Stockwinners Market Radar for November 16, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

21:36 EST Freeport-McMoRan recommends rejection of below-market mini-tender offer - Freeport-McMoRan "has been notified by TRC Capital Investment that it is making an unsolicited "mini-tender" offer to FCX shareholders to purchase up to 3,000,000 shares of FCX's common stock at a current below-market price of $32.20 per share. TRC's offer price is approximately 4.4% below the $33.69 per share closing price of FCX's common stock on November 10, 2023, the last trading day prior to the date of the offer, and approximately 10% below the $35.54 per share closing price of FCX's common stock on November 16, 2023. FCX recommends that shareholders not tender their shares. FCX recommends that shareholders who have not responded to TRC's offer take no action. According to TRC's current offer documents, FCX shareholders who tender shares may withdraw their shares at any time prior to 12:01 a.m. New York City time on December 13, 2023, by following the procedures described in the offer documents."

19:50 EST trivago trading halted, news pending

19:11 EST UiPath director Wong sells 100,000 class A shares - In a regulatory filing, UiPath director Rich Wong disclosed the sale of 100,000 class A common shares of the company on November 14 at a price of $18.07 per share.

18:22 EST CSX CEO: We've had good momentum into Q4 - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Joe Hinrichs said there has been a lot of industrial development in the South East that is on the company's network. Domestic intermodal has been picking up since June, July. CSX has been delivering industry leading service levels, leading to growth, he noted. The growth in the export of coal has been strong, and prices have been up, he added.

17:52 EST Huntington Ingalls awarded $130M Navy contract action - Huntington Ingalls was awarded a $130M not-to-exceed undefinitized contract action for advance procurement of long lead time material and associated engineering and design activities in support of one Amphibious Assault Ship Replacement Flight 1 Ship. Work is expected to be completed by July 2028. FY23 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funding in the amount of $130M will be obligated at award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. This contract is awarded based on 10 U.S. Code 3204 only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Sea Systems is the contracting activity.

17:46 EST Green Dot names Dave Harden as Chief Technology Officer - Green Dot announced the appointment of Dave Harden as Chief Technology Officer supporting the company's ongoing effort to become a more streamlined, efficient and powerful technology company focused on building and delivering seamless and scalable banking and payment tools for consumers and businesses. As Chief Technology Officer, Harden will be responsible for overseeing the ongoing development and delivery of Green Dot's technology platforms supporting the company's direct customers and growing list of banking as a service partners. Harden has been a member of Green Dot's executive team since February 2022, most recently serving as SVP of Product Development responsible for overseeing the migration of Green Dot cards to a modern cloud-based card management platform.

17:35 EST PennyMac Financial CFO Perotti sells 7,600 common shares - In a regulatory filing, PennyMac Financial CFO Daniel Stanley Perotti disclosed the sale of 7,600 common shares of the company on November 15 at a price of $76.16 per share.

17:18 EST Movella receives noncompliance notice from Nasdaq due to delayed 10-Q filing - Movella received a notice from the Listing Qualifications Staff of Nasdaq on November 16 stating that Movella is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rules as a result of Movella's failure to timely file its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30 with the SEC. On November 15, Movella filed a Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25 indicating that the filing of the Quarterly Report would be delayed principally due to the ongoing review by the Audit Committee of Movella's Board of Directors in connection with the restatements of Movella's previously issued unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto with respect to the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2023, and June 30, 2023. Movella now has 60 calendar days - until January 16, 2024 - to submit a plan to regain compliance. If Nasdaq accepts Movella's plan, Nasdaq can grant an exception of up to 180 calendar days from the Quarterly Report's original due date, which 180-day period would end on May 13, 2024, to regain compliance. Movella continues to work expeditiously to conclude the review and file the Quarterly Report as soon as practicable.

17:13 EST Applied Materials CEO 2024 demand from foundry-logic customers to strengthen - CEO GaryDickerson states: "In 2024, we expect demand from our leading edge foundry-logic customers to be stronger year on year underpinned by higher PC, cloud, and AI data center spending as well as the initial build-out of Gate-All-Around nodes. We see demand for our ICAPS business being lower mainly due to softness in the industrial automation and Automotive end markets. In DRAM, both pricing and utilization are improving for our customers and we see demand for Applied's products remaining strong. And we believe NAND spending will be up year on year but still far below 2022 and less than 10% of wafer fab equipment spending overall. We expect NAND to remain a lower percentage of the wafer fab equipment mix moving forward. In terms of the global trade environment, the October 2023 export control rule changes in the US were primarily focused on alignment with other countries. The rules are complex and while we are working with the government to clarify certain details, we see no incremental material impact to Applied at this time. As I look ahead, I strongly believe that Applied Materials has the right capabilities, strategy, and partnerships. In fiscal 2024, our major focus areas include driving R&D programs to further differentiate our portfolio and extend our leadership at the key inflections that enable future industry growth, continuing to make operational and supply chain improvements to better serve customers, capture economies of scale, and drive productivity across the enterprise, and ensuring that as we scale the company, we continue to reduce our environmental impact in line with Applied's collaborative net zero playbook as announced earlier this year." Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:10 EST Applied Materials CFO says subpoena on China shipments previously disclosed - In response to a question about a Reuters that talked about a potential investigation into Applied Materials' China shipments, CFO Brice Hill states: "We did disclose last year that we received a subpoena from the US attorney's office. And they requested information relating to certain shipments to China. What we would say is we're fully operating with the government on this matter, and of course we're -- we remain committed to complying to all of the trade rules. And as you can imagine, because this is an ongoing legal matter, we can't add to any of the comments that are out there at this point. But it's been a regular disclosure for us". Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:04 EST Bellevue Life Sciences Acquisition enters combination pact with OSR Holding - Bellevue Life Sciences Acquisition and OSR Holdings announced that they have entered into a business combination agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, outstanding shares of OSR Holdings held by certain of the holders of OSR Holdings' common stock will be exchanged for newly issued shares of BLAC common stock. Following the closing, BLAC will own at least 60% of the outstanding shares of OSR Holdings. Concurrent with the closing of the business combination, BLAC intends to change its name to OSR Biosciences and have its common stock and warrants be listed on Nasdaq Capital Market under new ticker symbols. Founded in 2019, OSR Holdings is a global healthcare holding company from South Korea with wholly owned operating subsidiaries in the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors.

17:01 EST Infinera announces notification of delinquency with Nasdaq - Infinera "announced that it received a delinquency notification letter from the Listing Qualifications Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC on November 10, 2023. The Notice indicated that Infinera was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) as a result of its failure to timely file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, as described more fully in Infinera's Form 12b-25 Notification of Late Filing filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2023. The Listing Rule requires listed companies to timely file all required periodic financial reports with the SEC."

16:39 EST UpHealth selling Cloudbreak Health for $180M to private equity firm - UpHealth has signed a definitive agreement with GTCR, a private equity firm, to acquire Cloudbreak Health, a provider of tech-enabled, healthcare-focused language interpretation services, in a corporate carve-out transaction, from the company. The purchase price is $180M and the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024 following the receipt of customary regulatory and stockholder approvals and closing conditions. Headquartered in Columbus, OH, Cloudbreak is a video-focused language interpretation service provider that helps patients with limited English proficiency communicate with caregivers in healthcare settings. The company's core offering is Martti, a HIPAA-compliant Video Remote Interpretation solution that connects patients with interpreters in over 250 languages across its network of more than 1,000 interpreters.

16:33 EST Vigil Neuroscience announces interim data from IGNITE trial - Vigil Neuroscience announced interim data from the company's Phase 2 IGNITE proof-of-concept clinical trial in patients with adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia, or ALSP. The interim data, representing the first six patients following six months of treatment with 20 mg/kg of iluzanebart, further support the favorable safety and tolerability profile as was previously seen in healthy volunteers. In addition, these data demonstrated clear target engagement and downstream pharmacological activity at 20 mg/kg consistent with the company's previously reported Phase 1 data in healthy volunteers. Directionally supportive changes at six months on magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, and neurofilament light, or NfL, biomarkers of disease progression in individual patients with ALSP were also observed. The company also reported findings from its ongoing natural history study, ILLUMINATE, which continued to provide critical insights on MRI and NfL biomarkers and supports soluble colony stimulating factor 1 receptor as a potential key biomarker of ALSP disease pathology. Key Highlights from Phase 2 IGNITE Interim Data: Favorable safety and tolerability profile, including no hematologic adverse events. Predictable pharmacokinetic and brain penetration profile consistent with Phase 1 data in healthy volunteers. Clear target engagement, based on sTREM2 levels, and downstream pharmacological activity, based on sCSF1R and osteopontin levels, at 20 mg/kg, consistent with Phase 1 data in healthy volunteers. Directionally supportive changes in both NfL and MRI measurements on ventricular volume and gray matter volume in individual patients. We believe the quality and consistency of the interim data further support the continuation of IGNITE without modification. Key Updates from Natural History Study ILLUMINATE: sCSF1R and NfL levels are remarkably altered in ALSP, supporting our hypothesis that these are key biomarkers of disease pathology. Totality of the data, including longitudinal progression observed on selected MRI measures and clinical endpoints, support engagement with regulatory authorities. We believe the quality and consistency of data in this interim analysis support chosen biomarkers for pharmacological activity. MRI measurements on ventricular volume and gray matter volume are emerging as key indicators of disease progression. Interim Montreal Cognitive Assessment, or MoCA, and Cortical Basal Ganglia Functional Scale data support use as clinical endpoints in ALSP at 12 months.

16:29 EST ChargePoint falls 19% after cutting Q3 guidance, announcing impairment charge - Shares of ChargePoint are down 19% or 60c at $2.53 after the company cut its Q3 revenue and gross-margin outlook, disclosed an inventory impairment charge, and announced leadership changes.

16:28 EST ChargePoint cuts Q3 pre-impairment gross margin view to 19%-21% from 22%-25%

16:27 EST ChargePoint to take non-cash inventory impairment charge - Incoming CEO Rick Wilmer states: "The ChargePoint board and I are committed to significantly improving operational execution to ensure that the Company is building a stronger, more resilient business for the benefit of all stakeholders. Our first steps are to take an additional non-cash inventory impairment charge related to product transitions and to better align inventory with current demand. We remain committed to our goal of generating positive adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter of calendar 2024."

16:24 EST ChargePoint CFO Rex Jackson departs company effective today - ChargePoint also announced that Chief Financial Officer Rex Jackson has departed the company, effective today. Mansi Khetani, who is currently ChargePoint's Senior Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, has been named interim CFO and ChargePoint will commence a search to identify a permanent candidate.

16:22 EST Signing Day Sports announces closing of IPO, listing on NYSE American - Signing Day Sports announced the closing of its initial public offering of 1.2M shares of common stock at a public offering price of $5.00 per share for gross proceeds of $6M, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and offering expenses payable by the company. After deducting underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses, the company received net proceeds of approximately $4.8M. The company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 180,000 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts, commissions, and other offering expenses.

16:21 EST Primerica announces $425M share buyback for 2024 - The company states: "After reporting solid third quarter results, Primerica announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a $425 million share repurchase program to occur through December 31, 2024. Share repurchases may be made from time to time through open market transactions, block trades and/or privately negotiated transactions and are subject to market conditions, as well as corporate, regulatory, and other considerations."

16:19 EST Brighthouse Financial announces $750M stock repurchase program - Brighthouse Financial announced that it has authorized the repurchase of up to $750M of its common stock. The stock repurchase program is in addition to the $1B stock repurchase authorization announced by the company in August 2021, under which $71M remains as of November 15, 2023. "We are pleased to announce this new stock repurchase program, which further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to return capital to our shareholders over time," said Eric Steigerwalt, president and CEO, Brighthouse Financial. "Since we began our common stock repurchase program in August 2018 through November 15 of this year, we have repurchased approximately $2.2 billion of our common stock and reduced the number of shares outstanding by more than 46% from the time we became an independent, public company."

16:18 EST Gap reports Q3 gross margin 41.3%, up 390 basis points - Gross margin of 41.3% increased 390 basis points versus last year's reported gross margin and increased 260 basis points versus last year's adjusted gross margin which excluded $53M in impairment charges related to the decision to discontinue the Yeezy Gap business. Merchandise margin increased 460 basis points versus last year on a reported basis. Compared to last year's adjusted rate, merchandise margin increased 340 basis points primarily due to lower commodity costs and improved promotional activity in the quarter.

16:15 EST UpHealth to sell Cloudbreak Health to GTCR for $180M in cash - UpHealth announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its wholly-owned subsidiary Cloudbreak Health to GTCR for $180M in cash. GTCR is a leading private equity firm that partners with management leaders to identify, acquire and build market-leading companies through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. UpHealth will utilize the proceeds from the sale for payment in full or in part of the company's 2026 Unsecured and 2025 Secured Notes, as well as other expenses related to the transaction. The sale of Cloudbreak is expected to close during the first half of 2024, following the receipt of customary regulatory and stockholder approvals and closing conditions, and will allow UpHealth to pursue a more simplified strategy that focuses on TTC Healthcare, a growing, cash flow positive, behavioral health business. As part of the transaction, GTCR will acquire complete equity ownership of Cloudbreak, including the aggregate Cloudbreak employee base.

16:12 EST Natural Grocers declares special $1.00 cash dividend - Natural Grocers has declared a special cash dividend of $1.00 per common share, in addition to a quarterly cash dividend of 10c per common share. The special and quarterly dividends will be paid on December 13 to all stockholders of record at the close of business on November 27.

16:09 EST ICF International awarded $32M digital modernization task order - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on behalf of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations and the Office of Professional Responsibility, recently awarded a new $32M task order to global consulting and technology services provider ICF to modernize ICE's homeland security investigations systems. The task order was awarded in the third quarter of 2023 under the Scalable Ways to Implement Flexible Tasks indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, awarded to ICF in fall 2022. It has a term of five years, including a one-year base and four one-year option periods.

16:07 EST Sterling Infrastructure acquires Professional Plumbers Group - Sterling Infrastructure announced that it has acquired Professional Plumbers Group headquartered in Wylie, Texas. PPG serves a range of residential home builders in the greater Dallas area and will join Sterling's Building Solutions segment. Acquisition Highlights: Purchase price consists of a cash payment of $50M and an earnout opportunity contingent upon achieving future EBITDA targets; Annual revenues of $50M-$55M; Strong, accretive margin profile; Customary outsourced labor model; PPG provides all the major plumbing phases for new residential builds, expanding Sterling's suite of residential services in the Dallas market to the next critical phase of the build once the slab is complete; Complimentary customer base with opportunity to cross-sell services.

16:03 EST Karuna Therapeutics announces 'positive' results from Phase 1b KarXT trial - Karuna Therapeutics "announced positive results from its Phase 1b open-label, eight-week inpatient trial evaluating the effect of KarXT, xanomeline-trospium, on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in adults with schizophrenia demonstrating that KarXT was not associated with increases in blood pressure. The primary endpoint in the trial was the change from baseline at week 8 in 24-hour average ambulatory systolic blood pressure. In the trial, KarXT demonstrated a mean change from baseline to week 8 in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure of -0.59 mmHg. The upper bound of the two-sided 95% confidence interval for the mean change from baseline to week 8 was 1.60 mmHg, thus ruling out a clinically meaningful increase in blood pressure (defined per FDA guidance as greater than or equal to3 mmHg change from baseline). Daytime and nighttime systolic blood pressure measurements showed no meaningful change and were generally consistent with the 24-hour average. Additional vital sign measures collected in the trial, including 24-hour average diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, were consistent with prior trials of KarXT in schizophrenia. Further, KarXT was generally well tolerated, with a side effect profile consistent with prior trials in the EMERGENT program."

16:02 EST Brown-Forman raises quarterly dividend by 6% to 21.78c per share - The dividend is payable on January 2, 2024, to stockholders of record on December 1, 2023.

14:52 EST BrightDrop will become part of GM, company announces - "Together, GM and BrightDrop have been laying the groundwork for an all-EV future and transforming what it means to make vehicles. Since launching in January 2021, BrightDrop has been an important innovator in commercial EVs, and going forward this integration will be even tighter. Starting today, BrightDrop will become part of GM. We believe that this move will benefit our fleet customers by providing them with an efficient single point of contact through GM Envolve. BrightDrop was born in GM's Innovation Lab and spent the last three years as a wholly owned subsidiary. That structure allowed BrightDrop to operate with the agility and innovation of a tech startup and benefit from GM's deep manufacturing expertise. With this, BrightDrop has produced a product portfolio that is helping customers like FedEx, Ryder and DHL decarbonize their fleet operations and a team that brought an electric delivery van to market in record time. As BrightDrop has matured, we are now bringing that ethos back to GM so our work is more efficient and so BrightDrop's startup spirit can help fuel further success with GM's commercial customers. GM remains committed to scaling BrightDrop Zevo production, which is expected to resume in the spring of 2024 and will be supported by the launch of CAMI's new battery-module plant based in Canada. This new battery-module line will have capacity to fully support Zevo production at CAMI and supplement EV production at other GM plants," General Motors stated in a post to its corporate site. Reference Link

14:41 EST Appian lower following appeals court hearing in fight with Pegasystems - Shares of Appian (APPN) are down 5% to $36.83 in Thursday afternoon trading a day after a Court of Appeals hearing related to the company's legal fight with Pegasystems (PEGA) that took place yesterday. In a note to investors yesterday regarding the proceedings, DA Davidson analyst Gil Luria said based upon observations from the hearings, the firm believes it is "incrementally less likely" that Pega will achieve an outright reversal of the $2B damages to Appian. A ruling from the three judges presiding over yesterday's hearings "may take several weeks to months to surface" and after it does a second appeal process may begin in the Supreme Court of Virginia, noted the analyst, who maintains the view that "ultimate resolution is still just 12-18 months away." DA Davidson keeps Buy rating and $55 price target on Appian shares.

13:39 EST Kenon trading halted, news pending

12:40 EST Canoo announces contract for up to 550 electric vehicles - Canoo announced a contract with Los Angeles-based Prime Time Shuttle for the purchase of up to 550 electric vehicles. Tony Aquila, Executive Chairman and CEO of Canoo, said: "We applaud the state of California for their disciplined approach to zero emissions. I am proud of our sales team for opening a new market for us, and I look forward to the partnership with Prime Time Shuttle."

12:01 EST Grand Canyon University appeals 'unprecedented' decision from U.S. DOE - Grand Canyon University has sent a notification to the U.S. Department of Education that it is appealing the unprecedented and unjust $37.7M fine levied against the university and has vowed to stand up to the federal government's broader efforts to target the largest Christian university in the country. "I have spoken to thousands of students, parents, employees, alumni and community stakeholders in Arizona and they all tell me the same thing: We need to fight this tyranny from federal government agencies not only to stand up for ourselves but to ensure this type of ideological government overreach and weaponization of federal agencies does not happen to others," said GCU President Brian Mueller. "American people are losing confidence in the federal government to be fair and objective in their operations and there are clearly no checks and balances to prevent this type of behavior from the Department of Education, which is out of control and continues to broaden its authority and selective enforcement powers. GCU also said: "The Department's accusations are not validated by either the federal court system, which has already ruled in GCU's favor in a similar matter at both the district and appellate court levels in Young v GCU, or other regulatory agencies such as the Higher Learning Commission, which is GCU's accrediting body. Specific to a prospective doctoral student's experience, HLC stated in its comprehensive review in 2021: 'The information and resources provided are robust and thorough, providing prospective students a clear picture of their academic and financial path toward a degree at GCU.' In Young v GCU, the courts rejected the claim that GCU's disclosures misrepresented the time or cost to complete a doctoral program."

12:00 EST Cato Corp. falls -9.8% - Cato Corp. is down -9.8%, or -72c to $6.60.

12:00 EST Macy's rises 7.0% - Macy's is up 7.0%, or 88c to $13.49.

12:00 EST Universal Technical rises 12.0% - Universal Technical is up 12.0%, or $1.16 to $10.85.

11:46 EST Gaming and Leisure Properties 'applauds' MLB decision to bring A's to Las Vegas - Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI) issued the following statement following the announcement by Major League Baseball that the league's owners have approved the move of MLB's Athletics franchise to Las Vegas: "Today's approval from Major League Baseball represents an important milestone in the collective effort to bring the Athletics' franchise to Las Vegas. We are excited about the opportunity to work with our partners to develop and construct an entertainment and casino resort integrated with the new A's stadium on Gaming and Leisure Properties' property to reinvent the site on the south end of the iconic Las Vegas Strip. The arrival of the A's as well as the new stadium and adjacent entertainment and casino resort, both of which are expected to open in 2028, represents a transformational project for Las Vegas, baseball fans, the local community and local employment, which will build on the city's reputation for delivering unrivalled world-class entertainment options." In May 2023, GLPI, Tropicana Las Vegas, Inc., a Nevada corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Bally's (BALY), and Athletics Holdings LLC, which owns the Major League Baseball team currently known as the Oakland Athletics, entered into a binding letter of intent setting forth the terms for developing a Las Vegas stadium that would serve as the home venue for the A's. "The stadium is expected to complement a casino resort redevelopment envisioned at GLPI's 35-acre property in Clark County, Nevada, owned indirectly by GLPI through its indirect subsidiary Tropicana Land LLC, a Nevada limited liability company, and leased by GLPI to Bally's. The letter of intent provides for the Athletics to be granted fee ownership by GLPI of approximately 9 acres of GLPI's 35-acre site for construction of the stadium. Bally's and GLPI have agreed to transfer the stadium site after the satisfaction of various conditions in exchange for the benefits that the stadium is expected to contribute to a new integrated casino and entertainment resort that will be developed at the site, Las Vegas, and surrounding areas. The letter of intent stipulates that the Athletics will assume all costs associated with the design, development, and construction of the stadium and Bally's Corporation shall assume all costs for the entertainment and casino resort and hotel," Gaming and Leisure stated.

11:40 EST Walgreens stores to close for Thanksgiving holiday - On Thanksgiving Day, most Walgreens locations will be closed. "Nearly all 700 Walgreens 24-hour locations will remain open on Thanksgiving to help meet the healthcare needs of our customers. This is the first time Walgreens has closed stores on Thanksgiving Day to give time back to its workforce," the company stated. "We have consistently heard from our team members-who are the face of Walgreens-that time off is a meaningful way for us to demonstrate we value them. We heard them, are committed to listening to their feedback and are dedicated to doing what is right for them. We hope they can enjoy the holiday and spend time with their loved ones," said Tracey Brown, EVP, President Walgreens Retail & Chief Customer Officer.

11:17 EST Air T trading resumes

11:13 EST Syntec Optics awarded contract for optics in biomedical equipment - Syntec Optics announced that it has been awarded its first contract for a minimum of 20 ultra-precision biomedical optics to be delivered in 2023 and additional 2400 in early 2024. "Syntec Optics is delighted to serve the mission-critical biomedical end-market in addition to consumer and defense. Syntec Optics team is excited because we believe these well-established end-markets together to be acyclical based upon the two decades of demonstrated consistency in revenue from such end-markets even in times of economic headwind," said Joe Mohr, CEO of Syntec Optics.

11:10 EST Beauty Health to reduce global workforce by 10%, or 893 employees - In a regulatory filing, Beauty Health said that on November 14, the company committed to the first phase of its cost savings and optimization plan, which is intended to reduce operating costs and streamline the Company's operations. Phase 1 of the Savings Plan includes a reduction in workforce and non-headcount expenses including but not limited to consulting fees, software expenses, professional services and tradeshow expenses. Under Phase 1 of the Savings Plan, with respect to workforce reductions, the company plans to reduce its current global workforce by 10%, including 95 employees that will be terminated, resulting in a workforce of 893 employees. This includes 63 employees in the United States, representing about 10% of the company's domestic workforce, and approximately 32 non-U.S. employees, representing about 9% of the company's international workforce. In connection with this workforce reduction, the company estimates that it will incur charges in the fourth quarter of 2023 of approximately $5.1M related to notice pay, cash severance payments, and other employee-related separation costs. The company expects that the majority of these charges will be incurred in the fourth quarter of 2023 and that the implementation of Phase 1 of the Savings Plan will be substantially complete by March 31, 2024, subject to local law and consultation requirement. After giving effect to the reduction in workforce measures discussed above, and certain other reductions in operations expenses, the company is aiming to have cash and cash equivalents to satisfy its anticipated working capital requirements for its ongoing operations and obligations for at least the next twelve months. The company expects to realize workforce reduction run-rate savings of approximately $17M on an annualized basis starting in the fourth quarter of 2023, and an additional minimum of $3M in non-workforce reduction related Phase 1 savings beginning in the first quarter of 2024. However, the company also expects that a portion of these savings will be offset by year-over-year increases in employee compensation and vendor price increases.

11:05 EST CF Acquisition Corp VIII trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:45 EST HNR Acquisition Corp trading resumes

10:26 EST ATGL Stock trading resumes

10:17 EST Northern Trust selected as asset servicing provider for Costco retirement plan - Northern Trust (NTRS) has been selected by Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) to provide custody, daily valuation and brokerage services for Costco's defined contribution retirement plan, with $29B in assets.

10:08 EST ABVC BioPharma enters global licensing agreement with AiBtl BioPharma - ABVC BioPharma entered into a global licensing definitive agreement with AiBtl BioPharma for the Company's CNS drugs with the indications of MDD and ADHD. The agreement has the potential of licensing income worth $467M and royalties up to $200M. The Licensed Products for MDD and ADHD, owned by ABVC and its subsidiary BioLite, Inc., were valued at $667M by a third-party evaluation. ABVC and AiBtl are determined to work to strengthen their new drug development and business collaboration. This definitive agreement brings licensing revenues for ABVC and its subsidiary BioLite, Inc. as AiBtl stock of 46 million shares worth $460M and milestone cash payments of $7M with the royalties of 5% of net sales, up to $200 million, after the product's launch.

10:05 EST Dominion partners with Virginia State on battery storage project - Dominion Energy Virginia is partnering with Virginia State University to develop an innovative battery storage project that would provide backup power to the VSU Multi-Purpose Center. The MPC, located on the VSU campus, hosts athletic events, conferences, concerts and other community events. The initiative is one of several proposed to the Virginia State Corporation Commission in September. The projects will test three alternatives to lithium-ion batteries that could discharge power for significantly longer durations. Dominion Energy has enlisted California-based EnerVenue to manufacture the 1.5-megawatt battery that will be installed on the university's Ettrick campus, located in southern Chesterfield County. EnerVenue's Energy Storage Vessels use metal-hydrogen technology, a variation of what's used in the aerospace industry, that can discharge energy for up to 10 hours. At another location in Henrico County, Dominion Energy plans to test two other pioneering battery storage technologies, including one that can discharge power for up to 100 hours. Most battery storage in the U.S. is currently limited to four hours or less.

10:02 EST RTX awarded four-year $15M contract by DARPA - Raytheon has been awarded a four-year, $15 million contract from DARPA to increase the electronic capability of radio frequency sensors with high-power-density Gallium Nitride transistors. The improved transistors will have 16 times higher output power than traditional Gallium Nitride with no increase in operating temperature.

10:00 EST Alibaba falls -8.4% - Alibaba is down -8.4%, or -$7.33 to $79.73.

10:00 EST Macy's rises 6.6% - Macy's is up 6.6%, or 83c to $13.44.

10:00 EST Universal Technical rises 8.5% - Universal Technical is up 8.5%, or 82c to $10.51.

09:47 EST Squarespace falls -8.1% - Squarespace is down -8.1%, or -$2.48 to $27.96.

09:47 EST Alibaba falls -9.1% - Alibaba is down -9.1%, or -$7.94 to $79.13.

09:47 EST Universal Technical rises 7.7% - Universal Technical is up 7.7%, or 75c to $10.44.

09:41 EST Popular board raises quarterly cash dividend 13% to 62c per share - Popular's Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 62c per share on its outstanding common stock. The dividend will be payable on January 2, 2024 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 7, 2023. The 62c per share cash dividend represents an increase of 7c, or approximately 13%, in the Corporation's quarterly common stock dividend when compared to the 55c per share quarterly dividend declared by the Corporation during the third quarter of 2023.

09:32 EST AudienceXpress, Epsilon partner for convergent television buying - AudienceXpress has partnered with Epsilon to introduce a new capability for enhancing audience-based, convergent television buying. This new partnership taps into synergistic strengths on both sides of the integration and allows marketers to enhance audience reach and drive scale across today's fragmented, complex and dynamic TV ad landscape. Epsilon is now able to tap into AudienceXpress's reach, scale and expertise across the CTV sector. This partnership accelerates Epsilon's clients' ability to harness the power of their first-party data and Epsilon's data with the insights from AudienceXpress to activate, execute and measure campaigns with a greater degree of accuracy. With access to more transaction and behavior-based data than ever before, AudienceXpress will be able to create even more precise CTV audience segments for clients.

09:28 EST Moxian changes name to Abits Group - Moxian has changed its corporate name from Moxian Inc to Abits Group Inc. In addition, the Company's ticker symbol on the Nasdaq Capital Market will be changed to "ABTS" from "MOXC" effective before the opening of trading on November 17, 2023. The corporate name change to Abits Group Inc does not affect the rights of the Company's shareholders and no action is required by shareholders with respect to the name change. The number of outstanding ordinary shares of the Company is also not affected by the name and ticker symbol changes.

09:22 EST Wheeler REIT says 'considering' calling Special Meeting of Stockholders - Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust is considering calling a special meeting of stockholders to amend the Company's charter to authorize the Board of Directors to effect additional reverse stock splits.

09:12 EST Greenidge CEO David Anderson to switch roles, Jordan Kovler to succeed - Greenidge Generation announced that Jordan Kovler has been appointed to replace David Anderson as Greenidge's CEO. Anderson will remain on the company's board of directors and will become chairman of the board, replacing Timothy Fazio in that role, who will remain on the company's board as a director. All of the executive transitions, which have been approved by the board, are effective as of November 16. Kovler has served as a director on Greenidge's board since March, working closely with management and the board on cost containment, stakeholder engagement and strategic initiatives. Kovler brings a unique mix of experience in technology and Web3, capital allocation and M&A, investor engagement and corporate governance expertise that will help drive the next phase of Greenidge's growth.

09:09 EST Elastic enters two-year global strategic collaboration agreement with AWS - Elastic (ESTC) announced a new two-year global strategic collaboration agreement, or SCA, with Amazon (AMZN) Web Services, or AWS, to make it easier for shared customers to advance their pursuit of generative artificial intelligence, or AI, using Elastic Cloud on AWS. The new SCA will accelerate the integration of Amazon Bedrock into the Elastic AI Assistant, enabling customers to get richer and more contextualized and relevant results by using their preferred large language models, or LLMs, coupled with the organization's unique IT environment and proprietary data sets. Amazon Bedrock is a fully managed service that makes foundation models from leading AI providers accessible via an API to build and scale generative AI applications. The first integration with the Elastic AI Assistant will be for security use cases, with observability use cases to follow. The Elastic AI Assistant utilizes generative AI to bolster an organization's cybersecurity operations team. It allows users to interact with Elastic Security for tasks such as alert investigation, incident response, query generation or conversion using natural language, and much more.

09:08 EST Mullen Automotive announces RMA has received NC license to retail Mullen EVs - Mullen Automotive announces Randy Marion Automotive Group, RMA, has received its North Carolina, NC, license to retail Mullen's commercial EVs. This required dealer license in combination with Mullen's previously received OEM license allows the movement of vehicles to customers. The Tunica, Mississippi, assembly plant will ship the next 40 completed vehicles, which are pre-sold and ready for RMA customers including Duke Energy, Merchants Fleet and MGT Leasing, beginning Nov. 20, 2023. All vehicles sold in the U.S. are currently distributed through Mullen's retail dealership partner, Randy Marion Automotive Group. "It's exciting to see both Class 1 and Class 3 vehicle production fully operational and our Class 3 heading to customers. We fully expect to accomplish our production and delivery goals for 2023," said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive.

09:07 EST Verizon expands private 5G at Port of Virginia with NIT network - Verizon Business and the Norfolk International Terminal announced an agreement to build a Verizon Private 5G Network at their Virginia facility, following the successful deployment of Verizon Private 5G at the neighboring Virginia International Terminal. Both NIT and VIT are terminals within the Port of Virginia, highlighting the scalability of private 5G networks to meet unique connectivity demands throughout a complex, data-rich environment.

09:06 EST TransUnion plans to reduce 10% of workforce amid cost reductions - TransUnion announced yesterday morning "the next step in its ongoing, multi-year transformation effort to optimize its operating model and advance its market-leading technology." The company said it will transition additional roles to its Global Capability Centers to improve productivity, reduce costs and fund growth. "TransUnion will also leverage Neustar's cloud-native technology to create its next-generation integrated data management, identity resolution, analytics and delivery platform. The Company believes these actions will reduce costs, accelerate innovation and increase organic growth." The company expects to deliver $120M to $140M of annualized operating expense savings and a $70M to $80M capital expenditure reduction in 2026 relative to 2023 levels. Approximately half of the operating expense savings, which exclude depreciation and amortization, are expected to be realized in 2024. TransUnion expects to incur $355M to $375M of one-time pre-tax expenses, with the majority incurred by the end of 2024. Employee separation and facility exit costs are expected to make up approximately $155M of the total. The remaining expense includes $65M already planned and communicated to complete Project Rise plus $145M to implement OneTruTM and optimize the operating model. Capital expenditures are expected to increase to 9% of revenue in 2024 and return to 8% in 2025. In 2026 and going forward, the company expects capital expenditures to be 6% of revenue. Altogether, the program is expected to impact approximately 10% of the company's current workforce through relocation to the GCC locations and position eliminations.

09:06 EST Booz Allen collaborates with Workera to bolster AI workforce - Workera and Booz Allen Hamilton announced a collaboration to power advanced AI skills development for Booz Allen employees. Booz Allen will deploy Workera's platform to provide granular skills assessments and hyper-personalized learning plans in essential AI Engineering and AI Consulting skill areas for employees working directly with government and commercial clients. This collaboration is the latest move by Booz Allen designed to enhance the AI-ready posture of its workforce, providing the skills and training required to help its clients adopt secure, responsible, and mission-driven AI solutions, even amidst a constantly evolving technology landscape. By leveraging Workera's workforce transformation platform, Booz Allen will be able to continuously nurture highly-skilled talent dedicated to helping federal agencies design, build, and scale responsible AI solutions that support the nation's most critical and socially impactful work, as well as keep up with a rapidly advancing private sector. "We're seeing enormous growth in demand for AI services and solutions from our federal government and commercial clients, as emerging capabilities present new opportunities. Booz Allen's role as the foremost provider of AI services, and mission partner for over a century, to the federal government gives us a unique perspective in bringing the best in innovation to our clients," said Joe Rohner, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence at Booz Allen. "The Workera platform is an important component of the infrastructure we've built over the last decade to ensure our 2200+ AI practitioners have the skills and expertise they need to operationalize our latest AI tech stacks for our clients."

09:04 EST Janover announces share repurchase program of up to $1M - Janover announced that its Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to $1,000,000 of its outstanding shares of common stock on the open market, in accordance with all applicable securities laws and regulations, including Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company has approximately 10.0 million shares outstanding. Blake Janover, CEO of Janover, stated, "We are excited to launch this share repurchase program, a strategic step to drive value for shareholders as we view our stock as an attractive investment, particularly at these levels. The authorization from the Board to repurchase shares is an indication of our Company's financial strength and demonstrates the Board's confidence in our business model and outlook. The last couple of months have been transformative for the Company and we believe the Company is in a stronger position than at any time in our history. However, we do not believe our current share price reflects this. We've never been be more encouraged by the outlook for the business and we are excited to provide further updates on significant initiatives that are underway."

09:04 EST Instacart, Kiehl's partner for same-day delivery - Kiehl's and Instacart announced a new exclusive partnership to launch same-day delivery from all 58 Kiehl's store locations across the U.S. via the Instacart App and website, following their successful Canadian launch earlier this year. This partnership expands Instacart's skincare and beauty offerings by giving customers access to Kiehl's full lineup of skin and hair care products, including their face moisturizers, serums, toners, shampoo and conditioner, and more for delivery in as fast as an hour.

09:03 EST LPL Financial: Doherty Financial joins broker-dealer, RIA, custodial platforms - LPL Financial announcedthat financial advisors Michael Doherty Jr., Ryan Pellegrini and Ryan Doherty have joined LPL Financial's broker-dealer, RIA and custodial platforms. The team reported having served approximately $220 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets, and joins LPL from Commonwealth. With 40 years of industry experience, Michael founded Doherty Financial Services in 1997 as a family practice committed to helping families along their financial journeys. With his parents and sister Karen working in the office early on and his son later joining the business as an advisor, three generations of Dohertys have helped generations of clients grow and preserve their wealth. The team also includes fellow financial advisor Ryan Pellegrini, affectionately called "Cousin Ryan," and three office support staff members, Karen and her daughters Amanda and Caitlin.

09:03 EST Tarena approved to transfer to Nasdaq Capital Market - Tarena International announced that on November 15, 2023, the Listing Qualifications department of the Nasdaq Stock Market approved the company's request to transfer the listing of the company's American Depositary Shares from the Nasdaq Global Select Market to the Nasdaq Capital Market. The transfer is expected to take effect at the opening of business on November 17, 2023.

09:01 EST Arthur J. Gallagher acquires Coverys Insurance Services - Arthur J. Gallagher has acquired certain assets of the retail agency business of East Lansing, Michigan-based Coverys Insurance Services. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Coverys Insurance Services is a full-service insurance broker specializing in medical malpractice and professional liability for healthcare clients throughout Michigan. The Coverys Insurance Services team will remain in their current location under the direction of Ryan Isaacs, head of Gallagher's Midwest region retail property/casualty brokerage operations.

08:57 EST Getty Images unveils 2023 Year in Review - Getty Images unveiled its 2023 Year in Review, a visual reflection of 2023's most powerful and impactful stories and themes across News, Sports, Entertainment, Archive and Creative through both imagery and videos. As world events unfolded, Getty Images' award-winning photographers, videographers and editors documented moving stories from thousands of events happening around the globe. From conflicts and devastating climate disasters to record-breaking crowds and audiences in stadiums and theaters worldwide and industry voices championing equity and fair representation-all have left an indelible mark on the world's morale and will forever shape the future moving forward.

08:48 EST LGI Homes announces private offering of $400M unsecured senior notes - LGI Homes has commenced a private offering of $400M aggregate principal amount of unsecured Senior Notes due 2028 to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to certain non-U.S. persons in transactions outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. The timing of pricing and terms of the Notes are subject to market conditions and other factors. The Notes are expected to be guaranteed, jointly and severally, on a senior unsecured basis by the Company's subsidiaries that guarantee the Company's obligations under its revolving credit facility. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings under its revolving credit facility.

08:47 EST BYND Cannasoft submits R&D plan to IIA to develop CRM software - BYND Cannasoft Enterprises submit a research and development plan based on a planned budget of $1.5M to develop CRM software combined with AI for the medical cannabis industry. Israel's Finance Ministry recently clarified its decision to increase the wartime high-tech sector fund to provide short- and long-term measures designed to assist startup companies in Israel's high-tech sector. The Company was found suitable for submitting the application according to the criteria required in the grant program as detailed on the Israel Innovation Authority website. Ministry officials recently met with prominent high-tech sector members, the Israel Innovation Authority, and other government representatives to discuss strategies for supporting companies during the ongoing conflict and formulate long-term industry plans for post-war recovery. The high-tech industry plays a pivotal role in Israel's economy. In 2022, it contributed over 18 percent of the national GDP, amounting to $78 billion (290 billion shekels), as the Israel Innovation Authority reported. Additionally, it was responsible for 50 percent of the country's foreign exports. The receipt of the grant is contingent on the IIA's approval, its review of the application, and confirmation that BYND Cannasoft meets all criteria. There is no assurance the grant will be awarded in its full amount.

08:43 EST Mangoceuticals launches 'Grow' hair growth treatment for men - Mangoceuticals announced the expansion of its men's health product line with the addition of its hair growth treatment, 'Grow.' The custom compounded hair growth treatment combines four clinically proven hair growth products - Minoxidil, Finasteride, Vitamin D3, and Biotin - encapsulated in convenient chewable, mint-flavored tablets. The product is now available for delivery by prescription through MangoRx's website.

08:40 EST Global Mofy Metaverse accredited for iQIYI's Leap Project - Global Mofy Metaverse (GMM) announced the Company has been accredited for the so-called "Leap Project" of iQIYI (IQ). Global Mofy Metaverse has been officially selected to join a strategic collaboration with iQIYI through a two-year partnership agreement, which establishes the Company as an accredited visual effects supplier within IQIYI's ecosystem, specifically focusing on delivering virtual technology services. The Company expects to sign a formal collaboration agreement with iQIYI early next month. The terms of the Agreement have been settled. Pursuant to the Agreement under negotiation, Global Mofy Metaverse will play a pivotal role in iQIYI's future film and television projects. The collaboration with iQIYI, which is renowned for its high-quality content offerings, presents a significant opportunity for Global Mofy Metaverse to showcase its expertise and expand its market presence. The partnership grants the Company access to iQIYI's extensive production pipeline, reinforcing its position as a leader in the visual effects industry

08:38 EST GlobalFoundries announces student loan repayment program for employees - GlobalFoundries is launching a new student loan repayment program to help current employees and new recruits pay down student loan debt. The new benefit program is part of the company's multi-million dollar investment to strengthen the semiconductor talent workforce by helping to ease the financial burden of higher education and training of our present and future employees. Under GF's new benefit program, set to begin in early 2024, U.S.-based employees and new hires that meet eligibility guidelines will be able to receive a tax-free, lifetime total of $28,500 toward their student debt, enabling employees to pay off their loans faster and at lower out of pocket expenses. The program is open to all U.S. employees that have qualified student loans for all degree types and credit-based certificate programs offered by U.S. universities and colleges. The student loan repayment program is the newest feature in GF's comprehensive benefit offerings including tuition reimbursement for employees pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees, fully paid parental leave, employee fitness stipend to promote good health, and childcare subsidy towards dependent care. In addition, GF provides differentiated leadership development programs which include on-the-job training, including the first of a kind certified apprenticeship program, mentorship and other professional development opportunities to further increase skill development to cultivate a growth mindset and lifelong learning.

08:37 EST Apollomics announces first approval of vebreltinib for MET Exon 14 skip NSCLC - Apollomics announced that its partner in China, Avistone Biotechnology, received conditional approval from the National Medical Products Administration, NMPA, of China for the commercialization of vebreltinib to treat patients with MET exon 14 skipping non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC. "The NMPA approval of vebreltinib is an important milestone toward providing a new treatment option for patients with MET exon 14 skipping NSCLC in China. Apollomics extends its full support and congratulations to Avistone on this significant achievement," said Guo-Liang Yu, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Apollomics. "Our collaboration with Avistone and our ongoing global SPARTA trial with vebreltinib underscores our dedication to developing novel therapies for difficult to treat cancers and drug resistant patients worldwide." In pursuit of the MET exon 14 skipping NSCLC indication, Apollomics is in active discussion with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding a New Drug Application for vebreltinib based on totality of clinical data from the global SPARTA trial and Avistone's KUNPENG trial in China. Under the partnership agreement, Avistone holds the exclusive rights to vebreltinib in China, Hong Kong and Macau, while Apollomics retains the exclusive rights in the rest of the world, including the U.S, and partners have access to each other's data. This collaboration enables both companies to leverage their strengths and maximize the benefit of vebreltinib worldwide.

08:35 EST Federal Court of Australia approves Incannex's re-domiciliation - Incannex Healthcare announced that the Federal Court of Australia has today made orders approving the scheme of arrangement in relation to the Company's proposed re-domiciliation from Australia to the United States, under which Incannex Healthcare will become the ultimate parent company of Incannex Healthcare Limited following the implementation of the Scheme. It is expected that a copy of the Court's orders with respect to the Schemes will be lodged with ASIC tomorrow, at which time the Schemes will become legally effective. Incannex has applied to ASX to suspend quotation and trading of Incannex shares, with effect from the close of trading on ASX on November 17, 2023. Incannex's ADRs, however, will continue to trade on Nasdaq until the implementation date. Incannex shareholders and optionholders who hold shares and options on the record date for the Scheme. The Scheme consideration will be paid to Scheme Shareholders and Scheme Optionholders on the implementation date.

08:34 EST Wearable Devices introduces enhanced Mudra Band website - Wearable Devices introduces the enhanced Mudra Band website, available now at https://www.mudra-band.com. Designed to provide a seamless and engaging online experience, the new website serves as a comprehensive marketing platform for the Mudra Band, offering easy access to product information, resources, and a user-friendly shopping experience. The Mudra Band is a revolutionary wearable device that empowers users to interact with technology effortlessly through hand gestures. As the demand for this innovative product continues to grow, Wearable Devices is committed to providing an accessible and informative platform for both existing and potential customers.

08:33 EST Cryoport's Cryopdp expands acquires Bluebird Express - Cryoport acquired Bluebird Express, a provider of time-sensitive domestic and international transportation services. Bluebird Express will join Cryoport's Cryopdp business unit. Bluebird Express, headquartered in Valley Stream, New York, has more than 20 years of experience in logistics solutions, specializing in domestic and international air and ground transportation. With key operations centers in Los Angeles & New York JFK, Bluebird Express is a fully accredited cargo agent certified by the International Air Transport Association and an indirect air carrier authorized and regulated by the TSA. Cryopdp operates in 16 countries worldwide.

08:32 EST Cheetah Net Supply Chain signs letter of intent to acquire Edward Transit - Cheetah Net Supply Chain Services announced the signing of a letter of intent with Edward Transit Express Group, a California-based global inbound non-vessel operating common carrier providing ocean and air transportation services. Edward operates a weekly consolidation service through its worldwide agency network system for loose cargoes and full containers for inbound and outbound shipments. The total purchase price for Edward is $1.5M, consisting of $300,000 in cash and $1.2 million in Cheetah's Class A common stock. The completion of the transaction is subject to various conditions, including the favorable completion of due diligence on Edward and the entry of a definitive agreement. The anticipated completion timeframe is early 2024. Chairman and CEO Tony Liu commented, "As a supplier of parallel-imported automobiles, we recognize the pivotal role logistics plays in the contemporary service industry. We believe possessing a self-operated logistics system is critical for our long-term growth. This transaction underscores our commitment to evolving Cheetah into a comprehensive international trade service provider." Liu added, "We will continue to actively seek additional strategic and financially attractive acquisitions to strengthen our logistics services and augment our ability to provide comprehensive and integrated supply chain solutions."

08:25 EST WISeKey, Caspian Container launch Smart Container Consortium - WISeKey International Holding in collaboration with Caspian Container Company announced the formation of a groundbreaking consortium at the Global Freight Summit in Dubai. This pioneering initiative, known as the Smart Container Consortium, is dedicated to revolutionizing container logistics through the deployment of IoT-enabled devices and sensors. This innovative approach ensures global, real-time tracking and tracing capabilities via the WISeSat Satellite constellation.

08:23 EST Dermata Therapeutics to begin enrollment in DMT310 Phase 3 program in December - Dermata Therapeutics announces agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the DMT310 Phase 3 clinical protocols for the treatment of acne. This agreement allows the Company to initiate the Phase 3 clinical trial program, with plans to begin enrolling patients in the first Phase 3 clinical trial in December 2023.

08:20 EST NLS Pharmaceutics implements workforce reduction of 50% - In conjunction with the ongoing strategic process, NLS has implemented a workforce reduction of approximately 50%. This includes a pause on consulting agreements, reduction in non-clinical staff, reduction in non-esstential operating expenses.

08:19 EST KULR Technology to develop advanced thermal management for aerospace - KULR Technology Group announced an initial engagement with a Tier-1 aerospace and defense manufacturer. The contract, with a revenue potential of between $6 million to $7 million over multiple years, involves the development of a Phase Change Material Module, PCMM, designed to ensure thermal stability for critical components used in space environments. KULR's proprietary PCMM will be a key element in the broader program, serving to maintain precise temperature control under the extreme conditions of space operations. A prototype unit will be developed first, enabling the Tier-1 Manufacturer to conduct thorough performance evaluations in preparation for the subsequent flight units. "This new venture is a landmark achievement for us at KULR," said Michael Mo, CEO and Co-Founder of KULR Technology Group. "It's a natural synergy, aligning the customer's needs with our specialized thermal management solutions. While this is our first project together, we are enthusiastic about the potential for a long-term partnership."

08:17 EST Aqua Metals advocates for circular battery economy - Aqua Metals presented its case that building a truly circular supply chain for critical minerals requires building an economy centered around sustainability at this year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, Multistakeholder Forum. The Company's Chief Business Officer, Dave McMurtry, joined a panel discussion at the gathering of global leaders from various governments, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, youth, workforce, and women's groups that convened as part of the APEC summit in San Francisco to foster collaboration and dialogue throughout the Pacific region. During the forum, McMurtry shared the following remarks as part of a panel discussion: "The global push to electrify everything and transform our economy with abundant renewable energy is reliant on creating a sustainable and circular supply chain for the critical minerals and resources that underpin these clean technologies. We must understand that sustainability extends beyond only emissions reduction. We see the path to a decarbonized future that equitably distributes both its challenges and its rewards."

08:16 EST Macy's: No change to annual credit card revenue assumptions

08:13 EST Akari Therapeutics presents poster on progress on PASylated-nomacopan - Akari Therapeutics announced the presentation of progress in the development of long-acting PASylated-nomacopan as a potential treatment for geographic atrophy secondary to dry age-related macular degeneration, dAMD, in a poster at the 4th Annual Dry AMD Therapeutic Development conference. "I'm pleased with the significant progress we have made in the development of long-acting PAS-nomacopan as a geographic atrophy treatment with the potential to address significant unmet needs, including a longer dose interval with fewer needle injections into the eye and reduction in the risk of choroidal neovascularization that is associated with approved complement-only inhibitors," said Akari Chief Scientific Officer Miles Nunn. "Part of this progress is the advancement of a high yield manufacturing process that supports our program moving into clinical trials in 2024."

08:11 EST MaxCyte joins the alliance for mRNA Medicines as a founding member - MaxCyte announced that it has joined the Alliance for mRNA Medicines, AMM, as a founding member. AMM is the leading global organization dedicated to advancing and advocating for mRNA and next-generation encoding RNA therapeutics and vaccines for the benefit of patients, public health and society. "We proudly join our colleagues in advancing AMM's mission as we recognize the significant potential of mRNA scientific innovation to transform human health," said Doug Doerfler, President and CEO of MaxCyte. "Our versatile, leading electroporation platform continues to provide scientific innovators with a powerful and flexible transfection method to accelerate the development of critical medicines and vaccines. We remain steadfast in our commitment to enable development of new applications for mRNA technology."

08:10 EST Windtree Therapeutics announces issuance of pure SERCA2a activator patent - Windtree Therapeutics announced that the European Patent Office has granted Patent No. 3805243, providing composition of matter patent coverage for the pure SERCA2a Activator class of drug candidates. The pure SERCA2a Activators are one of two families of preclinical drug candidates that act on SERCA2a in the Company's pipeline. The pure SERCA2a Activators are devoid of action on the Na+/K+ pump while activating SERCA2a. The new European patent, titled: "ANDROSTANE DERIVATIVES WITH ACTIVITY AS PURE OR PREDOMINANTLY PURE STIMULATORS OF SERCA2A FOR THE TREATMENT OF Heart Failure," provides patent protection until October 9, 2039 for the family of compounds with the pure SERCA2a mechanism of action. The other family of SERCA2a Activators is the dual mechanism of action which the Company previously announced had received composition of matter patents from the European Patent Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. "SERCA2a activity is decreased in heart failure. Windtree believes activation of SERCA2a represents a potentially important advancement in heart failure treatment for patients," said Craig Fraser, CEO of Windtree Therapeutics. "Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is a condition in which the heart's main pumping chamber becomes stiff and unable to fill properly. SERCA2a activation has the potential to be beneficial in this type of heart failure that accounts for nearly one-half of the chronic heart failure patients. Given the potential for oral use, it could be utilized in both the chronic out-patient and hospital markets."

08:09 EST NeoGames' Pariplay continues North American expansion - NeoGames announced that its subsidiary Pariplay is continuing to expand its presence in North America through a partnership with Hard Rock Digital and its Hard Rock Bet platform in New Jersey. The new partnership sees Pariplay launch slot games from its game studio, Wizard Games, through its Fusion aggregation platform. The launch further strengthens Wizard Games' foothold in a key market, adding to several existing partnerships in New Jersey. The studio's games are also live in other regions in North America, including Michigan, West Virginia, Alberta, Ontario, and Atlantic Canada. Tsachi Maimon, President and Head of iGaming at NeoGames, said: "New Jersey is an extremely important market for us, so we're delighted to be growing further with Hard Rock Digital. We've got a fantastic portfolio of high-quality content, and we're looking forward to bringing our games to even more players through a fruitful partnership."

08:07 EST LinkBancorp's merger with Partners Bancorp approved by Federal Reserve Board - LinkBancorp (LNKB) and Partners Bancorp (PTRS) received regulatory approval from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the final regulatory approval required to complete the previously announced merger of equals transaction under which Partners will merge with and into Link in an all-stock transaction, with Link as the surviving corporation. In connection with the Merger, The Bank of Delmarva and Virginia Partners Bank will each merge with and into LinkBank, with LINKBANK as the surviving sole bank subsidiary of Link. The merger is expected to close on November 30, pending satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

08:06 EST Vermilion Energy acquires common shares, warrants of Coelacanth Energy - Vermilion Energy announces that it has filed an early warning report in respect of its holdings in Coelacanth Energy. Vermilion has acquired ownership of, or control and direction over, additional common shares of Coelacanth in an amount equal to more than 2% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, thereby triggering the requirement to file an early warning report. Prior to the Transactions, Vermilion had ownership of, or control and direction over, an aggregate of 69,342,595 Common Shares, representing approximately 16.3% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Following the Transactions, Vermilion now has ownership of, or control and direction over, an aggregate of 97,682,604 Common Shares, representing approximately 18.55% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (and 104,682,604 Common Shares, assuming exercise of the Warrants, representing approximately 19.62% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis).

08:05 EST Perspective completes initial dose escalation cohort for targeted alpha therapy - Perspective Therapeutics announced the completion of cohort 1 dosing in the Phase 1/2a clinical trial of [212Pb]VMT-alpha-NET in patients with unresectable or metastatic somatostatin receptor type 2-expressing neuroendocrine tumors. This milestone follows the recent completion of the first dose escalation cohort for Perspective's melanoma therapeutic [212Pb]VMT01. The Company currently has two active clinical trial sites for the trial and anticipates that two additional sites will become operational in December, coinciding with the launch of cohort 2. Overall, the Company remains on track to launch an additional 14 clinical trial sites throughout the U.S. including the Mayo Clinic, the University of Iowa and more.

08:04 EST Infobird announces 1-for-20 share onsolidation and authorized share increase - Infobird shareholders approved the proposed 1-for-20 share consolidation of its ordinary shares of 2.5c par value each and increase of the company's authorized share capital immediately after the Share Consolidation takes effect. Beginning November 20, the company's ordinary shares will begin trading on a post-Share Consolidation basis on Nasdaq under the same symbol "IFBD", but under a new CUSIP number of G47724128. The objective of the share consolidation is to enable the company to regain compliance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5550(a) and maintain its listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Every twenty issued and outstanding ordinary shares of a par value of 2.5c each will automatically be consolidated into one issued and outstanding ordinary share of a par value of 50c each. The Share Consolidation will not alter any shareholder's percentage interest in the company's outstanding ordinary shares.

08:04 EST Macy's sees announcing less than 10 locations for closure in early 2024

08:03 EST NV5 Global acquires Technical Design Services - NV5 Global announced that it has acquired Technology Design Services, TDSi, a provider of technology infrastructure design and consulting services. TDSi specializes in the design, integration, and implementation of data center, technology, audio visual, security, and telecommunications systems to assist clients with meeting their data communications infrastructure. "TDSi's data center and technology design services strengthen our capabilities in two of the fastest growing, and most profitable businesses within NV5. The acquisition also bolsters our relationships with premiere clients in the aviation and government sectors," said Dickerson Wright, PE, Chairman & CEO of NV5. "We look forward to the expanded capabilities that we can now offer to the domestic data center and technology design sector and to the contributions that the TDSi team will make for NV5's growth in these key segments."

08:02 EST Praxis Precision Medicines receives PRIME designation from EMA for PRAX-222 - Praxis Precision Medicines announced that the European Medical Agency, EMA, has awarded its Priority Medicines, PRIME, designation for elsunersen, PRAX-222, for the treatment of SCN2A Gain of Function developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. The EMA's PRIME designation provides enhanced development support for priority medicines that target an unmet need and was granted based on the Part 1 data from the EMBRAVE study that showed a reduction in seizures and improvement in seizure free days, as well as preclinical data. "Elsunersen has the potential to significantly impact the lives of patients with SCN2A-DEE and their families," said Marcio Souza, president and chief executive officer of Praxis. "We welcome the recognition by the EMA of not only the unmet need in the condition, but the breakthrough potential of elsunersen and look forward to working closely with patients and regulators globally to advance the program."

07:46 EST Jacobs awarded water and wastewater utilities renewal contract in New Mexico - Jacobs was awarded a five-year contract renewal for operations and maintenance of the City of Farmington, New Mexico's, wastewater and surface water treatment plants and wastewater collection and drinking water distribution systems. The new contract incorporates Aqua DNA, a Digital OneWater solution from Jacobs' suite of products that assists water utilities in their response to climate change, tightening regulations, workforce shortages and operational performance. Jacobs will also use Aqua DNA to monitor collection system levels, adjust operations to prevent overflows and improve energy efficiency. The five-year contract commences January 1, 2024, with an initial contract value of $9M per year. Jacobs has provided O&M services to the City of Farmington since 1999.

07:42 EST Argenx announces EC approval of subcutaneous VYVGART for gMG - argenx announced that the European Commission approved SC injectable VYVGART as an add-on to standard therapy for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis in adult patients who are anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody positive. The EC previously approved VYVGART IV in August 2022. Following this decision, VYVGART is now approved in Europe for both IV and self-administered SC use. The approval is applicable to all 27 European Union Member States plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. argenx will work with local health authorities to secure patient access for VYVGART SC in the region. The EC approval follows a positive recommendation from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use and is based on positive results from the Phase 3 ADAPT-SC study. ADAPT-SC established the efficacy of VYVGART SC by demonstrating a reduction in anti-AChR antibody levels comparable to VYVGART IV in adult gMG patients. ADAPT-SC was a bridging study to the Phase 3 ADAPT study, which formed the basis for approval of VYVGART IV in Europe in August 2022.

07:40 EST Surmodics announces 36-month data from TRANSCEND trial - Surmodics announced that 36-month data from its TRANSCEND clinical trial was presented by Peter Schneider at the 50th Annual VEITH Symposium in New York, New York. The TRANSCEND trial is a prospective, multi-center, single-blind, randomized, controlled trial to assess the safety and efficacy of the SurVeil drug coated balloon versus the IN.PACT Admiral DCB for treatment of superficial femoral and proximal popliteal artery lesions. A total of 446 patients were randomized to either the low-dose paclitaxel SurVeil DCB or the high-dose paclitaxel IN.PACT Admiral DCB at 65 sites in the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Latvia and New Zealand. The primary efficacy endpoint is 12-month primary patency, defined as freedom from binary restenosis or clinically driven target lesion revascularization. Primary patency was comparable between the SurVeil DCB and IN.PACT Admiral. The primary safety endpoint is freedom from device or procedure related death within 30 days and above-ankle amputation or CD-TVR within 12 months, which also demonstrated comparable outcomes between SurVeil DCB and IN.PACT Admiral DCB. Non-inferiority was tested using a multiple imputation approach at one-sided alpha 0.025. Data demonstrates the SurVeil DCB is non-inferior to the IN.PACT Admiral DCB with regards to both safety and efficacy, while delivering a substantially lower drug dose. Both the SurVeil and IN.PACT Admiral DCBs utilize coatings with the anti-proliferative drug paclitaxel. However, the IN.PACT Admiral DCB has a 75% higher drug load of paclitaxel than the SurVeil DCB, which has a 2.0 undefined/mm drug load. Patient outcomes are being collected at 1, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. Intermediate-term secondary outcomes included clinically driven target lesion revascularization, major target limb amputation (TLA), thrombosis at the target lesion, and historical major adverse events. A total of 352/363 patients completed their 36-month visit. The SurVeil DCB, which previously demonstrated noninferior primary safety and effectiveness outcomes through 12 months with a lower paclitaxel dose, continues to demonstrate similar outcomes at intermediate-term follow-up of 36 months compared with the high-dose IN.PACT Admiral DCB in the treatment of patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease, or PAD, caused by stenosis of the femoral and/or popliteal arteries. Results at 36 months for SurVeil versus IN.PACT Admiral were statistically comparable, including CD-TLR, major TLA, thrombosis at the target lesion and historical MAEs.

07:36 EST Surmodics announces 24-month data from SWING trial - Surmodics announced that 24-month data from the SWING Trial, a first-in-human study of the safety and performance of the Sundance Sirolimus Drug-Coated Balloon, or DCB, was presented at the 50th annual VEITH Symposium in New York, New York. The SWING Trial is a 35-subject prospective, multi-center, single-arm, feasibility study to evaluate the safety and performance of the Sundance Sirolimus DCB when used to treat occlusive disease of the infrapopliteal arteries. The SWING Trial enrolled subjects with stenotic or occluded lesions of the infrapopliteal arteries, a reference vessel diameter of 2 mm to 4 mm, and a total lesion length of less than or equal to230 mm for treatment with the Sundance Sirolimus DCB at eight sites in Australia, New Zealand, and/or Europe. Study subjects will be followed for 36 months post index procedure. The primary safety endpoint is defined as the number of subjects with a composite of freedom from Major Adverse Limb Event, or MALE, and perioperative death at 30 days following the index procedure. The primary efficacy endpoint is the rate of late lumen loss at six months, as assessed by quantitative vascular angiography. Both primary endpoints of the SWING Trial were achieved. Primary safety endpoint data showed no perioperative deaths or major amputations at 30 days, and just one major re-intervention was reported among the 35 trial subjects. The per protocol, or PP, population reported an 8.3% rate of major adverse events at six months, with no additional adverse events reported for PP subjects in the 12 or 24-month data. Primary efficacy data show late lumen loss of 1.0 mm across 35 lesions at six months, indicating that the large luminal gain achieved immediately after the procedure was sustained post procedure. Target lesion primary patency rate, defined as freedom from target vessel occlusion or target lesion revascularization associated with deterioration of Rutherford Clinical Classification and/or increase in size of pre-existing wounds and lesion restenosis greater than 50%, was 71.4% at 24 months in the PP population. The Rutherford Clinical Classification describes seven categories of peripheral artery disease, including both the patient's clinical symptoms as well as objective findings, and is used to assess disease progression.

07:33 EST SHF originates $3M first lien secured loan for multi-tenant cannabis building - SHF Holdings announced that it has facilitated the funding of a $3 million loan for a multi-tenant cannabis industrial building in California. Dan Roda, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Safe Harbor Financial commented, "We continue to see strong demand from across the cannabis industry for loans with competitive rates to support long-term growth. Our unique ability to service these businesses with market-competitive credit not only enhances Safe Harbor's position as a leading credit originator to the cannabis industry, it also demonstrates the scale of our powerful fintech platform. We look forward to capitalizing on additional opportunities to achieve outsized risk-adjusted returns within the cannabis commercial real estate sector."

07:31 EST GigaCloud announces acquisition of Wondersign - GigaCloud Technology announced that it has completed the acquisition of a 100% equity interest of Apexis, a Florida corporation dba Wondersign, for a total cash consideration of $10M, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. Wondersign is a cloud-based interactive digital signage and e-catalog management SaaS company headquartered in Tampa, Florida with access to thousands of storefronts across the United States through its customers. "We are thrilled to announce this acquisition of Wondersign, which brings together our technology-driven GigaCloud Marketplace with the expertise and extensive network of Wondersign, further accelerating our reach to brick-and-mortar retail stores. One of the key strategic advantages of this acquisition is the ability for us to launch an exciting new solution, the GIGA IQ package, our new innovative solution package which is expected to enhance the transaction experience for both users on our GigaCloud Marketplace and traditional retail customers from brick-and-mortar stores," said Larry Wu, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of GigaCloud.

07:25 EST Alibaba scraps full spin-off of Cloud Intelligence Group - The company said, "The recent expansion of U.S. restrictions on export of advanced computing chips has created uncertainties for the prospects of Cloud Intelligence Group. We believe that a full spin-off of Cloud Intelligence Group may not achieve the intended effect of shareholder value enhancement. Accordingly, we have decided to not proceed with a full spin-off, and instead we will focus on developing a sustainable growth model for Cloud Intelligence Group under the fluid circumstances."

07:19 EST Shoe Carnival falls 9% to $22.00 after Q3 results miss, FY23 guidance cut

07:18 EST VNET Group to receive $299M strategic investment from Shandong Hi-Speed - VNET Group announced that Success Flow and Choice Faith Group have entered into an investment agreement with VNET to make an equity investment in an aggregate amount of $299M in the company. Both Success Flow and Choice Faith are beneficially owned by Shandong Hi-Speed Holdings - SDHG -, the shares of which are listed on the Main Board of The Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Success Flow will make an equity investment of $209.3M in the company by subscribing for 455,296,932 newly issued Class A ordinary shares of the company and Choice Faith will make an equity investment of $89.7M in the company by subscribing for 195,127,260 newly issued Class A ordinary shares of the company, both in cash at a subscription price of $0.4597 per Class A ordinary share of the company, or $2.7582 per ADS. Each ADS represents six Class A ordinary shares. After the investment, Success Flow and Choice Faith will hold approximately 29.5% and 12.6% of the total issued and outstanding shares of the company, and approximately 25.0% and 10.7% of the voting power, respectively. The closing of the proposed investment is expected to occur around the end of 2023 or January 2024.

07:16 EST OTC Markets Group welcomes PyroGenesis Canada to OTCQX - OTC Markets Group announced PyroGenesis Canada has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. PyroGenesis Canada Inc. previously traded on NASDAQ.

07:15 EST EyePoint reports inducement grants under Nasdaq listing rule - EyePoint Pharmaceuticals announced that the Company granted non-statutory stock options to new employees as inducement awards outside the Company's 2023 Long-Term Incentive Plan in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The Company granted stock options to purchase up to an aggregate of 15,000 shares of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals common stock to five new employees. The stock options were granted on November 15, 2023. The grants were approved by the Compensation Committee and made as an inducement material to each employee entering into employment with EyePoint Pharmaceuticals in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The option awards have an exercise price of $6.69 per share, the closing price of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals' common stock on November 15, 2023. The options have a ten-year term and vest over four years, with 25% of the original number of shares vesting on the first anniversary of the applicable employee's date of grant and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over the following three years. Vesting of the options is subject to the employee's continued service with EyePoint Pharmaceuticals through the applicable vesting dates.

07:14 EST Xtract One partners with NWSL's Kansas City Current, CPKC Stadium - Xtract One Technologies announced its SmartGateway System has been selected to protect the new 11,500-capacity CPKC Stadium, as a result of the Company's partnership with Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League. With this partnership, Xtract One will work closely with KC Current and CPKC Stadium to deploy cutting-edge security and weapon detection technology solutions tailored to the team's needs and dynamic, community-centric venue environment. "We're proud to lead the way in stadium security for KC Current as they usher in this new era of community experience at CPKC Stadium," said Peter Evans, CEO of Xtract One. "It's important to us that we take care of ensuring fans' safety, while allowing players and coaching staff to focus on what they do best: delivering unforgettable soccer matches. Our goal is to make the CPKC Stadium experience enjoyable, secure, and memorable for all those who step through its gates."

07:12 EST Homology Medicines, Q32 Bio enter all-stock merger agreement - Q32 Bio and Homology Medicines (FIXX) announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine the companies in an all-stock transaction. The combined company will focus on advancing Q32 Bio's wholly owned clinical development candidates for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Upon completion of the merger, the combined company will operate as Q32 Bio, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, and is expected to trade under the Nasdaq ticker symbol "QTTB". In support of the merger agreement, Q32 Bio has entered into an agreement for a $42 million private placement with participation from existing and new investors including OrbiMed, Atlas Venture, Abingworth, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY), Acorn Bioventures, Osage University Partners, CU Healthcare Innovation Fund, Sanofi Ventures (SNY), Agent Capital and other undisclosed investors. Proceeds from the proposed transactions will be used to advance the clinical development of Q32 Bio's two wholly owned assets, bempikibart, for which Q32 Bio earlier today announced it regained all rights from Amgen, and ADX-097. Bempikibart, Q32 Bio's lead program, is a fully human anti-IL-7Ralpha antibody that re-regulates adaptive immune function by blocking signaling mediated by both IL-7 and TSLP and is currently being evaluated in two Phase 2 trials, with one clinical trial evaluating the use in atopic dermatitis and one evaluating the use in alopecia areata. All data from the Phase 2 trials remain blinded and Q32 Bio remains on track to report topline Phase 2 results in the second half of 2024. ADX-097 is based on a novel platform enabling tissue-targeted regulation of the complement system without long-term systemic blockade, a key differentiator from current complement therapeutics. Q32 Bio recently completed a first-in-human, Phase 1 ascending dose clinical study of ADX-097 in healthy volunteers. Results from the Phase 1 clinical trial demonstrated a favorable tolerability and immunogenicity profile across all single and multiple dose cohorts and weekly subcutaneous dosing met exposures for predicted complete complement inhibition in the tissue with no systemic inhibition. Q32 Bio will be commencing an open-label Phase 2 basket clinical trial, with initial data expected by year-end 2024, and a Phase 2 clinical trial in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis, with topline results from the AAV and basket trials expected in the second half of 2025. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Homology Medicines will issue to pre-merger Q32 Bio stockholders shares of Homology Medicines common stock as merger consideration in exchange for the cancellation of shares of capital stock of Q32 Bio, and Q32 Bio will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Homology Medicines. Stockholders of Q32 Bio will receive newly issued shares of Homology Medicines common stock pursuant to a formula set forth in the merger agreement. Pre-merger Homology Medicines stockholders are expected to own approximately 25% of the combined company and pre-merger Q32 Bio stockholders are expected to own approximately 75% of the combined company. The percentage of the combined company that pre-merger Q32 Bio stockholders and pre-merger Homology Medicines will own upon the closing of the merger is further subject to adjustment based on the amount of Homology Medicines' net cash at the time of closing. In connection with the closing of the proposed transactions, Homology Medicines stockholders will also be issued a contingent value right representing the right to receive certain payments from proceeds received by the combined company, if any, related to dispositions of Homology Medicines' pre-transaction legacy assets. Homology Medicines has discontinued development of its R&D programs, including HMI-103 for the treatment of PKU, and has been exploring strategic alternatives for its programs and platform technology. If Homology Medicines has not otherwise disposed of its ownership position in Oxford Biomedica Solutions, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) jointly established by Homology Medicines and Oxford Biomedica plc, and monetized its development programs, including HMI-103 for the treatment of PKU, Homology Medicines stockholders of record will be issued a CVR for each outstanding share of Homology Medicines common stock held by such Homology Medicines stockholder prior to the closing of the proposed merger. The CVR would represent the right to receive certain cash payments from proceeds received by Homology Medicines related to the sale or license of its development programs and platform technology and the exercise of a put/call option or other sale or disposition of Homology Medicines' minority ownership position in Oxford Solutions. The merger agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies. Upon closing of the proposed transaction, the combined company will be led by current members of the Q32 Bio leadership team including: Jodie Morrison, Chief Executive Officer; Shelia Violette, PhD, Founder & Chief Scientific Officer; Jason Campagna, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer; Saul Fink, PhD, Chief Technology Officer; Maria Marzilli, MPH, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Program Operations; David Appugliese, JD, Senior Vice President, Head of People. The Board of Directors of the combined company is expected to be comprised of nine members, consisting of seven members designated by Q32 Bio and two members designated by Homology Medicines. The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of each company and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the transaction by the stockholders of each company.

07:09 EST Akoustis awarded Phase 2 for DARPA COFFEE program - Akoustis Technologies announced that it has successfully completed Phase 1 of its contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, to pursue new materials and device manufacturing methods that can scale its XBAW(R) technology to 18 GHz, and was awarded a new multi-year, multi-million dollar contract for Phase 2 of the DARPA COmpact Front-end Filters at the ElEment-level, COFFEE, program. In DARPA's COFFEE program, Akoustis developed a novel technology to overcome trade-offs inherent in traditional BAW frequency scaling approaches. Akoustis plans to introduce XP3F filters and resonators that fully exploit the entire electromechanical coupling capability of the underlying piezoelectric material. Jeff Shealy, founder and CEO of Akoustis, stated, "The first phase of the COFFEE program has been a resounding success for Akoustis as we have been able to fully leverage the inherent advantages of single crystal materials to develop a superior technology over purely poly-crystal based technologies." Mr. Shealy continued, "Through DARPA COFFEE, we successfully introduced a new method of BAW overtone operation that can maintain high Q-factor while mitigating the decrease in electromechanical coupling. Combining our existing, patented XBAW(R) technology and the XP3F overtone technology developed in Phase 1 of COFFEE, we expect to advance the state-of the-art in BAW RF filter technology from X-band through 18 GHz-specifically in terms of power handling, Q-factor, and electro-mechanical coupling relative to incumbent BAW technologies in the market today."

07:07 EST ADMA Biologics receives FDA approval for tenth plasma collection cent er - ADMA Biologics announced that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, approval for its tenth ADMA BioCenters plasma collection facility located in Laurel, Maryland. This plasma collection facility commenced operations and initiated source plasma collection in the first half of 2023. With the FDA approval announced today, this facility is now licensed to introduce into interstate commerce human source plasma for further manufacturing in the U.S. "The successful expansion of ADMA's plasma collection network accomplishes the Company's goal of plasma supply self-sufficiency, supports ongoing revenue growth objectives, and further enhances ADMA's profitability outlook. The approval is a testament to the BioCenters team's tireless commitment, and we thank the FDA for its efforts and expeditious review of the Laurel, MD Biologics License Application," said Adam Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer of ADMA.

07:05 EST AbbVie's Ubrelvy shows efficacy in migraine in The Lancet-published study - AbbVie announced detailed results published in The Lancet evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Ubrelvy 100 mg for the acute treatment of migraine when administered during the prodrome of a migraine attack. The Phase 3 study, PRODROME, showed that Ubrelvy given during the prodrome - 1-6 hours before the predicted onset of headache pain - significantly reduced the likelihood of development of moderate or severe headache and reduced functional disability compared to placebo within 24 hours post-dose. The prodrome is the earliest of four phases of a migraine attack and consists of various symptoms, including sensitivity to light and/or sound, fatigue, and neck pain, that can be an early sign that the headache phase will follow. Study results demonstrated: absence of moderate or severe intensity headache within 24 hours was achieved following 46% of qualifying prodrome events when treated with Ubrelvy vs. 29% of placebo-treated events; absence of moderate or severe intensity headache within 48 hours was achieved following 41% of qualifying prodrome events when treated with Ubrelvy vs. 25% of placebo-treated events; more patients had normal function within the 24 hours after treatment of qualifying prodrome events with Ubrelvy than after treatment with placebo; absence of headache of any intensity within 24 hours was achieved following 24% of qualifying prodrome events when treated with Ubrelvy vs. 14% of placebo-treated events. The safety population included 480 patients, and the efficacy analysis population included 477 patients. The most commonly reported prodrome symptoms in the study were sensitivity to light, fatigue, neck pain, sensitivity to sound and dizziness/lightheadedness. Ubrelvy was well-tolerated with no new safety signals observed when administered during the prodrome.

07:03 EST Children's Place plans to close 64 more stores by end of Q4 - The Company ended the third quarter of 2023 with 591 stores and square footage of 2.8 million, a decrease of 9% compared to the prior year. Consistent with the Company's store fleet optimization initiative, the Company permanently closed 5 stores during the third quarter of 2023 and has permanently closed 608 stores since 2013 and decreased total square footage by 2.4 million square feet or approximately 46%. The Company is planning to close approximately 64 more stores by the end of the fourth quarter, leaving the Company with a fleet of approximately 530 stores as we enter 2024.

06:59 EST Macy's reports Q3 gross margin 40.3%, up from 38.7% in the third quarter of 2022

06:58 EST Aecom to serve as reconstruction delivery partner for Ukraine's largest airport - Aecom has signed a memorandum of understanding with Boryspil International Airport to serve as reconstruction delivery partner for the rebuilding of Boryspil International Airport and support the reconstruction of the broader aviation sector of Ukraine. Located in Kyiv, Boryspil is Ukraine's largest airport and handled nearly 9.5 million passengers prior to the closure of Ukraine's air space at the start of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Through the announced partnership, Aecom will provide infrastructure advisory support for the reconstruction of Boryspil International Airport, including asset condition and capability assessment, design, engineering, program management, and construction management. Additionally, the company will assist in developing a program management capacity for the broader reconstruction of the nation's aviation sector.

06:51 EST MetLife completes risk transfer transaction with Global Atlantic Financial Group - MetLife has completed its risk transfer transaction with Global Atlantic Financial Group, a retirement and life insurance company. The transaction accelerates the run-off of MetLife Holdings, the company's closed-block businesses of its former U.S. Retail segment, representing approximately $19B of statutory reserves. The company will remain as administrator and service provider for the policies to be reinsured. MetLife Investment Management will also manage a significant amount of the assets under a five-year investment management agreement.

06:46 EST Berry Global increases quarterly dividend by 10% to 27.5c per share - Berry Global declared a quarterly cash dividend of 27.5c per share, a 10% increase from the previous dividend amount, bringing the new annualized dividend to $1.10 per share. The new quarterly dividend is payable on December 15, 2023, to stockholders of record as of December 1, 2023.

06:38 EST Teleflex enrolls first patient in MANTA Vascular Closure Device registry - Teleflex announced the first patient enrollment in a clinical registry that is intended to examine and collect data on outcomes of contemporary on-label use of the MANTA Vascular Closure Device - VCD - in standard of care transcatheter aortic valve replacement - TAVR - procedures. The registry will include appropriate patient selection and proper vascular access. The ACCESS-MANTA Registry is an international, multicenter, prospective, observational, single-arm clinical registry. It will employ the primary objectives of safety and effectiveness.

06:31 EST PulteGroup raises quarterly dividend 25% to 20c per share - PulteGroup announced that its Board of Directors has voted to increase the company's quarterly dividend by 25% to 20c per common share. The increase will be effective with the company's next scheduled dividend, which is payable January 3, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 19, 2023.

06:23 EST Shoe Carnival sees year end inventory dollars down over 10% vs. 2022 - The company's inventory optimization improvement plan continued to progress ahead of target, with third quarter 2023 ending inventory 6% lower than the prior year. The company remains on track to achieve further inventory efficiencies this year and expects year end inventory dollars to be down over 10% versus fiscal 2022 year end.

06:17 EST Radware to provide network and application security to American airport - Radware was selected to provide network and application security to protect the data centers for one of North America's top 20 busiest airports. Radware's Cloud DDoS Protection Service and Cloud Application Protection Services were purchased to increase data center and application defenses and speed time to protection. Radware secured the new customer agreement in combination with partner Wipro. Wipro is focused on building innovative solutions that address complex digital transformation needs. The consulting company has approximately 250,000 employees and business partners across more than 60 countries.

06:07 EST Golden Heaven responds to 'baseless allegations' on certain websites - Golden Heaven Group issued the following statement in response to baseless allegations that appeared on certain websites believed to be supported and working in concert with short sellers. "Golden Heaven strongly believes that the carelessly assembled report contains numerous errors of facts, misleading speculations and malicious interpretations of events surrounding the company's operations. The report presents both an array of factual errors and numerous inflammatory and misleading statements demonstrating a fundamental lack of understanding of the company financial statements and our business. Moreover the report was designed to encourage market fear by taking unsubstantiated and uncorroborated pictures and assertions that are designed to cause fear and panicked selling in a global capital market that is already precarious. Golden Heaven's Board of Directors has been informed of the allegations and will consider and decide on the necessary and appropriate course of action in response to the allegations. Golden Heaven will release additional, detailed information concerning the allegations in due course. The company is committed to providing full and accurate disclosure to investors and to rebutting any false claims that attempt to undermine confidence in its business, management, operations and prospects. The company is planning on launching a full investigation and holding those behind these baseless attacks responsible. The company's management and Board of Directors wishes to thank its loyal shareholders who were able to tell the truth from the baseless scare tactics that has kept the stock price stable."

05:52 EST Accenture to acquire Solnet, terms undisclosed - Accenture has agreed to acquire Solnet, an IT services provider with deep technology consulting experience for New Zealand government and private organizations across multiple industries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

05:46 EST Microsoft rebrands Bing Chat as Microsoft Copilot - Microsoft on Wednesday announced that it has rebranded Bing Chat as Microsoft Copilot in an effort to take on ChatGPT. The company is pitching Copilot as the free version of its AI chatbot and Copilot for Microsoft 365 as the paid version. Reference Link

05:37 EST Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Crispr Therapeutics get MHRA authorization for Casgevy - Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) and Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP) announced that the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, has granted conditional marketing authorization for Casgevy, a CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy, for the treatment of sickle cell disease, or SCD, and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia, or TDT. Casgevy has been authorized for the treatment of eligible patients 12 years of age and older with SCD with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises, or VOCs, or TDT, for whom a human leukocyte antigen, or HLA, matched related hematopoietic stem cell donor is not available. There are an estimated 2,000 patients eligible for Casgevy in the U.K. In two global clinical trials of Casgevy in SCD and TDT, the trials met their respective primary outcome of becoming free from severe VOCs or transfusion independent for at least 12 consecutive months. Once achieved, these benefits are potentially expected to be life-long. The safety profile of 97 SCD and TDT patients treated to date with Casgevy in these ongoing studies is generally consistent with myeloablative conditioning with busulfan and hematopoietic stem cell transplant.