Stockwinners Market Radar for December 01, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:50 EST micromobility.com Inc trading halted, news pending

18:54 EST Centene unit awarded long-term care Medicaid contract - Centene announced that its subsidiary, Arizona Complete Health, the largest Medicaid health plan in Arizona, has been selected by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Arizona's single state Medicaid agency, to provide managed care for the Arizona Long Term Care System. The program supports nearly 26,000 Arizonans who are elderly and/or have a physical disability with physical and behavioral healthcare, as well as provides pharmacy benefits. The ALTCS-E/PD contract will begin on Oct. 1, 2024, and is a three-year term with four optional one-year extensions, for a total of seven possible contract years.

17:41 EST Eli Lilly announces FDA approval of Jaypirca - Eli Lilly and Company announced that the U.S. FDA approved Jaypirca for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma who have received at least two prior lines of therapy, including a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor and a BCL-2 inhibitor. Jaypirca was approved under the FDA's Accelerated Approval pathway based on overall response rate and duration of response from the open-label, single-arm, multicohort, international, Phase 1/2 BRUIN trial. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

17:34 EST Topgolf Callaway, Vestis to join S&P 600 at open on 12/18 - Topgolf Callaway Brands (MODG) and Vestis (VSTS) will replace Clearfield (CLFD) and OneSpan (OSPN) respectively in the S&P SmallCap 600 at the open on December 18.

17:31 EST CB Financial Services to sell insurance agency subsidiary for $30.5M - CB Financial announced that the bank and Exchange Underwriters have entered into an asset purchase agreement with World Insurance Associates for a $30.5M cash purchase price plus possible additional revenue-based earn-out payments. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is anticipated to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023. Current leadership and direct employees of Exchange Underwriters are expected to join World.

17:27 EST Rambus, Comfort Systems USA to join S&P 400 at open on 12/18 - Rambus (RMBS) and Comfort Systems USA (FIX) will replace Jabil (JBL) and Builders FirstSource (BLDR) in the S&P MidCap 400, respectively, at the open on December 18.

17:24 EST Uber, Jabil, Builders FirstSource to join S&P 500 at open on 12/18 - Uber Technologies (UBER), Jabil (JBL), and Builders FirstSource (BLDR) will replace Sealed Air (SEE), Alaska Air Group (ALK) and SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG) in the S&P 500 respectively, at the open on December 18.

17:16 EST RTX awarded $145M Army contract - RTX was awarded a $145M hybrid contract for Qatar Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept of Target, or PATRIOT, depot operations, technical assistance, and new equipment training. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Doha, Qatar, with an estimated completion date of November 30, 2025. FY24 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $141.63M were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.

17:03 EST FLJ Group to implement ADS ratio change - FLJ Group announced that it plans to change the ratio of the American depositary shares representing its Class A ordinary shares from one ADS representing fifteen thousand Class A ordinary share to one ADS representing six hundred thousand Class A ordinary shares. For the ADS holders, the change in the ADS ratio will have the same effect as a one-for-forty reverse ADS split. There will be no change to the company's Class A ordinary shares. The effect of the ratio change on the ADS trading price on the Nasdaq Global Market is expected to take place at the open of trading on December 7, 2023. Holder of ADSs will be required on a mandatory basis to surrender their old ADSs to the company's depositary, The Bank of New York Mellon, in exchange for every forty then-held ADSs to receive one new ADS. The ADSs will continue to be traded on Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "FLJ." No fractional new ADSs will be issued in connection with the change in the ADS ratio. Instead, fractional entitlements to new ADSs will be aggregated and sold by the Depositary and the net cash proceeds from the sale of the fractional ADS entitlements will be distributed to the applicable ADS holders by the Depositary. As a result of the change in the ADS ratio, the ADS price is expected to increase proportionally, although the company can give no assurance that the ADS price after the change in the ADS ratio will be equal to or greater than forty times the ADS price before the change.

16:45 EST Citizens Holding trading resumes

16:30 EST PureCycle Technologies announces reduction-in-force of 22 employees - In a regulatory filing, PureCycle Technologies announced, on December 1, a reduction-in-force of 22 employees, the majority of whom are not associated with the company's Ironton, Ohio facility. Following the Separation, which is expected to be completed on December 1, 2023, the company will maintain approximately 160 employees. The reduction-in-force followed a zero based budgeting process at each function within the organization and was targeted toward optimizing the performance of the organization in the near-term. Consequently, the company expects to be able maintain its historical strategic direction. The company currently expects severance costs, principally in the form of payroll expenses, to total approximately $1M.

16:20 EST PureCycle Technologies names Jeff Fieler as interim CFO - PureCycle Technologies announced Jeff Fieler will take over as the company's interim CFO, following the resignation of Larry Somma. A search for Somma's permanent replacement is underway. Fieler has served as an independent member of the PureCycle Board of Directors since March 2021. He is currently a Senior Advisor of Sylebra Capital Management and has more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry.

16:16 EST 23andMe expects tp incur $1M-$2M in expenses from data breach - 23andMe disclosed in an updated filing that it expects to incur between $1M-$2M in onetime expenses related to its previously disclosed data breach incident during Q3, primarily consisting of technology consulting services, legal fees, and expenses of other third-party advisors. The company believes that such expenses and the direct or indirect business impacts of the incident could negatively affect its financial results. The company is not able to predict whether such direct or indirect impacts of the incident could have a material effect on its financial condition and/or results of operations for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

16:10 EST Citizens Holding trading halted, news pending

16:07 EST Satixfy Communications receives noncompliance notification from Nasdaq - SatixFy Communications announced that the company received written notice from the NYSE American stating that the company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards, as set forth in Sections 1003, 1003 and 1003 of the NYSE American Company Guide.

16:06 EST Xos announces 1-for-30 reverse stock split - Xos announced that it intends to effect a 1-for-30 reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock, effective at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 6, 2023. Beginning on December 7, 2023, Xos' common stock with the ticker symbol "XOS" will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market on a split-adjusted basis under the new CUSIP number 98423B 306. Xos' publicly traded warrants will continue to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol "XOSWW" and the CUSIP number for the warrants will remain unchanged.

15:19 EST Cal-Maine Foods believes plaintiffs' claims 'fail as a matter of law' - Cal-Maine Foods, which identifies itself as the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States, issued the following statement: "Approximately 20 years ago, United Egg Producers responded to growing public demand to improve the overall treatment of egg laying hens by adopting the UEP animal-welfare certified program. The UEP certified program was based on the recommendations of an independent scientific advisory committee, developed as a scientifically sound, voluntary program, supported by consumers, customers and numerous trade groups. This program was not designed to restrict supply and affect prices. In fact, despite the filing of this case almost 13 years ago, this program continues to serve as the foundation of numerous state laws, remains the predominant animal welfare standard for laying hens, and is still required by substantially all customers, to this day. The plaintiffs alleged that the prices they paid for processed egg products were increased by the defendants' conduct. The plaintiffs, however, continue to demand egg products created from UEP Certified eggs and/or eggs from hens that otherwise are humanely raised. On December 1, 2023, the jury returned a verdict awarding the plaintiffs $17,777,579 in damages. This decision is not final and remains subject to the motion for a directed verdict noted below. Cal-Maine Foods would share responsibility with the other three defendants for the payment of this amount, trebled, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and subject to previous settlement credits. Cal-Maine Foods respects the jury's decision and appreciates that the damages awarded by the jury are relatively modest compared to the damages sought but remains disappointed with the verdict as Cal-Maine Foods continues to believe that the Company did nothing wrong. The two earlier trials based on substantially the same facts and legal arguments resulted in findings of no conspiracy and/or damages. Because Cal-Maine Foods believes that the plaintiffs' claims fail as a matter of law, Cal-Maine Foods has petitioned the Court to enter a judgment in its favor, known as a directed verdict, notwithstanding the jury's decision. Significantly, the jury found that the UEP certified program itself does not constitute a restraint of trade. Also, because the egg producers in this case only represent 15.5 percent of the market, Cal-Maine Foods believes the law is clear that the defendants in issue did not have sufficient market power to restrain trade. Cal-Maine Foods looks forward to the Court's consideration of these arguments and will continue to evaluate its options, including, if necessary, an appeal."

14:04 EST Cingulate Inc trading resumes

13:59 EST Cingulate Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

13:14 EST Brilliant Acquisition Corp trading resumes

13:04 EST Brilliant Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

13:01 EST Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 3 to 625 rigs

12:31 EST Rio Tinto, Giampaolo Group complete Matalco aluminium recycling transaction - Rio Tinto and Giampaolo Group announced that they have completed a transaction to form the Matalco joint venture, combining the strengths of North America's largest primary and secondary aluminium producers to meet the growing demand from manufacturers for low carbon materials. Following the receipt of all regulatory approvals, Rio Tinto has acquired a 50% equity stake in the Matalco business from Giampaolo Group for $700M, subject to usual closing adjustments. The investment will expand Rio Tinto's aluminium business in the US, where demand for recycled aluminium is forecast to increase by more than 70% from 2022 to 2032. Matalco will remain the operator of the joint venture's six facilities in the United States and its Canadian site, which together have a capacity to produce approximately 900,000 tonnes of recycled aluminium per annum. Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm said: "Creating the Matalco joint venture gives Rio Tinto a leading position in the rapidly growing North American recycled aluminium market, allowing us to offer a full complement of low-carbon recycled products. We look forward to working in partnership with Giampaolo Group to support the drive to net zero by expanding recycled production and providing closed-loop recycling solutions to help our customers reduce their carbon footprint."

12:00 EST PROOF Acquisition falls -16.1% - PROOF Acquisition is down -16.1%, or -$3.23 to $16.77.

12:00 EST Worthington falls -35.2% - Worthington is down -35.2%, or -$25.20 to $46.49.

12:00 EST UiPath rises 26.2% - UiPath is up 26.2%, or $5.18 to $24.94.

11:53 EST Mazda Motor reports North America sales up 3% to 27,715 vehicles in November - Mazda North American Operations reported total November sales of 27,715 vehicles, an increase of 3% compared to November 2022. Year-to-date sales totaled 323,836 vehicles; an increase of 21% compared to the same time last year. With 25 selling days in November, compared to the same the year prior, the company posted an increase of 3% on a Daily Selling Rate, or DSR, basis.

11:15 EST First Interstate appoints Lori Meyer as EVP, CIO - First Interstate BancSystem has appointed Lori Meyer as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer. A longtime First Interstate Bank employee, Meyer started with the company in 1997 and has served in several leadership roles, including Director of Enterprise Planning from 2021 to 2023.

10:34 EST Norsk Hydro completes sale to Glencore - Hydro (NHYDY) has completed the $1.11B transaction for the sale of 30 percent interest in the Brazilian alumina refinery Hydro Alunorte and Hydro's 5 percent interest in the bauxite producer Mineracao Rio do Norte, together with Vale's (VALE) 40 percent stake in MRN. Hydro and Glencore (GLNCY) will continue efforts to reduce carbon emissions from Alunorte through the fuel switch project that aims to substitute fuel oil with LNG, and the electrification of boilers. This will bring Alunorte to the first decile on the global carbon curve already in 2025, positioning Alunorte as a leading supplier of low-carbon alumina. The partners are committed to continuing the development of social projects to improve the lives and livelihoods of nearby communities.The total enterprise value for the transaction is $1.11B, which was adjusted by $244M for 30 percent of Alunorte's net debt and deviation from normalized working capital as of June 30, 2023. The enterprise value and net debt exclude asset retirement obligations of $40M on a 30 percent basis. The parties have agreed to a post-closing price adjustment based on the financial performance of Alunorte and Hydro expects to pay the full capped amount of $55M in Q1 2024. Alunorte will continue to be consolidated in Hydro's financial accounts. There will be no remeasurement or recognized gain related to this transaction. Following the sale, Hydro remains the largest shareholder of Alunorte with 62 percent ownership. Glencore owns 30 percent of Alunorte, while the remaining four minority shareholders collectively own 8 percent.

10:27 EST Cosmos Health files patent application with EPO for CCX0722 product - Cosmos Health has filed a patent application with the European Patent Office under reference code PCT/EP2023/083947 for its CCX0722 obesity and weight management product. The patent application includes data derived from extensive scientific research and significant advancements in the development of CCX0722. By employing novel amino acid-based cross-linkers, a series of water-absorbent polymeric networks, known as superabsorbent hydrogels, has emerged as promising candidates for weight management and obesity. These SAHs achieve a swelling ratio of more than 100 g/g and demonstrate significantly superior characteristics compared to current alternatives.

10:00 EST PROOF Acquisition falls -29.8% - PROOF Acquisition is down -29.8%, or -$5.96 to $14.04.

10:00 EST Samsara rises 12.0% - Samsara is up 12.0%, or $3.32 to $30.86.

10:00 EST Elastic rises 30.5% - Elastic is up 30.5%, or $24.49 to $104.85.

09:47 EST Oscar Health falls -11.8% - Oscar Health is down -11.8%, or -$1.00 to $7.50.

09:47 EST Worthington falls -35.3% - Worthington is down -35.3%, or -$25.28 to $46.42.

09:47 EST UiPath rises 16.6% - UiPath is up 16.6%, or $3.27 to $23.04.

09:40 EST Proof Acquisition I Corp trading resumes

09:26 EST Limoneira commences process to explore potential strategic alternatives - Limoneira announced that its board, with the support of management, has commenced a process to explore potential strategic alternatives aimed at maximizing value for stockholders. As part of this process, the board is exploring a range of potential alternatives including, but not limited to, a sale of all or parts of the company, merger, and other potential strategic transactions. The board has retained Stephens Inc. as its financial advisor and Squire Patton Boggs as its legal advisor to assist with the exploration of alternatives.

09:19 EST Ollie's Bargain Outlet expands board with appointment of Mary Baglivo - Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings announced the appointment of Mary Baglivo as a member of its Board of Directors and as a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Ms. Baglivo is an independent director under applicable SEC and NASDAQ rules. Mary Baglivo has held roles as CEO of global advertising agencies, Saatchi & Saatchi, Arnold Worldwide, Panoramic Marketing, and Euro RSCG. Baglivo's appointment to the Board of Directors expands the number of board members to nine from eight. The appointment was effective as of November 30, 2023, and she will stand for election to the Board of Directors at the Company's 2024 annual meeting of stockholders.

09:11 EST BOK Financial sells insurance business to USI Insurance Services - BOK Financial announced the sale of its risk management and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting business offered through BOK Financial Insurance, Inc. to USI Insurance Services. This transaction will result in a pre-tax gain of $28 million after considering transaction-related expenses. BOK Financial will utilize this gain to realize an equivalent amount of losses in its available for sale securities portfolio and reposition into higher yielding securities. This will generate a net benefit to the company's recurring earnings on a go-forward basis. Headquartered in Denver, BOK Financial Insurance is a subsidiary of BOK Financial Corporation and a leading brokerage and consulting firm specializing in employee benefits and risk management programs. The company has additional offices located in Scottsdale and Oklahoma City. All of BOK Financial Insurance's 45 employees will join USI following the sale.

09:08 EST Scilex reports November ZTildo gross sales $14M-$15M - The Company estimates that: ZTlido gross sales for November 2023 were in the range of $14.0 million to $15.0 million with year-to-date gross sales through November 2023 in the range of $125.0 million to $135.0 million, compared to $84.6 million for year-to-date through November 2022, representing growth in the range of approximately 48% to 60%. Projected full year gross sales for ZTlido in 2023 are estimated to be in the range of $140.0 million to $150.0 million, compared to $96.0 million in 2022, representing estimated growth in the range of approximately 46% to 56%. ZTlido net sales for November 2023 were in the range of $3.9 million to $4.5 million with year-to-date net sales through November 2023 in the range of $40.0 million to $43.0 million, compared to $33.9 million for year-to-date through November 2022, representing growth in the range of approximately 18% to 27%. Projected full year net sales for ZTlido in 2023 are estimated to be in the range of $44.0 million to $50.0 million, compared to $38.0 million in 2022, representing estimated growth in the range of approximately 16% to 32%. Total product gross sales for November 2023 were in the range of $14.0 million to $16.0 million with year-to-date total product gross sales through November 2023 in the range of $130.0 million to $140.0 million, compared to $84.6 million for year-to-date through November 2022, representing growth in the range of approximately 54% to 65%. Total product net sales for November 2023 were in the range of $4.0 million to $4.6 million with year-to-date total product net sales through November 2023 in the range of $41.0 million to $44.0 million, compared to $33.9 million for year-to-date through November 2022, representing growth in the range of approximately 21% to 30%.

09:05 EST Limoneira trading halted, news pending

09:03 EST Bit Brother Limited purchases 3300 units of Antminer S19 miners - Bit Brother Limited is pleased to announce it purchased 3300 units of Antminer S19 miners, injecting powerful momentum into its Bitcoin mining operations. This substantial investment is expected to propelled Bit Brother's total hash rate to 400,000 TH/s assuming the 3300 units are fully functioning, further solidifying its emerging position in the cryptocurrency mining arena. The company's technical team, through relentless efforts, optimized the performance of the mining machines, enhancing mining efficiency to generate more substantial returns for investors.

09:02 EST CleanSpark provides November Bitcoin mining update - "We achieved our second-highest monthly bitcoin production despite increased difficulty and without using more energy," said Zach Bradford, CEO. "Our efficiency improved, dropping to 26.4 J/Th. We also saw a significant increase in production from fees, likely due to the growing interest in ordinals. This trend suggests that fees might soon become a larger source of revenue as bitcoin's use cases grow and adoption increases. Significantly, our operational uptime this month reached an exceptional 99.98%, a direct result of our teams' dedication and skill. Their commitment to excellence has been crucial in achieving these milestones. As CEO, I am profoundly proud of our collective efforts and optimistic about our future trajectory in efficiency and productivity." November Bitcoin Mining Update: Bitcoin mined in November: 666. CY2023 bitcoin mined: 6,671. Total BTC holdings as of November 30: 2,575. Total BTC sold in November: 402. Deployed fleet: 88,825. Month-end fleet efficiency: 26.4 J/Th. Current hashrate: 10.08 EH/s. The company sold 402 BTC in November 2023 at an average of approximately $36,600 per BTC. Sales of BTC equated to proceeds of approximately $14.7M. November daily BTC mined averaged 22.2 and reached a high of 26.1.

08:56 EST Hyundai Motor America reports November sales of 70,079 units, up 11% y/y - Hyundai Motor America reported best-ever total November sales of 70,079 units, an 11% increase compared with November 2022. This is the 16th month in a row Hyundai has seen increases in total sales. Hyundai set total sales records in November for IONIQ 5 (+99%), Santa Fe (+6%), Santa Fe HEV (+236%), Tucson (+36%) Tucson PHEV (+532%) and Palisade (+59%). All-time total sales records were set for Tucson and Santa Fe HEV.

08:37 EST GeneDx to present data on exome sequencing for patients with epilepsy - GeneDx announced new data to be presented at the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, December 1-5, 2023, that supports the use of exome sequencing as a first-tier test for patients with epilepsy. In a new study of 22,500 individuals with a clinical history of seizures or suspected seizures, researchers at GeneDx found that: Nearly 25% of this patient cohort received a genetic diagnosis through exome sequencing. Previously published literature cites the diagnostic rate of multi-gene panels for patients with epilepsy at 19%. Notably, 78% of patients in this exome positive cohort had prior genetic testing, suggesting that the previous tests did not resolve all clinical questions. The gap in diagnosis between exome sequencing and the multi-gene epilepsy panels can be largely attributed to the fact that more than half of seizure-related genes are not included on many commercially available epilepsy panels. Of those patients with a positive genetic diagnosis from exome sequencing, 11% had a variant in a treatment related gene. These data were collected between 2019 and 2022. In 2022, guidelines were published by the National Society of Genetic Counseling and endorsed by AES, recommending exome as a first-tier test for individuals with unexplained epilepsy. GeneDx will also present data at the conference that shows insurance may offer better coverage for exome sequencing than multi-gene panels for patients with epilepsy. The review of publicly available coverage policies from 12 national payers, regional payers, state Medicaid programs, and laboratory benefit managers, revealed that for outpatient individuals with epilepsy, broader payer coverage exists for exome sequencing than for multi-gene panels.

08:35 EST DigitalBridge appoints Thomas Mayrhofer as CFO - DigitalBridge announced an agreement with Thomas Mayrhofer to serve as the company's CFO and treasurer, effective by the second quarter of 2024. He will succeed Jacky Wu, who will continue in his role through the company's 2023 reporting cycle. Mayrhofer will join DigitalBridge on January 8, 2024, and work with Wu and the DigitalBridge team during the first quarter of 2024 to ensure a transition and complete the company's previously disclosed succession process.

08:33 EST Hanesbrands names Richard Mcleod chief marketing officer - HanesBrands (HBI) announced that Richard Mcleod has been named vice president, chief marketing officer of global Champion. Mcleod will be responsible for driving Champion's global brand strategy and omni-channel brand positioning. Mcleod joins Champion from Canada Goose (GOOS) where he was the senior vice president of the brand and responsible for brand evolution, growth, and performance.

08:32 EST Aetherium Acquisition receives Staff Determination Letter from Nasdaq - Aetherium Acquisition announced that on November 27, 2023, the company received a Staff Determination Letter from the Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market stating that on May 10, 2023, the Staff notified the company that the market value of its listed securities had been below the minimum $50,000,000 required for continued listing as set forth in Listing Rule 5450(b)(2)(A) for the previous 30 consecutive trading days. Subsequently, in accordance with Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(C), the company was provided 180 calendar days, or until November 6, 2023, to regain compliance with the Rule. To date, the company has not yet regained compliance with the Rule. As a result, the company was informed that its securities will be delisted from The Nasdaq Global Market on December 6th, 2023, unless the company requests an appeal, which it intends to do. Should the company not appeal, a Form 25-NSE will be filed with the SEC, which will remove the company's securities from listing and registration on The Nasdaq Stock Market.

08:21 EST Ligand, Palvella expand partnership to accelerate QTORIN rapamycin development - Palvella Therapeutics and Ligand Pharmaceuticals announced the expansion of their strategic partnership to accelerate Phase 3 development of QTORIN rapamycin for the treatment of Microcystic Lymphatic Malformations. According to the terms of the amended agreement, Palvella received an upfront payment of $5 million from Ligand. In return, Ligand's existing tiered royalty on worldwide commercial sales of QTORIN rapamycin increased to 8.0-9.8%. Additionally, Ligand was granted an option to acquire a single-digit royalty on each novel topical product candidate generated from Palvella's QTORIN platform which can be exercised at a future date.

08:18 EST SciSparc announces results from preclinical trial of PEA with Clearmind's MEAI - SciSparc announced earlier this week results from a pre-clinical trial performed by Professor Joseph Tam from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The trial was conducted as part of the collaboration between SciSparc and Clearmind Medicine. The combination treatment includes palmitoylethanolamide, an anti-inflammatory agent and the active ingredient of the Company's proprietary CannAmide, and MEAI, Clearmind's novel proprietary psychedelic treatment for various addictions, obesity, and depression. The goal of the trial was to identify the optimal dosage for the Combination Treatment and, in turn, observe the safety and impact thereof on various metabolic and behavioral parameters including fat oxidation, locomotor activity, and feeding behavior. Fourteen different treatment groups were created receiving single treatment doses ranging from 40, 20, 10, 5, 1, to 0.5 mg/kg of MEAI with or without a constant PEA dose of 25 mg/kg. MEAI administration exhibited a meaningful degree of tolerance, leaving the animals' viability unaffected across all experimental groups. Similar results were also observed in groups treated by the Combination Treatment, with the most prominent effects observed when combining MEAI and PEA, particularly at 20 and 10 mg/kg. Results indicated: The administered treatment exhibited a meaningful degree of tolerance, leaving the viability of the mice unaffected across all experimental groups. Combining MEAI and PEA, particularly at 20 and 10 mg/kg, led to increased oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide emission, coupled with elevated energy expenditure and fat oxidation. The changed rates of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide emission indicate increases in the metabolic process and fat burn. A notable reduction in food consumption and meal sizes was also observed, primarily at 40 and 20 mg/kg of MEAI. Slight elevations in carbohydrate oxidation were noted particularly at 20 and 10 mg/kg. At 40 and 20 mg/kg significant reductions in ambulation was noted, without affecting voluntary activity.

08:13 EST Akari Therapeutics appoints Samir Patel to board of directors - Akari Therapeutics announced the appointment of Samir Patel, M.D. to the Akari Board of Directors. Patel currently serves as founder and principal of PranaBio Investments, LLC, a firm providing consulting, strategic advisory, and investment services for small cap biotechnology companies.

08:12 EST Alignment Healthcare, musician Luis Miguel partner for campaign - Award-winning musician, Luis Miguel, and Alignment Health announced they are partnering on a new campaign - "Life is made of unique moments" - to celebrate the spirit of a life well-lived. Aimed at the Latin community, one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. population, the new campaign will feature the musician in multiple, Spanish-speaking television spots, direct mail, and print, digital and social media posts for Alignment starting in December 2023.

08:10 EST Rail Vision regains compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price rule - Rail Vision has received formal notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market stating that the Company has regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). Rail Vision is now in compliance with all applicable listing standards and its ordinary shares will continue to be listed and traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

08:08 EST Gain Therapeutics announces preclinical data on class of allosteric regulators - Gain Therapeutics announced the publication of preclinical data identifying a novel class of small molecule allosteric regulators that demonstrate therapeutic potential for galactosidase beta 1-related lysosomal storage disorders, including GM1 gangliosidosis. The study, "Validation of a highly sensitive HaloTag-based assay to evaluate the potency of a novel class of allosteric beta-Galactosidase correctors," was published in PLOS ONE. GM1-gangliosidosis is an inherited, progressive disorder characterized by the degeneration of brain and spinal cord cells, leading to muscle weakness, skeletal abnormalities, dystonia, and vision problems. Mutations in the GLB1 gene significantly reduce the activity and function of the lysosomal hydrolase enzyme beta-galactosidase due to protein misfolding. Depending on the age of onset, which can occur during infancy and up into adulthood, life expectancy of patients can be significantly shortened. Additionally, there are no available disease-modifying treatments for GM1 gangliosidosis, with available therapies only focused on reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. To enhance patient outcomes, there is a significant need to bring safe and effective treatments into the clinic that can alter progression of the disorder. In the PLOS ONE study, scientists from Gain used Gain's proprietary Site-directed Enzyme Enhancement Therapy technology followed by molecular interaction and ligand binding studies to identify and characterize two structurally targeted allosteric regulators of beta-Gal. A biochemical HaloTag cleavage assay was developed by the researchers from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine and utilized to measure lysosomal delivery capabilities of beta-Gal. Results showed that the two compounds stabilized, enhanced and restored the key biological lysosomal transport functions of beta-Gal and reduced the levels of the intracellular toxic substrate, GM1 ganglioside, in GM1 gangliosidosis patient-derived cells.

08:04 EST Mizuho closes acquisition of Greenhill - Mizuho Financial Group and Greenhill & Co. announced that Mizuho Americas has completed the acquisition of Greenhill, adding complementary services to the firm's existing capital markets, banking, and private capital advisory capabilities across the corporate and investment bank. Greenhill brings a strong talent network of more than 370 employees and continues to operate globally from its many locations around the world. Mizuho will maintain the Greenhill brand; Kevin Costantino and David Wyles will co-head the business, and Patrick Suehnholz will remain COO. The Greenhill Advisory business sits within Mizuho Americas' Banking Division led by Michal Katz. Through this transaction, Mizuho looks to accelerate its investment banking growth strategy, building on Greenhill's 27-year history of advising important clients on significant mergers & acquisitions, restructurings, and capital-raising transactions. Former CEO Scott Bok is Chairman of Greenhill Advisory reporting to Jerry Rizzieri, President & CEO of Mizuho Securities USA and Head of the Americas' Corporate & Investment Bank.

07:59 EST StoneCo appoints Gilberto Caldart as board member - StoneCo (STNE) announced additional board changes to support the next stage of the Company's growth. Stone's Board has approved the appointment of Gilberto Caldart as a Board Member. Caldart is a former Vice Chairman and President of International Markets at Mastercard (MA), where he worked more than 14 years. The appointment of Mr. Caldart is effective immediately.

07:40 EST Vista Outdoor accepted resignation of interim CEO, names Co-CEOs - In a regulatory filing, Vista Outdoor disclosed that on November 29, in connection with and in preparation for the consummation of the previously announced transaction among Vista Outdoor, Revelyst, CSG Elevate II Inc., CSG Elevate III Inc. and CZECHOSLOVAK GROUP a.s., the board of directors of the company accepted the resignation of Gary McArthur from the position of Interim Chief Executive Officer of the company, while maintaining his role as an independent director of the company, effective December 1. Also on November 29, in connection with and in preparation for the consummation of the transaction, the board appointed Eric Nyman and Jason Vanderbrink to serve as Co-Chief Executive Officers of the company, effective as of the effective date. Mr. Nyman has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Outdoor Products segment of the company since August 2023. Mr. Vanderbrink has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Sporting Products segment of the company since April 2023.

07:36 EST NLS Pharmaceutics enters exclusive option agreement with Aexon Labs - NLS Pharmaceutics announced that NLS has entered into an exclusive worldwide option agreement with Aexon Labs, under which NLS may acquire global development and commercialization rights to Aexon Labs' Dual Orexin Receptor Agonists platform, new molecular entities, highly selective dual oral orexin-1 and orexin-2 receptor agonists with potential applications in the treatment of narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, as well as neuro-degenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. This option agreement represents a potentially leading next-generation, first-in-class, oral, dual orexin receptor agonist that is expected to address high unmet medical needs and has shown promising results in pre-clinical in vitro assays. Aexon Labs has plans to initiate clinical development, including Phase 1 First-in-Human and Phase 1b Proof-of-Concept studies, as early as 2024. The transaction will be structured as an exclusive worldwide license for the development and commercialization by NLS of the Aexon Labs' compounds and their derivatives. Under the terms of the option agreement, NLS must exercise its option by no later than March 31, 2024. NLS will pay Aexon Labs an upfront payment of $30,000 for the option exclusivity, and $170,000 upon execution of the definitive agreement to exercise the option. In addition, Aexon Labs will receive 15% of all proceeds earned by NLS in any future sub-licensing agreements which include upfront payments, regulatory milestones, commercial milestones and royalties earned during the first three years of commercialization in the U.S. and in the EU. Royalties will be payable, on a country-by-country basis, from the date of first commercial sale of a product in a given country until the date of patent expiry or the entry of a generic version of the product in such country. NLS will be the sole party responsible for the design and execution of the research and development plan, for the conduct and management of the preclinical as well as clinical studies, and for the interactions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and/or any other regulatory agency. NLS will pay all costs associated with executing and completing those studies, as well as those associated with the preparation and submission of a new drug application. NLS will pay for all studies in all indications and regulatory filings in the U.S. as well as outside of the U.S. Eric Konofal, MD, PhD, who works under a part-time consulting agreement for NLS as its CSO, is the president and founder of Aexon Labs, and owns 59% of Aexon Labs. Alexander Zwyer, CEO of NLS, owns 35% of Aexon Labs. Mr. Zwyer holds no board or executive position at Aexon Labs.

07:33 EST Applied Materials receives SBTi validation of emissions reduction targets - Applied Materials announced that its science-based Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reduction targets have received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative. By setting a 1.5 degrees C-aligned target, currently the most ambitious designation available through the SBTi process, Applied is aligning its emissions reduction program to the latest climate science, validated by a third party, and will report its progress annually. Applied's Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions are those produced directly by the company and by the energy it purchases. Its Scope 3 emissions, which make up more than 99 percent of Applied's carbon footprint, consist of the upstream emissions from the company's supply chain and the downstream emissions from the use of its products by customers. Following are Applied's near-term science-based targets that have received SBTi validation: Applied Materials, Inc. commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 50% by FY2030 from a FY2019 base year. Applied Materials, Inc. also commits to increase active annual sourcing of renewable electricity from 36% in FY2019 to 100% by FY2030. Applied Materials, Inc. further commits to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions from use of sold products 55% per million USD of value added by FY2030 from a FY2019 base year.

07:31 EST Signing Day Sports names Richard Symington as Chief Technology Officer - Signing Day Sports announced the appointment of Richard Symington as its President and Chief Technology Officer. Before joining Signing Day Sports, Symington was founder and CEO of Island Marketing Consultants LLC, a technology direct marketing media company.

07:11 EST Bitfarms produces 392 bitcoin in November - November production of 392 BTC declined 1.5% from October as network difficulty increased 19.0% in November compared to 9.4% in October, reflecting the continuing strong demand for miners going into the 2024 Halving. For the eleven months ended November 30th, network difficulty increased 92.2% while the BTC price was up approximately 128.4%, resulting in a 33.9% improvement in production economics as measured by USD/TH/day. "In November, we delivered solid performance in the face of network difficulty increases from more miners coming online going into the 2024 Halving and, in anticipation of the Halving, we initiated our 2024 transformative fleet upgrade plan. We placed a firm purchase order for 35,888 high-performance Bitmain T21 miners, which are scheduled for deliveries from March 2024 to May 2024," said Geoff Morphy, CEO of Bitfarms. "Deploying these new miners at seven of our eight existing farms in Quebec in conjunction with the development of our new Paso Pe, Paraguay site, we expect to increase our operating capacity 29% to 310 MW and our hashrate 88% to 12 EH/s in H1 2024. With a contract price of $14.00/TH and advanced high energy features applying to the purchase order and the option in H2 2024 for 28,000 additional miners, these next-gen miners will drive significant efficiencies throughout our portfolio and generate improved profit margins."

07:09 EST Brookfield Asset Management launches Catalytic Transition Fund - At COP28, Brookfield Asset Management and ALTERRA announced the creation of a multi-billion dollar Catalytic Transition Fund with commitments from ALTERRA Transformation. ALTERRA also committed to investing $2 billion from ALTERRA Acceleration into the second Brookfield Global Transition Fund, Brookfield's flagship fund focused on the energy transition. CTF will have a differentiated and focused mandate, raising and then deploying capital exclusively for emerging and developing markets, with a dedicated focus on supporting the four key pillars that underpin COP28's Action Agenda, namely: Energy Transition, Industrial Decarbonization, Sustainable Living and Climate Technologies. The Fund will be managed by Brookfield and will receive up to $1 billion in catalytic capital from ALTERRA Transformation, to enhance the risk-adjusted returns available to commercially-oriented investors. Brookfield is concurrently pursuing opportunities to add further catalytic capital from strategic partners. CTF will focus on decarbonization initiatives, with an innovative structure that leverages ALTERRA's financial commitment to attract private sector investment at scale. Through this unique approach, the Fund will mobilize climate finance for markets that are critical to achieving Net-Zero, but which have to date been chronically underinvested. The Fund will focus its catalytic investments in South and Southeast Asia, Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Other investors including CDPQ, a global investment group based in Quebec, Canada, and Temasek, a Singapore headquartered global investment firm, have also expressed interest in contributing commercial capital to the Fund, subject to their customary approval requirements. The potential participation of these institutions offers the opportunity to share expertise and market knowledge to benefit the Fund's investments. In line with its typical approach of aligning interests with its investment partners, Brookfield will commit at least 10% of CTF's capital.

07:05 EST Lithium Ionic files technical report for PEA, updated MRE for Bandeira project - Lithium Ionic filed the independent technical report related to the Preliminary Economic Assessment and Mineral Resource Estimate announced on October 19, 2023, for its 100%-owned Bandeira lithium Project, located in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The Technical Report, titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Bandeira Lithium Project, Minas Gerais State, Brazil" was prepared by GE21 Consultoria Mineral Ltda. in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has an effective date of August 30, 2023. The PEA results support a long-life and low-cost spodumene concentrate mining project. Highlights include: Post-tax Net Present Value 8% of $1.6 billion; Post-tax Internal Rate of Return of 121%; Underground mine scenario processing 1.3Mtpa of ore over a 20-year mine life; After-tax payback of 14 months; Avg. LOM annual production of 217,700t of high-quality spodumene concentrate at 5.5% Li2O equivalent; Total capital expenditure of $233 million; Pre-tax annual average free cash flow of $243 million; All-in LOM operating costs of $349/t of spodumene concentrate SC5.5; The PEA results were based on an updated mineral resource estimate for Bandeira of 13.72Mt grading 1.40% Li2O, containing 474,892 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent in the Measured and Indicated category, as well as Inferred resources of 15.79Mt grading 1.34% Li2O, or 523,118 tonnes of LCE.

07:02 EST AC Immune appoints Madiha Derouazi as CSO, Christopher Roberts as CFO - AC Immune announced the appointment, as of January 1st, 2024, of Dr. Madiha Derouazi as Chief Scientific Officer and the promotion of Interim CFO Christopher Roberts to CFO. Dr. Derouazi succeeds the former CSO, Dr. Marie Kosco-Vilbois, who is retiring and will remain with AC Immune as an expert consultant in immunology to ensure continuity and a smooth transition. Derouazi joins from Speransa Therapeutics where she had been CEO since inception in 2021, leading development of a novel platform of prophylactic vaccines.

06:47 EST Pfizer: Phase 2b trial of GLP-1RA candidate, danuglipron, met primary endpoint - Pfizerannounced topline data from the Phase 2b clinical trial investigating its oral Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist candidate, danuglipron, in adults with obesity and without type 2 diabetes. The study met its primary endpoint demonstrating statistically significant change in body weight from baseline. Twice-daily dosing of danuglipron showed statistically significant reductions from baseline in body weight for all doses, with mean reductions ranging from -6.9% to -11.7%, compared to +1.4% for placebo at 32 weeks, and -4.8% to -9.4%, compared to +0.17% for placebo at 26 weeks. Placebo-adjusted reductions in mean body weight ranged from -8% to -13% at 32 weeks and -5% to -9.5% at 26 weeks. Depending on titration schedule, participants were at target dose levels for 6 to 24 weeks. While the most common adverse events were mild and gastrointestinal in nature consistent with the mechanism, high rates were observed (up to 73% nausea; up to 47% vomiting; up to 25% diarrhea). High discontinuation rates, greater than 50%, were seen across all doses compared to approximately 40% with placebo. No new safety signals were reported and treatment with danuglipron was not associated with increased incidence of liver enzyme elevation compared to placebo. Data from this study will be presented at a future scientific conference or published in a peer-reviewed journal.

06:37 EST AstraZeneca discontinuing STABILIZE-CKD, DIALIZE-Outcomes trials - AstraZeneca announced it has decided to discontinue the STABILIZE-CKD and DIALIZE-Outcomes Phase III evidence trials for Lokelma. "The decision was made due to substantially increased enrolment timelines and low event rates, respectively, which made it prohibitive to deliver study results within a timeframe to meaningfully advance clinical practice. STABILIZE-CKD and DIALIZE-Outcomes trials are part of the CRYSTALIZE evidence programme, which includes clinical and real-world evidence studies researching the potential benefit of Lokelma in the management of hyperkalaemia across the cardiorenal spectrum," the company said. Sharon Barr, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D said: "Our ambitious CRYSTALIZE programme continues to generate evidence to improve the current management of hyperkalaemia, which we believe leads to better outcomes for cardiorenal patients when a potassium binder is included in their treatment regimen. Lokelma is the leading branded potassium binder globally and continues to benefit a broad hyperkalaemia patient population to achieve rapid, sustained potassium control and is well tolerated." The company will work with investigators to ensure the necessary follow-up with patients, it noted.

06:34 EST Macau reports November casino revenue up 435% to 16.04B patacas - Macau's gaming bureau reported November gross revenue from games of fortune in the region was up 435.0% year-over-year to 16.043B patacas. Publicly traded companies in the Macau gaming space include Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Wynn Resorts (WYNN) and Melco Resorts (MLCO). Reference Link

06:32 EST Fisker adjusts production guidance to just over 10,000 units for 2023 - Fisker has made a strategic decision to reduce December production to prioritize liquidity to unlock over $300M of working capital, which creates additional business flexibility. As a result, Fisker is adjusting production guidance to just over 10,000 units for 2023.

06:09 EST Bank of Montreal increases quarterly dividend 3% to C$1.51 per share - Bank of Montreal announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of C$1.51 per share on paid-up common shares of Bank of Montreal for the first quarter of FY24, a 3% increase from the prior quarter.

06:01 EST Embecta: FDA safety notice has no impact on any embecta syringe products - Embecta issued the following statement regarding the U.S. FDA Safety Communication on evaluation of certain plastic syringes: "embecta, the world's largest manufacturer of plastic insulin syringes, manufactures all of our syringes distributed worldwide at our facility in Holdrege, Nebraska," said Shaun Curtis, SVP, Global Manufacturing & Supply Chain. "The safety notice issued by the FDA on November 30, 2023, only applies to plastic syringes made in China, and therefore has no impact on the ongoing production or sale of any embecta syringe products. In the coming year, embecta will mark 100 years since our predecessors developed the world's first syringe dedicated to insulin delivery, and we are proud of our rich heritage of quality, reliability, and innovation that we have earned in the years since. Our skilled workforce in Nebraska, with its unmatched expertise in high volume syringe manufacturing, is prepared to support any healthcare customers who may be affected by the FDA's safety communication."

05:31 EST WeTrade internal audit finds $2M expenditure from departing executives - WeTrade announced that the company conducted an internal audit of departing executives and directors and found that the former COO Zhuo Li and former CFO Jianda Xu had a expenditure of $2M, which has a lot doubts after investigation. At present, the company has reported the matter to PCAOB and submitted all information of the matter to the Chinese police. The company said, "In July 2022, the former COO Mr. Zhuo Li and former CFO Mr. Jianda Xu , under the pretext of paying guarantee and consulting fees to NASDAQ, allocated a huge expenditure of $2 million to "About Investment Pte. Ltd.". After verification by the registration office, the company is actually 100% owned by a Chinese people named Li Jiaming. The investigation found that on November 22, 2022, when TAAD, the former auditing company of WeTrade, questioned Mr. Jianda Xu about this $2 million through a WeChat group, Mr. Jianda Xu clearly replied, "Nasdaq instructed us to pay About Investment.". On November 8, 2023, when we sent an email to the official Nasdaq to verify this payment, Officer Ellen M. Ignacio replied, "To the best of the knowledge of Nasdaq Listing Qualifications' Staff, we are not aware of any request to pay movies to About Investment." Then we inquired with the relevant employees and learned that at 20:26 on April 13, 2023, Mr. Jianda Xu requested the employees to "help me put Zheng Dai's signature on the $2 million contract" through WeChat. However, when the employees did not respond, at 20:51, Mr. Jianda Xu said through WeChat, "It's done, I have asked Xin Wang to do it". Xin Wang is Mr. Jianda Xu's assistant. We have checked the 2022 annual report of WeTrade and can't find the confirmation letter and true records for the $2 million. Mr.Daxue Li , an independent director of WeTrade, multiple emails AssentSure Pac Audit Company from November 13, 2023 to November 21, 2023, requesting an explanation from AssentSure regarding the fact that the 2022 annual report did not truthfully reflect this $2 million matter. So far, we did't receive any response from AssentSure. Now We have reported this matter to PCAOB. At present, the company has also submitted all the information of the matter to the Chinese police, and will protect the legitimate interests of the company and shareholders through legal means. The company will never tolerate malicious fraud or intentional harm to the interests of the company and shareholders. The Company will provide a timely update on the progress of the $2 million matter and provide a fair explanation to shareholders."

05:19 EST Li Auto delivers 41,030 vehicles in November - Li Auto announced that the company delivered 41,030 vehicles in November, representing an increase of 172.9% year over year. Cumulative year-to-date deliveries of Li Auto vehicles reached 325,677 as of the end of November, achieving its 2023 target of 300,000 vehicles ahead of schedule.

05:13 EST Gogoro launches Smartscooters, battery swapping in the Philippines - Gogoro announced the commercial launch and availability of its Smartscooters and battery swapping ecosystem in Manila, the Capital of the Philippines.

05:08 EST So-Young enters pact with Healtech to develop supply chain business - So-Young announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Healtech, a fully-integrated contract research organization, or CRO, and contract manufacturing organization, or CMO, for the pharmaceutical industry in China, to jointly develop two regenerative medical aesthetic products and further expand its supply chain business. Under the terms of the strategic partnership, So-Young and Healtech will begin by jointly developing a silk fibroin-hyaluronic acid compound solution and an extracellular matrix bio gel injectable filler. Leveraging So-Young's trusted reputation and deep industry insights, and Healtech's strong R&D capabilities, both two parties will work together to create new regenerative medical aesthetic products.