betting activity on DIMAYOR's events, using predictive algorithms, Genius Sports' technology helps to automatically flag any potentially suspicious betting activity.

08:18 EDT Ensysce Biosciences awarded year three of opioid product development grant - Ensysce Biosciences announced receipt of the 3rd year award of a multi-year grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA. This award will provide $2.8M to initiate a Phase 1 study of the first MPAR overdose protection product in the U.S.. This brings the total support of NIDA to $8.0M. An additional $2.8M award for year four is pending. PF614-MPAR is designed as an extended-release oxycodone prodrug with both trypsin-activated abuse protection and overdose protection through multi-pill abuse resistance technology. TAAP chemical modification inactivates the active ingredient in PF614 to provide abuse deterrence, and the combination with the trypsin inhibitor, nafamostat, in MPAR provides the additional layer of overdose protection. The MPAR overdose protection has been demonstrated in animals and the Phase 1 study with PF614 is being conducted to further validate the MPAR overdose protection technology.

08:16 EDT Tetra Trust closes financings led by consortium of strategic investors - Tetra Trust Company is pleased to announce that it has launched as Canada's first qualified custodian for cryptocurrency assets. Tetra Trust received its Certificate of Registration from the Government of Alberta on July 5, 2021 and qualified to act as a custodian under National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions, and Ongoing Registrant Obligations and National Instrument 81-102 Investment Funds. Tetra Trust's core business is the custody and storage of cryptocurrency assets including bitcoin, ether and a variety of other digital assets and tokenized securities. Prior to Tetra's launch, the Canadian market for cryptocurrency custody was limited to U.S. providers and unregulated Canadian custodians. Tetra Trust also announces the closing of multiple financing rounds that includes Coinsquare, Canada's premier crypto exchange digital asset trading platform; Coinbase Ventures, an investment arm of Coinbase (COIN); the Canadian Securities Exchange; Mogo Inc. (MOGO), Urbana Corporation; Caldwell Growth Opportunities Fund and others.

08:14 EDT IBM, Atos to collaborate to build secured infrastructure for Dutch MoD - Atos (AEXAY) and IBM (IBM) announced their plans to collaborate to build a new digital infrastructure for the Dutch Ministry of Defense, or MoD. The Dutch Ministry of Defense plans to use advanced technologies, infrastructure services, and expertise from Atos and IBM Global Technology Services to construct new data centers, safeguard its IT system, and build a proprietary broadband mobile network to help ensure classified government information remains protected.

08:13 EDT Kansas City Southern sets special meeting date for vote on CN combination - CN (CNI) and Kansas City Southern (KSU) announced that KCS has scheduled a virtual Special Meeting of Stockholders to vote on the proposed combination with CN on August 19, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time. All stockholders of record of KCS common stock and KCS 4% non-cumulative preferred stock as of the close of business on July 1, 2021 will be entitled to vote their shares at the Special Meeting. As previously announced on May 21, 2021, under the terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each company, KCS stockholders will receive $200 in cash and 1.129 shares of CN common stock for each KCS common share, with KCS stockholders expected to own approximately 12.65% of the combined company. KCS' preferred stockholders will receive $37.50 in cash for each preferred share. Additional information regarding the combination can be found in the definitive proxy statement that has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

08:11 EDT Apollo Global completes $1B in aircraft origination volume in Q2 - Apollo Global announced that entities, clients and funds managed by its affiliates completed approximately $1B in aircraft-related origination volume during Q2, the most active quarter on record since Apollo began programmatically investing in aircraft assets nearly a decade ago. During the quarter, Apollo completed fundraising for its inaugural dedicated aviation finance offering, Navigator Aviation Fund I. Navigator provides exposure to directly sourced private deals across diverse opportunity set of aircraft types, vintages, airlines and jurisdictions. Since inception, Navigator has committed to 33 aircraft across 15 different operators. Also closed in the quarter was issuance of $540M of secured notes by MAPS 2021-1 Trust, an aircraft asset-backed securitization, serviced by Merx, financing a portfolio of 20 Airbus and Boeing aircraft valued at approximately $620M.

08:09 EDT Enveric approved by Israel Ministry to Health to begin Phase 1/2 trial of EV101 - Enveric Biosciences announced that the company has received approval from the Israeli Ministry of Health to begin the Phase 1/2 portion of its study of its lead asset, EV101, designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of synthetic cannabidiol when administered alone or in combination with clomiphene, concurrently with temozolomide, to treat patients suffering from recurrent or progressive glioblastoma. The Phase 1 portion of the study is intended to first determine the CBD-temozolomide combination's maximum tolerated dose. Clomiphene will then be added to the regimen for up to 24 patients to rule out toxicity. Once all three agents' MTDs are determined, they will then be applied to the Phase 2 portion to determine initial efficacy, where an additional 40 patients are expected to be recruited and randomized into two open-label treatment arms. "We believe that the Israeli Ministry of Health's approval for this Phase 1/2 study is a major milestone not only for Enveric but also for glioblastoma patients globally who are seeking to prolong their survival and improve their quality of life," added David Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Enveric Biosciences. "Our goal is to further demonstrate CBD's efficacy when combined with current anti-cancer drugs to optimize the existing standard-of-care for cancer patients in need. We are targeting the fourth quarter of 2021 for the enrollment of our first patient, following the conclusion of the final study agreements with the site." This product is not approved for marketing anywhere in the world.

08:08 EDT ICE says 'record' 20,124 Murban crude oil futures contracts traded July 6 - Intercontinental Exchange announced that a record 20,124 ICE Murban Crude Oil Futures traded on ICE Futures Abu Dhabi on July 6, marking its highest volume day since the contracts launched on March 29. Alongside ICE Murban Crude Oil Futures, IFAD launched trading in 18 Murban-related cash settled derivatives and inter-commodity spreads, offering the market the broadest range of ways to trade and hedge Murban crude oil. A total of 503,567 contracts have traded on IFAD since launch, equivalent to 0.5 billion barrels of Murban Crude oil. This includes 495,782 ICE Murban Crude Oil futures contracts and 7,785 Murban-related cash settled derivatives, with 63 firms having traded on IFAD. Open interest on IFAD is 51,068 contracts. Average daily volume in ICE Murban Crude Oil futures since launch is 6,886 contracts.

08:07 EDT Quipt Home Medical announces proceeds from exercise of warrants - Quipt Home Medical is pleased to announce that as a result of the exercise of common share purchase warrants at CAD$6.40 per share, originally issued by the Company in June 2020 pursuant to its previously announced bought deal prospectus offering and concurrent private placement, the Company has issued an aggregate of 3,389,825 common shares in consideration for $17.5 million. All common shares, other than 969,000, have been issued since April 1, 2021. Accordingly, the Company now has 33,102,529 common shares issued and outstanding.

08:05 EDT Certara announces update of BaseCase software - Certara announced the release of BaseCase software version 2021.06, which updates the value communication software platform to include new capabilities that can provide biopharmaceutical and medical device companies greater commercial success for new therapies and products. The BaseCase software provides commercial, market access, and medical affairs teams a comprehensive, end-to-end environment to build state-of-the-art, interactive, data-driven mobile applications using multiple data sources, such as real-world data and evidence. The BaseCase software enhances communications to demonstrate the value of therapies with payers, providers, and healthcare professionals. Currently, the platform is used in more than 60 countries by more than 30,000 users, including seven of the top 10 global biopharmaceutical companies and seven of the top 10 global medical device companies.New capabilities of Certara's BaseCase software include:Data Connect for connection to any data source and real-time updates; Map Control for interactive maps, such as heat maps and maps of the human body; Portal to easily develop and deploy mobile communication tools that demonstrate the value of a medical product.

08:05 EDT Papa John's to invest $2.5M in 2021 employee bonuses - Papa John's announced new hiring, referral and appreciation bonuses for its approximately 14,000 front-line team members in the company's corporate restaurants and supply chain. Papa John's also plans to make additional investments in its full-time staff in its higher volume company-owned stores to support continued growth. The company expects to invest approximately $2.5M in these initiatives during the remainder of 2021. Papa John's new bonus programs offer $50 referral bonuses for corporate team members for every new hire they bring in, with an additional $50 bonus paid to the new team member. Existing corporate team members are also eligible for up $400 in appreciation bonuses to be paid in increments throughout the remainder of the year.

08:04 EDT Aspira Women's Health's ovarian cancer test included in AIM Clinical Guidelines - Aspira Women's Health's OVA1 risk assessment test for ovarian cancer in women with pelvic masses is considered medically necessary according to AIM Specialty Health's Clinical Appropriateness Guidelines. AIM Specialty Health is a member of the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield family of companies and serves as a specialty benefits management company with many health care organizations. AIM's mission is to promote appropriate, safe, and affordable health care. The OVA1 test is now included in AIM's guidelines for the preoperative evaluation of an adnexal mass when it is indeterminate based on clinical and complete pelvic ultrasound evaluation.

08:03 EDT Cisco completes acquisition of Socio Labs - Cisco announced the completion of the acquisition of Socio Labs. By adding Socio Labs to its Webex portfolio, Cisco will provide event organizers a single platform with what they need to host nearly any type of event. "Being able to offer novel, refreshing and inclusive experiences for all attendees - whether in person or virtual - is paramount in today's new era of hybrid events," said Jeetu Patel, executive vice president and general manager, Cisco Security and Collaboration. "The acquisition of Socio Labs is another example of how Cisco is rapidly addressing the evolving needs of our Webex customers and continuing to execute on our vision of providing the most seamless, inclusive, engaging and intelligent platform for meetings and events."

07:55 EDT Jacobs to design plant upgrade for TasWater's WTP project in Australia - Jacobs will deliver design services for TasWater's Bryn Estyn Water Treatment Plant, WTP, Upgrade project in Hobart, Australia, which is the primary supplier of drinking water for the city and surrounding areas. The upgrade will establish a new and multi-barrier approach to ensure safe drinking water supply, increase capacity to 160 mega liters per day to meet anticipated future demand, and improve resilience in supply for the people of Hobart. TasWater is the water and sewage utility provider for the state of Tasmania and estimates the upgrade cost at more than $155M. Jacobs will deliver concept/functional design for estimating purposes, detailed design and construction and commissioning support services for the project. Jacobs' local Hobart presence, along with its global team of water specialists with experience delivering similar projects across Australia and around the world, was key to securing the appointment.

07:37 EDT Topps appoints Meltem Demirors to board of directors - The Topps Company (TOPP) announced that Meltem Demirors will join the Company's Board of Directors, following the completion of its business combination with Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation II (MUDS). This appointment was included in the updated Preliminary Proxy Statement filed by Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corp II with the SEC on July 6, 2021. Demirors is Chief Strategy Officer of CoinShares, a multi-billion-dollar global digital asset investment firm that provides access and guidance to clients navigating the digital asset ecosystem, where she oversees the firm's corporate strategy, investments, and growth efforts.

07:35 EDT Healthcare Capital, Alpha Tau to combine, create publicly traded company - Alpha Tau Medical and Healthcare Capital, a special purpose acquisition company, announced they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement. Upon closing of the Business Combination, Alpha Tau is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq. A group of Healthcare-focused financial and strategic investors have committed to participate in the transaction through a fully committed ordinary share PIPE of approximately $92M at $10.00 per share. Investors in the PIPE include Yozma Investment Co. and Grand Decade Developments as well as other leading technology investors. Medison Group is also an investor in the PIPE. "Following the recent enrollment of the first patient in our flagship US feasibility study and receipt of FDA Breakthrough Device Designation, this transaction represents another significant milestone on Alpha Tau's journey to transform the treatment of solid tumors through the precision delivery of alpha radiation," said Uzi Sofer, CEO and Chairman of Alpha Tau. "The completion of this transaction will allow the company to realize its vision and implement the clinical development plans and construction of our manufacturing plants around the world, in order to bring hope to millions of patients around the world." Proceeds of the business combination and the PIPE will be primarily used to: advance ongoing, and launch, new clinical trials; continue existing, and initiate additional, clinical and research collaborations; develop and expand global manufacturing capacity; develop KOL centers of excellence; and prepare for commercialization efforts. The Business Combination values Alpha Tau at an implied pre-money equity value of $600M, and is expected to add approximately $337M of cash to its balance sheet upon closing, inclusive of $275M in HCC's trust and $92M in PIPE proceeds, net of transaction expenses. All existing Alpha Tau shareholders will retain 100% of their current equity holdings and are expected to hold approximately 59% of the pro forma company immediately following the closing. Following the closing of the business combination, Alpha Tau is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq. The Business Combination was unanimously approved by each of Alpha Tau's and HCC's Boards of Directors, and HCC Chairman Dr. David M. Milch is expected to join the Board of Directors after closing. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2021, and is subject to obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, the fulfillment of customary closing conditions, as well as the approval of both Alpha Tau's and HCC's shareholders.

07:33 EDT Ayr Wellness opens Liberty Health Sciences Key West - Ayr Wellness announced the opening of Liberty Health Sciences Key West, the Company's 37th open dispensary in Florida. The dispensary is located at 826 Duval Street, Key West, Florida, 33040. The 1,500 sq. ft. location sits on the main strip of Downtown Key West, with a diverse selection of restaurants, shops and attractions nearby. The dispensary features a selection of flower products, in addition to the company's newly launched Origyn concentrates and Big Pete's Cookies.

07:31 EDT BridgeBio announces collaborations with three academic research institutions - BridgeBio Pharma announced three new academic collaborations with MUSC Foundation for Research Development, Stanford University, and the University of Pittsburgh to translate cutting-edge discoveries into potential therapies for patients with genetic diseases and genetically driven cancers. "The chance to partner with exceptional researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina, Stanford University and University of Pittsburgh is a privilege, and we believe will help us advance our mission to discover, create, test and deliver life-changing medicines for patients in need as rapidly as possible," said BridgeBio founder and CEO Neil Kumar, Ph.D.

07:25 EDT Budderfly signs nationwide agreement with Lennox for HVAC equipment - Budderfly announced the company has partnered with Lennox International. The nationwide agreement allows Budderfly to scale its no upfront cost HVAC replacement program with the addition of Lennox Model L as well as expert service and maintenance on Lennox and other HVAC brands. "The Lennox partnership is part of Budderfly's multi-component energy optimization program created in part to service national accounts in industries such as assisted living facilities, community centers, offices, quick service restaurants, retail locations, universities, and other vertical markets with multiple locations. Under the agreement, these types of companies eligible for HVAC upgrades will receive-at no upfront cost-new HVAC units and a dedicated Lennox support team for each of their locations," the company said.

07:23 EDT Zip Co. to take ownership of two BNPL companies in Europe, Middle East for $160M - Zip Co announced it will invest more than $160M to take full ownership of two BNPL companies which it previously owned minority stakes in. As the company expands its global presence in the BNPL sector, Zip will pay $140M for the remaining shares in European operator, Twisto Payments. In addition, Zip is paying $21M to buy out Middle Eastern operator, Spotti. Zip says the move is intended to establish a presence for the company in the large European market and emerging Middle Eastern Market. According to Zip, it is yet to be determined whether it pays for the outstanding stake in each company in the form of shares, cash or a combination. Acquisition of Twisto is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of the year, while the takeover of Spotti will occur in the third quarter.

07:21 EDT Surface Oncology appoints Denice Torres to Board - Surface Oncology announced that Denice Torres will join the company's board of directors. At Johnson & Johnson, Ms. Torres held several executive leadership positions, including president of McNeil Consumer Healthcare and president of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, CNS. Before joining Johnson & Johnson, she had a 14-year career at Eli Lilly where she led a number of US and global businesses. Torres is currently a director of bluebird bio (BLUE), Karuna Therapeutics, Glaukos and Resilience.

07:20 EDT Ascot Resources announces high-grade mineralization at Premier Gold Project - Ascot Resources is pleased to announce the discovery of new high-grade copper, gold, and silver mineralization at the Company's Premier Gold Project. These are the first drill results from this year's 25,000m exploration program, which is aimed at testing new, high-priority targets as well as following up on last year's drilling successes. Initial drilling has intercepted a shallow zone of gold-silver mineralization and a deeper zone of high-grade copper-silver mineralization. Highlights from the drill results include: 6.57 g/t Au and 14.3 g/t Ag over 1.20m in hole P21-2304; 0.81 g/t Au and 407.0 g/t Ag over 1.25m in hole P21-2302; 0.70 g/t Au and 373.0 g/t Ag over 2.00m in hole P21-2303, including 0.90 g/t Au and 596.0 g/t Ag over 1.00m; 0.10 g/t Au and 311.0 g/t Ag over 1.00m in hole P21-2306; 0.17 g/t Au, 137.8 g/t Ag, 3.62% Cu, 0.65% Zn over 4.00m in hole P21-2305, including 0.26 g/t Au, 191.0 g/t Ag, 5.78% Cu, 1.30% Zn over 1.75m; 0.16 g/t Au, 137.0 g/t Ag, 1.98% Cu, 0.22% Zn over 1.45m in hole P21-2306. Derek White, President and CEO of Ascot commented, "We are excited about these new exploration discoveries at PGP. We are particularly encouraged that our geophysical targeting methods are proving successful in identifying new mineralized zones. While base metals including copper and zinc have not been the focus for Ascot, we are intrigued to have drilled new high-grade sulfide mineralization at depth and welcome the optionality of further similar discoveries. Production at the Premier mine dates back as far as 1918 and gold and silver were historically produced alongside copper and other base metals, so the discovery thereof is not altogether surprising. We are eager to proceed with follow-up drilling this year to test the extents and continuity of this mineralization, among other high-priority targets."

07:19 EDT BNY Mellon to acquire Milestone, terms not disclosed - The Bank of New York Mellon announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Milestone. Terms of the acquisition were not publicly disclosed. Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to occur in the second half of 2021. "This transaction with Milestone is the latest demonstration of BNY Mellon's commitment to support clients across the investment lifecycle and provide clients with open and flexible digital solutions that enable them to optimize, scale and grow their businesses," said Roman Regelman, BNY Mellon's CEO of Asset Servicing and Head of Digital. "We gain both industry-leading technology as well as the expertise that Milestone is known for globally. This is a significant step in our continuous evolution - blending leading edge technologies and services to deliver greater efficiency and value for our clients." Milestone's pControl platform is widely recognized as an industry leader in fund and investment automation. By acquiring Milestone, BNY Mellon will advance the digitization and automation of core accounting and asset services, delivering increased accuracy and timeliness. It also will expand BNY Mellon's digital offerings and core capabilities - adding OCIO services, cash allocation and fair value control solutions to the existing suite of NAV solutions.

07:17 EDT Yext aids Fazioli's online presence with AI-powered site - Yext and Fazoli's announced their joint work to advance Fazoli's digital transformation with AI search. "Fazoli's recently decided to launch Yext's AI-powered site search to make it easier for customers to get accurate answers to questions about its menu, locations, online ordering, and more on its website. Powered by multiple advanced natural language processing algorithms, Yext's site search can understand complex questions and return results in dynamic forms, like maps and call-to-action buttons," the company said. According to the company, since launching Yext's site search on its website in the spring of 2020, Fazoli's has seen a 21% reduction in bounce rate on the restaurant's website compared to the same period of the prior year. 88% of searches have returned direct results from Fazoli's knowledge graph, which has improved user experience and streamlined the online path to conversion. Fazoli's has seen 3.6x growth in online sales since starting work with Yext, the company added. "It's been incredible to witness the digital transformation of Fazoli's as a Yext champion over the past few years," said David Rudnitsky, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Yext. "With each solution of the Yext platform that Fazoli's has tapped into, the restaurant chain has been able to supercharge its customer search experience in new and powerful ways - from optimized listings to reviews to an on-site search experience - and see a significant lift in revenue and traffic as a result. It's a shining example to all restaurants who want to succeed in this digital-first world."

07:16 EDT Laredo Petroleum sees FY21 total production 77-80 MBOE per day - Sees oil production 30.5-31.5 MBOPD. Sees incurred capital expenditures $420M.

07:14 EDT Trevena enrolls first patient in Olinvyk Phase 3 trial in China - Trevena's partner in China has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 3 trial for Olinvyk injection, a novel IV analgesic approved in the U.S. by the FDA for acute pain severe enough to require an intravenous opioid analgesic and for whom alternative treatments are inadequate. This study will enroll approximately 160 patients following abdominal surgery. The study includes an Olinvyk arm and an IV morphine positive control arm. The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of responders to study medication based on their pain numeric rating scale at the end of the randomized 24-hour treatment period. Safety and tolerability will be assessed by respiratory depression adverse events, sedation AEs, the use of rescue antiemetics, clinician- and patient-reported satisfaction, and other measures. The study was developed based on feedback from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration. Following study completion, Nhwa expects to have sufficient clinical data, accompanied by Trevena's existing clinical data, to submit Olinvyk for regulatory approval in China.

07:13 EDT Trinity Industries enrolls first patient in Olinvyk Phase 3 trial in China - Trevena's partner in China has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 3 trial for Olinvyk injection, a novel IV analgesic approved in the U.S. by the FDA for acute pain severe enough to require an intravenous opioid analgesic and for whom alternative treatments are inadequate. This study will enroll approximately 160 patients following abdominal surgery. The study includes an Olinvyk arm and an IV morphine positive control arm. The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of responders to study medication based on their pain numeric rating scale at the end of the randomized 24-hour treatment period. Safety and tolerability will be assessed by respiratory depression adverse events, sedation AEs, the use of rescue antiemetics, clinician- and patient-reported satisfaction, and other measures. The study was developed based on feedback from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration. Following study completion, Nhwa expects to have sufficient clinical data, accompanied by Trevena's existing clinical data, to submit Olinvyk for regulatory approval in China.

07:10 EDT Descartes Systems acquires mobile route solution provider GreenMile - Descartes Systems has acquired GreenMile, a provider of cloud-based mobile route execution solutions for food, beverage, and broader distribution verticals. GreenMile is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Descartes acquired GreenMile for up-front cash consideration of $30M, plus potential performance-based consideration. The maximum amount payable under the all-cash performance-based earn-out is $10.0M, based on GreenMile achieving revenue-based targets over the first two years post-acquisition.

07:10 EDT Gryphon Digital mining announces purchase of 7,200 S19J Antminers - Gryphon Digital Mining, which recently entered into a merger agreement with Sphere 3D, announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase 7,200 Antminer S19J Pro mining machines from Bitmain Technologies Limited for an aggregate purchase price of $48M. The agreement relating to the purchase of the S19J Pro miners represents a step forward in Gryphon Digital Mining's strategic initiative to increase its Bitcoin hash rate, while simultaneously maintaining a zero carbon footprint. The S19J Pro is the latest model from Bitmain that is scheduled for release this summer. Bitmain is scheduled to deliver 600 miners on a monthly basis to Gryphon, with the first delivery starting next month in August 2021. The entry into this purchase agreement will provide Gryphon with a significant total hash rate, and the company's fleet of high-efficiency miners will be a part of the only cryptocurrency mining operating with a 100% renewable energy supply. Gryphon has partnered with a digital currency data center to access electricity costs as low as $0.013/kWh, with access to liquid immersion technology shown to extend the life of mining machines by at least 20 percent.

07:08 EDT View Inc. acquires IoT network provider IoTium - View, Inc. has acquired IoTium, a provider of cloud-managed, software-defined IoT networks. IoTium's solutions aim to help building owners to achieve enterprise-grade security, reduce operating costs, and gain real-time visibility into their entire real estate portfolios. IoTium's edge-cloud solution works with both new and existing operations technology networks.

07:07 EDT Applied Genetic to host R&D Day on July 22 - Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation announced that it will host a virtual R&D Day from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET on Thursday, July 22, 2021. AGTC's R&D Day will include a review of 12-month data from the highest dose groups in the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trials in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, which the Company announced in May, and expanded analysis of the recently reported data from the Company's ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial in achromatopsia. The event also will include a discussion on light sensitivity and achromatopsia genetics, and an overview of the Company's manufacturing capabilities, including the 21,000 square foot current Good Manufacturing Practices manufacturing and quality control facility being built in Florida.

07:06 EDT KKR to acquire home service firm Neighborly from Harvest Partners, no terms - KKR announced that it has agreed to acquire Neighborly, from Harvest Partners. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1981, Neighborly is a leading home services platform that connects more than 10M residential and commercial customers with a community of professional services focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing consumers' homes and properties. Through a portfolio of 28 brands, the Company offers a wide array of services including plumbing, pest control, restoration, electrical, cleaning, HVAC, home inspection and many more. The transaction is expected to close in Q3, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

07:05 EDT XPO Logistics introduces roster of new benefits for driver trainees - XPO Logistics has unveiled a roster of new benefits for participants in its driver training programs, effective immediately. XPO has been providing professional driver training nationally for more than 35 years. The company's recent enhancements to student compensation and training options are designed to provide industry-best career paths, with access to schools in approximately 30 states and the flexibility to arrange local attendance. XPO driver trainees realize substantial value, including: Comprehensive training in just seven weeks: five weeks of professional classroom instruction and two weeks of on-the-job experience with a mentor in the cab; Free tuition and a guaranteed wage paid for all 180 hours of classroom instruction and on-the-job training - a $10,000 value - plus the opportunity for paid dock work during the course of the program; A generous benefits package from day one of training, including full health insurance, 401(k), life insurance, disability and more; An XPO job offer for students who successfully complete the program requirements; An accelerated compensation path for driver graduates in 85 US markets, ensuring a top pay rate after just one year of CDL-A experience. XPO trains over 700 student drivers on average each year, and expects to grow the number of graduates in 2021. The company is currently hiring to fill open positions for over 2,000 LTL drivers and dockworkers for its national service center network. Job opportunities and driver school openings can be found online at the XPO's Careers Site.

07:02 EDT Mesa Air reports 30,015 block hours in June - Mesa Air Group reported Mesa Airlines' operating performance for June 2021. Mesa Airlines reported 30,015 block hours in June 2021, a 224.6 percent increase from June 2020 as a result of increased flying due to industry recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company also reported a controllable completion factor of 98.58 percent and 99.97 percent for its American and United operations, respectively.

06:56 EDT Ryder appoints Rob Pluta as CPTO for Fleet Management Solutions - Ryder System announces the appointment of Rob Pluta to vice president and chief technology product officer for Ryder's Fleet Management Solutions business unit. Mr. Pluta is responsible for leading the development and execution of Ryder customer-facing, new technology and innovation products for Ryder Fleet Management Solutions, the company's largest business segment, which provides full-service leasing, used commercial vehicle sales, commercial rental of trucks, tractors, and trailers, as well as contract maintenance to customers of all sizes through Ryder's nearly 800 service locations. Pluta succeeds Rich Mohr, who left the company to pursue other opportunities earlier in 2021.

06:54 EDT The Buckle reports June net sales up 17.8% to $111.7M - The Buckle announced that total net sales for the 5-week fiscal month ended July 3, 2021 increased 17.8 percent to $111.7 million from net sales of $94.8 million for the prior year 5-week fiscal month ended July 4, 2020. Compared to the same 5-week period in fiscal 2019, net sales increased 49.3 percent from net sales of $74.8 million for the 5-week fiscal month ended July 6, 2019. Net sales for the 22-week fiscal period ended July 3, 2021 increased 91.5 percent to $500.6 million from net sales of $261.4 million for the prior year 22-week fiscal period ended July 4, 2020. Compared to the same 22-week period in fiscal 2019, net sales increased 48.3 percent from net sales of $337.6 million for the 22-week fiscal period ended July 6, 2019. Net sales for fiscal 2020 were significantly impacted by the Company's closure of all brick and mortar stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning March 18, 2020. As a result of the impact of the store closures on prior year reported net sales, the Company will report total net sales each month compared to the past two years and does not plan to separately report comparable store sales for the months most affected by the store closures. The Company plans to resume its regular monthly reporting with its August results.

06:52 EDT Genesco comments on Glass Lewis recommendation - Genesco issued the following statement in response to the Glass Lewis report regarding the election of directors to Genesco's board of directors at the company's 2021 annual meeting: "The Glass Lewis recommendation unfortunately ignores the series of decisive changes Genesco's Board has initiated and implemented across the Company to sharpen our focus on our industry-leading footwear platform and the positive results these changes are producing for shareholders," said Mimi Vaughn, Board Chair, President and CEO of Genesco. "Genesco's nine director nominees collectively bring a wealth of leadership experience, financial, strategic and retail expertise, and strong track records of building enduring brands and creating sustainable value for shareholders."

06:47 EDT Sonoco Products commits to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 - Sonoco announced new commitments to advance its environmental progress by setting ambitious goals to reduce its global greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement - to limit global temperatures to warming to well-below 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. These emission reduction targets have recently been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. Sonoco has committed to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2030 from a 2020 base year. The Company has also committed to reduce absolute scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 13.5 percent from a 2019 base year by working with its customer and suppliers to develop innovative packaging solutions that reduce packaging waste and improve recyclability. In addition, the Company is actively studying necessary operational changes, technology developments and market changes that would be required to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050.

06:43 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 535K shares of Fate Therapeutics yesterday

06:39 EDT Verge Genomics, Eli Lilly enter three-year collaboration for ALS treatments - Verge Genomics announced a three-year collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company to research and develop novel therapies for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a devastating motor neuron disease. Under the terms of the three-year agreement, Verge will receive up to $25 million in upfront, equity investment and potential near-term payments, with additional milestone value of $694 million and potential downstream royalties. In this collaboration, Verge will apply its all-in-human platform to discover and validate new targets for ALS. The all-in-human platform is based on a proprietary collection of patient brain transcriptomes across a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Through its application, the all-in-human platform provides insights into novel causal disease mechanisms in genetically segmented patient populations, and enables the discovery of therapeutic targets. Based on these insights, Verge will apply its human-based discovery capabilities to validate targets. Lilly will select up to four targets identified by Verge with plans to advance through clinical development and commercialization.

06:37 EDT XFuels says Phase 1 of corporate plan completed - Xfuels is pleased to report the following Shareholder update. "On June 25th, 2021, the company upgraded its status to Pink Current on OTC Markets by filing its outstanding disclosures, Phase 1 of our corporate plan is now completed. The company has started Phase 2 of our corporate plan which will include audited financials and applying for OTCQB status under OTC Markets Alternative Reporting Standard. Xfuels is targeting mid to end of August 2021 to complete Phase 2 of our corporate plan. Phase 3 of the corporate plan will be to bring all filings current with the SEC and rescind our Form 15 and continue on as a reporting issuer. Since the company needs to produce all the filings from Year End 2016 to present including all K's and Q's, we expect Phase 3 to be completed on or before end of October 2021, depending on the level of work required. At that time Xfuels will be able to apply to remove the restriction on its common stock in Alberta. Xfuels also intends to cross list our common shares in Canada on a recognized exchange. The company is presently working with consultants to determine which exchange will be best fit for our company. The past few months have been very productive for Xfuels and its subsidiaries, Cycle Energy Services has completed several workovers in the Redwater Field including one well that produced 97 Barrels per day in flush production and lasted for several weeks before settling in at an average of 50 barrels per day. Cycle Oil & Gas continues to enhance the wells acquired from Energy Express Canada Corp to Cycle Energy corporate standards like upgraded containment and replacement of outdated tanks and other field equipment. Having Indigenous leadership in Cycle Oil & Gas the company takes its ESG obligations very seriously. Cycle Oil & Gas has always focused on environmental and good neighbor stewardship as the keystone in the foundation of our company. Cycle Energy Services will complete two more workovers and one abandonment before heading into the field to continue on our SRP grants and completing those over the summer months. As of now Cycle Oil & Gas has met and exceeded its yearly Asset Retirement Obligation and moving into fall months will have Cycle Energy Services complete the rest of the workovers in our Norris and Foley field for strong production going into the winter months. The company has also implemented a chemical program for wax reduction that will help keep fluid flowing over the winter. On April 22nd, 2021, Xfuels announced it has entered into a purchase agreement for an incinerator plant, support equipment and associated vacant 3.78 acres in Bieseker, Alberta. To date we are working to close the purchase and intend to have the paperwork in order shortly. In the meantime, the Vendor and Xfuels are cooperating to move the project forward regardless of the timing of the closing. Xfuels has begun to move in and occupy the building and offices and the retrofit on the small incinerator has begun. The company is converting the standard burners to our proprietary non-thermal plasma torches and the currently is entertaining quotes on 1MW biogas/syngas generator packages. Contractors have been called in to provided quotes and proposals to retrofit the large incinerator into a gasifier using Cycle's propriety non-thermal plasma torch and associated proprietary technologies. The plant currently has a switchgear capacity of 6MW which the company will fill that capacity in 1MW stages. Xfuels has also been negotiating with local providers of Bitcoin units for our stranded gas assets in Cycle Oil and Gas as well as the Bieseker plant. The company intends to have our first unit implemented over the summer months as per our previous schedule. Xfuels has now turned its attention to acquire Oil & Gas properties in the United States. The company is presently looking at several potential acquisitions in both Texas and Oklahoma. The company is working towards completing one or more of potential acquisitions by the fourth quarter 2021 and will schedule Cycle Energy Services workover rigs over the winter months to bring on shut-in production. The work will include workovers, service, up hole opportunities as well as drilling opportunities."

06:12 EDT Kirkland Lake Gold reports high-grade intersections at Detour Lake - Kirkland Lake Gold announced results from 43 holes drilled along the Detour Mine Trend at the Detour Lake property. The new holes are the sixth batch of results from the recently announced 270,000 m exploration program, which the Company is targeting for completion by the end of 2021. The program is being completed to collect information for an updated, and potentially expanded, Mineral Reserve estimate and to support the completion of a new production plan, expected to be released in the first half of 2022. Most of the new holes announced today are from drilling in the Saddle Zone, located between the existing Main Pit and planned West Pit locations, which has been underexplored with no Mineral Reserves and only limited Mineral Resources. Several new holes are also being announced from the area west of the West Pit Mineral Reserves, which also contains limited past drilling. Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Kirkland Lake Gold, commented: "The new drill results announced today continue to support our view that a much larger deposit exists along the Detour Mine Trend than is currently included in Detour Lake Mine's existing Mineral Reserves. The results include a significant number of new intersections with attractive grades and widths that provide additional very compelling evidence of a broad and continuous corridor of mineralization that extends from the Main Pit through the Saddle Zone to the planned West Pit location to a depth of at least 800 m below surface. We also continue to expand the mineralized corridor west of the planned West Pit, where mineralization has been intersected over 400 m further west of existing Mineral Reserves, and to identify broad zones of higher-grade mineralization extending below the Main Pit and West Pit location pit shells that highlight the potential to add new open-pit, and potentially underground, Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources at depth. Our 270,000 m drilling program at Detour Lake is continuing with 12 surface drills in operation, with the program advancing on track for completion by the end of the year. The very encouraging exploration results we are consistently achieving at Detour Lake will be factored into a new life-of-mine plan and technical report, expected to be released in the first half of 2022, which we believe will include significant new value creation opportunities and will make further progress towards establishing Detour Lake as one of the world's largest and most profitable gold mines."

06:10 EDT Torex Gold Resources reaffirms FY gold production 430,000-470,000 ounces

06:09 EDT Torex Gold Resources reports Q2 gold production of 118,050 ounces - Jody Kuzenko, President & CEO of Torex, stated: "We had another solid quarter of production in Q2, continuing to deliver the consistent and reliable performance that our shareholders have come to expect. With 247,550 ounces of gold produced through June, we are very well positioned to achieve production guidance of 430,000 to 470,000 ounces this year. Notably, our underground mining team exceeded expectations, with the average daily mining rate surpassing 1,400 tpd for the first time. From a safety standpoint, we experienced a lost time injury in the quarter when a contract diamond driller was injured working underground. Per our safety systems and culture, the incident was investigated fully, and corrective actions have been implemented to mitigate the likelihood of reoccurrence. With the solid production result came some operational challenges that our team is currently addressing. First, as we mine deeper in the open pits, the metallurgical signature of the ore has evolved, with higher levels of copper and iron in sulphides. While our blending strategies and metallurgical controls minimized in-circuit fluctuations, cyanide consumption during the quarter increased by approximately 2 kg/t relative to Q1. We are actively pursuing a number of mitigation strategies to maintain consistent recoveries while managing reagent consumption, as well as cost containment initiatives in the business to help offset higher reagent costs. Second, wear to the RopeCon belt was detected in June through our routine inspections and the conveyor system has been taken down for repair with an expected return to service date in late-July. While the RopeCon is out of service, ore from the El Limon open pit is being selectively hauled by truck and surface stockpiles drawn down, and, as such, we do not expect throughput in the processing plant to be impacted. The solid production result we delivered again this quarter despite the noted operational issues speaks to the effectiveness of our systems-based approach to operations, and the capability and resilience of our team to tackle multiple challenges to deliver production consistent with plan."

06:06 EDT Google says antitrust lawsuit by 37 AGs is 'meritless' - Wilson White, Google's Senior Director of Public Policy, said in a blog post: "We built Android to create more choices in mobile technology. Today, anyone, including our competitors, can customize and build devices with the Android operating system - for free. We also built an app store, Google Play, that helps people download apps on their devices. If you don't find the app you're looking for in Google Play, you can choose to download the app from a rival app store or directly from a developer's website. We don't impose the same restrictions as other mobile operating systems do.So it's strange that a group of state attorneys general chose to file a lawsuit attacking a system that provides more openness and choice than others. This complaint mimics a similarly meritless lawsuit filed by the large app developer Epic Games, which has benefitted from Android's openness by distributing its Fortnite app outside of Google Play. The complaint limits its definition of the app marketplace to Android devices only. This completely ignores the competition we face from other platforms such as Apple's incredibly successful app store, which accounts for the majority of mobile app store revenues according to third-party estimates. We compete for both developers and consumers, and if we're not providing them with the best experience on Google Play, they have other alternatives to choose from." Reference Link

06:02 EDT Canaan releases Kendryte K510 chip - Canaan announced the release of the Kendryte K510, an independently designed and developed RISC-V based edge AI chip, at the 2021 World Artificial Intelligence Conference.

05:26 EDT Molecular Partners provides update on clinical progress of ensovibep - Molecular Partners (MOLN) reported on the clinical progress of its novel antiviral candidate, ensovibep, as part of a presentation with its partner Novartis at the 1st Credit Suisse ESG Forum Switzerland virtual event. Ensovibep is designed to bind and inhibit SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Ensovibep is currently being studied in a Phase 2 single-arm pilot study in ambulatory patients in the Netherlands; a global Phase 2/3 study in ambulatory patients, conducted in collaboration with Novartis (NVS) and a National Institutes of Health, or NIH-sponsored global Phase 3 study in hospitalized patients as part of the ACTIV-3 master protocol. During the presentation, management outlined initiation of a subcutaneous program to align with the global registrational studies presently underway using administration via infusion. Initiating this year, the studies will evaluate ensovibep delivered subcutaneously to healthy individuals and subsequently to COVID-19 patients. Subcutaneous administration may increase ease and speed of administration to complement ensovibep's simple, high yield manufacturing process, stability, and potential inhibition of all major viral variants to-date. The EMPATHY study is presently enrolling across 5 countries, with continued expansion expected into additional territories as the evolving pandemic dictates. The ACTIV-3 study is presently enrolling patients in the hospitalized setting for assessment with ensovibep across more than 50 centers in 4 countries. The ACTIV-3 study protocol is open for recruitment in the hospitalized setting across 120 centers presently with more centers to open in the coming months. The program is aimed to be active in countries where the virus has high case numbers and to cover emerging variants on a global level. Finally, and in parallel to the clinical progress updated, ensovibep continues to be evaluated for its potency and inhibition against all emerging and established variants of concern. These evaluations are conducted across multiple laboratories, including the NIH. In vitro data to date show that ensovibep retains full potency and viral inhibition against all known SARS-CoV-2 variants in circulation, including the key Delta variants containing the T478K and K417N mutations, presently a particular concern as it may be associated with higher infectivity rates, even in individuals who are vaccinated.

05:19 EDT Stellantis sees first half adjusted operating income margins over 5.5%-7.5% - Stellantis will host its EV Day 2021. Carlos Tavares, CEO at Stellantis, will share Stellantis' comprehensive electrification strategy. The company said, "Stellantis also announced today preliminary expectations regarding its 2021 First Half trading performance and certain financial results. The Company expects a strong margin performance for the First Half of 2021, due to positive pricing and product mix. The global Stellantis team has also responded strongly to volume constraints caused by semi-conductor shortages, implementing very effective cost control measures. As a consequence, Adjusted Operating Income margins in the First Half of 2021 are expected to exceed the previously communicated full year margin guidance range of 5.5% to 7.5%, despite volume losses compared to planned production rates. For the First Half of 2021, consistent with expectations as communicated in the First Quarter 2021 results conference call, Stellantis expects negative Industrial Free Cash Flows due to the negative working capital impact of the lower than planned production volumes. A very promising start of the execution of synergies, well on track to exceed the first year target, should materially contribute to the full year cash flow performance, which is still expected to be positive."

05:12 EDT Rio Tinto, POSCO enter MoU to explore low-carbon emission steel value chain - Rio Tinto and POSCO, the largest steel producer in South Korea, have signed a memorandum of understanding, or MoU, to jointly explore, develop and demonstrate technologies to transition to a low-carbon emission steel value chain. The partnership will explore a range of technologies for decarbonization across the entire steel value chain from iron ore mining to steelmaking, including integrating Rio Tinto's iron ore processing technology and POSCO's steelmaking technology. Both Rio Tinto and POSCO share the ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

05:07 EDT Allot Ltd. chosen by European communications group for cybersecurity - Allot Ltd. announced that a communications group headquartered in Europe, with operating units in the EU and North America, has signed an agreement with Allot to enable their operating units to offer cybersecurity services to their consumer and small and medium-sized business, or SMB, customers based on Allot's HomeSecure, BusinessSecure, and an endpoint security application. The engagement between Allot and the group is based on a recurring monthly fee derived from the actual number of subscribers using the cyber security solution.