Stockwinners Market Radar for October 18, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:54 EDT MarketWise names F. Porter Stansberry as CEO - MarketWise announced a series of leadership changes to strengthen the Company's operations and business performance. The Board of Directors of MarketWise appointed MarketWise founder F. Porter Stansberry as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Amber Lee Mason has resigned as Chief Executive Officer of MarketWise and from the Board of Directors. The Company noted that the announced leadership transitions are not related to any issues with respect to the integrity of the Company's financial statements or accounting policies and practices.

20:04 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 241K shares of Intellia Therapeutics today

19:05 EDT Novartis' non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection treatment gets orphan status - Novartis' clofazimine was granted FDA orphan designation for the treatment of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections, according to a post to the agency's website. Reference Link

18:34 EDT Cactus names Alan Keifer as interim CFO - Cactus "announced the Board of Directors has appointed Stephen Tadlock, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cactus, as the CEO of the Spoolable Technologies segment. Mr. Tadlock has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cactus since 2019. Previously he served as Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer and as Vice President of Corporate Services after joining the company full time in 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Tadlock was a Partner at Cadent Energy Partners LLC, where he worked from 2007 to 2017, serving as a Board observer of Cactus since its founding in 2011. Additionally, while at Cadent Mr. Tadlock served as a Director and Chairman of the Board of Polyflow, a spoolable pipe business that was sold to Baker Hughes in 2018. Alan Keifer, former Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of Baker Hughes Inc., who has worked with Cactus since it went public in 2018, has accepted the position of Interim CFO of Cactus. He will begin his service on November 13, 2023. Mr. Tadlock will continue to serve as CFO of Cactus until Mr. Keifer begins his service as Interim CFO."

17:50 EDT Tesla CFO says cost per vehicle has decreased to $37.5K - CFO Vaibhav Taneja states: "Despite factory shutdowns, our cost per vehicle decreased to approximately $37,500. We saw sequential decreases in material costs and freight, Reducing the cost of our vehicles is our top priority. On the operating expenses front, R&D expenses continue to rise due to Cybertruck prototype builds and pilot production testing combined with spend on AI technologies like full self-driving Optimus".

17:43 EDT Tesla CEO sees 12-18 months before Cybertruck is significant positive cash flow

17:32 EDT Rocket Lab integrating twin spacecraft for mission to Mars for NASA - Rocket Lab "announced that the two spacecraft the Company is building for NASA's Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers mission have entered the system integration phase in preparation for a planned launch in 2024. The ESCAPADE mission, led by Dr. Rob Lillis at the University of California, Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL), is a twin-spacecraft science mission that will orbit Mars to investigate the structure, composition, variability, and dynamics of Mars' unique hybrid magnetosphere. The mission will explore how the solar wind strips atmosphere away from Mars to better understand how its climate has changed over time. Each spacecraft will carry an instrument suite that includes a magnetometer for measuring magnetic field, an electrostatic analyzer to measure ions and electrons, and a Langmuir probe for measuring plasma density and solar extreme ultraviolet flux."

17:08 EDT Minerals Technologies board authorizes $75M buyback

17:04 EDT Village Farms receives extension to regain compliance with Nasdaq - Village Farms announced it received notification from Nasdaq that Nasdaq has approved the company's request for a 180-calendar day extension to regain compliance with the minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share listing requirement. The extension follows the expiration on October 17 of the initial 180-calendar day period to regain minimum closing bid price compliance. As a result of the extension, the company now has until April 15, 2024 (the "New Compliance Period") to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Requirement.

17:01 EDT Prosperity Bancshares raises quarterly dividend to 56c per share - Prosperity Bancshares announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly common stock dividend of 56c per share for the fourth quarter of 2023, payable January 2, 2024, to shareholders of record as of December 15, 2023. The fourth quarter dividend represents an increase of 1c per share, or 1.82%, from the prior quarter.

16:47 EDT Marathon Oil up 3% after Bloomberg report on Devon Energy combination talks

16:35 EDT Castle Biosciences to share portfolio of GEP tests at FC23 - Castle Biosciences announced that it will share new data across its dermatologic portfolio of gene expression profile, GEP, tests at the 2023 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference, FC23, taking place Oct. 19-22, 2023, in Las Vegas. "The breadth of data we are sharing at Fall Clinical reinforces our commitment to improving the care of patients with skin cancers and inflammatory skin conditions through innovative tests that can guide more informed disease management decisions," said Derek Maetzold, president and chief executive officer of Castle Biosciences.

16:33 EDT Steel Dynamics 'constructive regarding North American steel market dynamics' - "Based on domestic steel fundamentals, we are constructive regarding North American steel market dynamics," said CEO Millett. "Customer order entry activity continues to be solid across our steel operations, as demand continues to be steady and customer inventories remain at low historical levels. We believe North American steel consumption will increase in the coming years, and that demand for lower-carbon emission, U.S. produced steel products coupled with lower imports will support steel pricing. The continued onshoring of manufacturing businesses, combined with the expectation of significant fixed asset investment to be derived from public funding related to the U.S. Infrastructure, Inflation Reduction Act, and Department of Energy programs, will competitively position the domestic steel industry. We believe this will benefit all of our operating platforms, especially our steel and steel fabrication businesses. This environment, in combination with our ongoing expansion initiatives, are firm drivers for our continued growth. The team continues to make great progress on our aluminum flat rolled products mill and related investments. We remain incredibly excited about this meaningful growth opportunity, which is aligned with our existing businesses and operational expertise," said Millett. "The team has placed orders for all critical equipment, and the Columbus, Mississippi rolling mill site is exceptional. We have intentionally grown with our customers' needs, providing efficient sustainable supply-chain solutions for the highest quality products. Thus far, this has primarily been achieved within the steel industry - however, a significant number of our flat rolled steel customers are also consumers and processors of aluminum flat rolled products. We are pleased to further diversify our end markets with plans to supply aluminum flat rolled products with high recycled content to the countercyclical sustainable beverage can and packaging industry, in addition to the automotive and industrial sectors. We believe our unique performance-based operating culture, coupled with our considerable experience in successfully constructing and operating cost-effective, highly profitable flat rolled steel mills, positions us exceptionally well to execute this strategic opportunity and to deliver strong long-term value creation. Our commitment is to the health and safety of our teams, families, and communities, while meeting the current and future needs of our customers. Our culture and business model continue to positively differentiate our performance compared to others. We continue to strengthen our financial position through strong cash flow generation and the execution of our long-term strategy," concluded Millett.

16:31 EDT Allison Transmission selected for Australian armored vehicle project - Allison Transmission "announces its X1100-5A3(TM) cross-drive as the propulsion solution for the Hanwha Redback that was recently selected for Australia's LAND 400 Phase 3 program scoped to replace the M113 Armored Personnel Carriers that have been in service since the mid-1960s. The Redback is Hanwha's newest tracked vehicle which was selected to be Australia's Infantry Fighting Vehicle of the future following rigorous competition with other industry leaders. The advanced vehicle weighs over 40 tons, includes a 30 mm cannon and anti-tank missiles, while carrying 11 soldiers."

16:29 EDT Atlantic Coastal Acquisition II extends business combination period - Atlantic Coastal Acquisition II's initial public offering sponsor, Atlantic Coastal Acquisition Management II LLC, has deposited $80K into the company's trust account in order to extend the period of time that the company has to complete a business combination for an additional one month period, from October 19 to November 19. In exchange for the Sponsor's additional contribution to the Trust Account, the company issued a convertible promissory note to the Sponsor in an aggregate principal amount of $80K. The purpose of the extension is to provide additional time for the company to complete a business combination.

16:24 EDT Xcel Energy receives $100M U.S. DoE grant to mitigate wildfire threat - Xcel Energy announced it has been selected for a $100M award from the U.S. Department of Energy, DoE, to boost its work to reduce and mitigate the threat of wildfires and ensure the resiliency of the grid through extreme weather. The funding, provided through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program and matched by a $140M cost share provided by Xcel Energy, will support a range of projects that enhance the grid's resiliency in the face of fires, severe storms, and other adverse environmental conditions to better protect lives, homes and forests while reducing and preventing power outages. The projects will be based in Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Texas and Wisconsin. "We recognize that the year-round risk of wildfires has grown, along with the severity of storms and other weather events that threaten the grid," said Bob Frenzel, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy. "This funding from the Department of Energy will enhance our ability to meet this rising challenge with decisive action while reducing carbon emissions and ensuring reliable affordable and clean power for our customers." As climate conditions have changed, environmental impacts to the power grid have grown more severe and frequent. Areas with traditional fire seasons, for example, have seen them evolve into year-round battles against rapidly changing and extreme weather conditions that can generate larger, more intense and faster-moving wildfires. The projects are expected to span five years, with detailed design and planning starting in 2024 and projects completing by late 2028. The Department of Energy grant is contingent on negotiation and project logistics.

16:22 EDT Helmerich & Payne sees FY23 gross capital expenditures $400M - Depreciation and amortization expenses are still expected to be approximately $385 million; Research and development expenses are still expected to be roughly $30 million ; Selling, general and administrative expenses are still expected to be approximately $205 million

16:20 EDT Helmerich & Payne announces supplemental shareholder return plan - Helmerich & Payne announced its planned capital expenditures and supplemental shareholder return plan for fiscal year 2024. 2024 Supplemental Shareholder Return Plan: The Company has established its 2024 supplemental shareholder return plan, which is currently projected to provide approximately $68 million in additional cash returns to shareholders in the form of additional dividends. These supplemental dividends are expected to be paid in four, approximately equal, installments during fiscal 2024. These additional cash returns represent approximately 50% of the Company's projected cash flow generation in fiscal 2024 after planned capital expenditures and after the Company's already established "base" annual dividend of $1.00/share, which is roughly $100 million on an annualized basis. All such established base and supplemental dividends are subject to the determination and approval of the Company's Board of Directors on a quarterly basis. Under the plan, the Company may utilize remaining cash flow projected to be generated in fiscal year 2024, after planned capital expenditures, established base and supplemental dividends, as well as cash on hand, to fund additional supplemental dividends or to opportunistically repurchase shares of its common stock under its evergreen four million shares per calendar year annual repurchase authorization. The 2024 supplemental shareholder return plan is specific to fiscal year 2024 and is derived from current forecasts and projections for fiscal year 2024, which are subject to change based on industry factors and market conditions.

16:18 EDT Costco CEO Craig Jelinek to step down, Ron Vachris to succeed - Costco announced that Craig Jelinek has confirmed his intention to step down as CEO, effective January 1, 2024. The board has elected Ron Vachris, president and COO since February, as president and CEO, effective January 1, 2024. The company said this is the culmination of the long-standing succession plan that Craig has discussed with the Board. Jelinek will remain with Costco through April, serving in an advisory role and assisting Ron during the transition. Craig will also continue to serve on the board of directors and will stand for reelection at the January 2024 annual meeting.

16:11 EDT Lifecore gets Nasdaq notice on failing to file interim report on 10-Q timely - Lifecore Biomedical announced that it received a notice on October 12, from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market stating that the Company is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) because the Company failed to timely file its Interim Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended August 27 and because the Company remains delinquent in filing its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended May 28 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

16:09 EDT The Hanover sees Q3 catastrophe losses about $195.8M - The Hanover Insurance Group announced a preliminary estimate for third quarter 2023 catastrophe losses of $195.8M, before taxes, or 13.7 points of net earned premium. The losses resulted from multiple convective storms across the Midwestern United States. Hail and wind damage represented the majority of reported losses, which primarily impacted the company's Personal Lines business. "Severe weather represented a formidable challenge in the third quarter for us and the industry, generating significant catastrophe losses and adversely impacting bottom line results," said John Roche, president and CEO at The Hanover. "We have taken decisive action across our Personal and Core Commercial businesses, which will enable us to more effectively manage catastrophe risks while continuing to deliver comprehensive and innovative insurance solutions for our agent partners and customers. Among other actions, we are implementing multiple initiatives to increase catastrophe resiliency in our homeowners business, including strengthening terms and conditions, increasing all-peril deductibles, introducing wind and hail deductibles in additional states, applying aged roof amortization schedules in certain geographies, and reinforcing our emphasis on risk prevention measures."

16:09 EDT Mirion announces departure of Medical Group President Michael Rossi - Mirion announced that Michael Rossi has informed the Company of his decision to resign as Medical Group President, effective November 1, 2023, in order to assume a CEO role at another public company. Mirion's Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Logan, will reassume the responsibilities of Medical Group President until a permanent successor is named. Logan had previously served as acting Medical Group President through much of 2022.

16:08 EDT Cool Company, Huaxia Financial agree on sale and leaseback - Cool Company and Huaxia Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. announced that they had entered into sale and leaseback financing arrangements for the Kool Tiger and Kool Panther newbuild vessels scheduled to deliver to CoolCo in the second half of 2024 from Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in Korea. Reference is made to the press release published by CoolCo on June 28, 2023 regarding the announcement that the Company had exercised its option to acquire the newbuild vessels and had received a commitment for the related debt financing. The Sale and Leasebacks are on a fixed rate per day basis for 10 years, with an implied interest rate just under 6% and a minimum loan-to-value of 80%, with potential for additional capacity contingent upon the terms of the charter employment that CoolCo anticipates securing in advance of the vessels' deliveries.

16:08 EDT Las Vegas Sands authorizes $2B stock repurchase through November 3, 2025

16:07 EDT Tesla says has 'more than doubled' size of AI training compute

16:06 EDT Tesla reports Q3 gross margin 17.9%, free cash flow $848M

16:06 EDT Tesla still sees FY production 1.8M vehicles

16:06 EDT Netflix raises FY23 free cash flow view to about $6.5B - Netflix said: "We now expect FY23 free cash flow to be approximately $6.5B (+/- a few hundred million dollars), up from our prior forecast of at least $5B, and vs. $1.6B in 2022. This includes ~$1B in lower-than-planned cash content spend in 2023 due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. As a result, we expect 2023 cash content spend of around $13B and, assuming the SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved in the near future, we are currently expecting cash content spend of up to ~$17B in 2024. As we said last quarter, the strikes will create some lumpiness in FCF over the 2023/2024 period, but we still plan to deliver very substantial positive FCF in 2024. Consistent with our policy to return excess cash above our minimum cash requirement , we repurchased $2.5B of our stock (or 6M shares) under our original $5B authorization. Since the inception of this authorization, we've bought back $4.1B. In September, our board increased our share repurchase authorization for an additional $10B on top of the $1B remaining under the prior authorization."

16:02 EDT Netflix reports Q3 global streaming paid net additions of 8.76M - Netflix said in its quarterly letter to investors: "Revenue in Q3'23 grew 8% year-over-year on a reported and a foreign exchange neutral basis . This was slightly above our forecast due to higher-than-expected member growth. Revenue growth in Q3 reflected a 9% year-over-year increase in average paid memberships (8.8M paid net additions vs. 2.4M in Q3'22) due to the roll out of paid sharing, strong, steady programming and the ongoing expansion of streaming globally. ARM decreased 1% year-over-year both on a reported and F/X neutral basis, in-line with our expectations. This was due to a number of factors, including a higher percentage of membership growth from lower ARM countries, limited price increases over the past 18 months, and some shift in plan mix."

14:25 EDT Avangrid subsidiary wins $30M federal grant - Avangrid announced that its subsidiary, Central Maine Power, or CMP, secured a $30M grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Deployment Office under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program. "Established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the grant funding will position CMP to accelerate the deployment of smart grid technologies that reduce the frequency and impact of power outages," the company stated.

14:14 EDT PPG sells Traffic Solutions ops in Australia and New Zealand to Geveko, no terms - PPG announced, earlier on Wednesday, that it has divested all Traffic Solutions operations in Australia and New Zealand to Geveko Markings, a pavement markings specialist headquartered in Sweden. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction includes a production, quality control and R&D facility in Ingleburn, Australia; a production facility in Dandendong, Australia; sales offices in Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand; and warehouses in Brisbane and Perth, Australia; and Auckland, New Zealand. "We are laser-focused on driving business growth, and we regularly review our portfolio to ensure we are in the best position to continue meeting our customers' needs and growing profitably," said Ed Baiden, PPG global general manager, Traffic Solutions. "We want to concentrate our investments on strategic growth areas so that we may continue to be a leader in the industry as a premier provider of traffic safety product solutions."

13:37 EDT North American rail traffic down 2.1% for the week ending October14 - The Association of American Railroads or AAR, reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 14 . For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 492,781 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.5% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending October 14 were 225,405 carloads, down 2% compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 267,376 containers and trailers, up 2.8% compared to 2022. Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,774 carloads, to 10,583; motor vehicles and parts, up 955 carloads, to 15,712; and miscellaneous carloads, up 809 carloads, to 8,786. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included coal, down 4,787 carloads, to 62,138; grain, down 2,049 carloads, to 22,176; and metallic ores and metals, down 1,705 carloads, to 18,137. North American rail volume for the week ending October 14, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,745 carloads, down 2.9% compared with the same week last year, and 347,146 intermodal units, down 1.4% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 682,891 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.1%. North American rail volume for the first 41 weeks of 2023 was 26,749,075 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.6% compared with 2022. Publicly traded companies in the space include CSX (CSX), Canadian National (CNI), Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Norfolk Southern (NSC) ,Union Pacific (UNP), Trinity Industries (TRN), Greenbrier (GBX), FreightCar America (RAIL), Wabtec (WAB) and Rail Vision (RVSN). Reference Link

13:13 EDT Athena Consumer Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

12:00 EDT XPeng falls -10.4% - XPeng is down -10.4%, or -$1.60 to $13.78.

12:00 EDT Star Group rises 7.3% - Star Group is up 7.3%, or 83c to $12.16.

12:00 EDT Spirit AeroSystems rises 23.6% - Spirit AeroSystems is up 23.6%, or $4.05 to $21.24.

11:45 EDT Winmark announces special dividend of $9.40 per share - The Board of Directors has approved the payment of a special dividend to shareholders. The special dividend of $9.40 per share will be paid on December 1, 2023 to shareholders of record on the close of business on November 15, 2023. The total amount of the special dividend payment will be approximately $32.8M based on the current number of shares outstanding. It is anticipated that Winmark will use cash on hand to finance the special dividend. Future dividends will be subject to Board approval.

11:39 EDT CF Acquisition Corp VIII trading halted, volatility trading pause

11:33 EDT Old Point Financial names Paul Pickett as CFO - Paul M. Pickett has been appointed SVP and CFO of Old Point Financial Corporation and EVP and CFO of Old Point National Bank effective October 24, 2023. Pickett most recently served as Chief Financial Officer for First Region Bancshares.

11:16 EDT GCL Asia signs agreement with RF Acquisition to go public via SPAC merger - Grand Centrex Limited announced that it, together with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with RF Acquisition Corp, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, and RF Dynamic LLC that will result in GCL Asia becoming a publicly listed company. Upon closing, the combined company is expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the reserved ticker symbol "GCL." The combined company will continue to be led by Jacky See Wee Choo, Group Chairman of GCL, Sebastian Toke, Group CEO of GCL, and other key executive leadership members. GCL's shareholders will retain a majority of the combined company's outstanding shares, and GCL will designate a majority of director nominees for the combined company's board. The Proposed Transaction gives GCL approximately $1.2B in pre-transaction equity value. The Proposed Transaction includes a minimum cash condition of $25,000,000 and is expected to result in GCL receiving gross proceeds of approximately $42.9M. The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of GCL and RF Acquisition, and its closing is expected to be in the second quarter of 2024, subject to shareholders' approval and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

11:07 EDT United Airlines sees taking delivery of 27 737 MAX aircraft in Q4

10:53 EDT United plans to let 30% growth added to Atlantic mature in 2024 - Expects to apply a similar level of capacity in 2024. Plans "little to no" growth for 1H24 on domestic.

10:46 EDT United: Stress in segments of industry to lead to structural changes

10:39 EDT United Airlines: July a 'difficult' weather month

10:37 EDT United Airlines CEO: Strategy to diversify revenue streams 'paying off' - Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

10:06 EDT Falcon's Beyond Global Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:00 EDT Enviva falls -7.2% - Enviva is down -7.2%, or -36c to $4.62.

10:00 EDT Terex falls -10.3% - Terex is down -10.3%, or -$5.60 to $48.63.

10:00 EDT Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares rises 6.5% - Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares is up 6.5%, or 69c to $11.43.

09:47 EDT Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares falls -5.9% - Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares is down -5.9%, or -$1.14 to $18.16.

09:47 EDT Terex falls -10.1% - Terex is down -10.1%, or -$5.49 to $48.74.

09:47 EDT Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares rises 5.9% - Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares is up 5.9%, or 63c to $11.36.

09:46 EDT Northern Trust sees Q4 NII $430M-$440M - Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

09:43 EDT Knightscope sells 10 machines with two new contracts - Knightscope announces two new contracts totaling ten new machines sold. A hospital in Colorado and an online retailer in Georgia are the latest companies to add Knightscope technologies to their security programs, the company said in a statement.

09:34 EDT Scisparc Ltd trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:30 EDT Volcon now shipping initial units of EVO electric motorcycle to U.S. - Volcon has begun shipping units of the new Grunt EVO motorcycle to US customers via their powersports dealer network. The Company anticipates additional shipments to be made over the coming weeks as the dealer pipeline is filled. Interest remains strong both domestically and in Latin American markets. Initial shipments have left Volcon's warehouse in Round Rock, Texas and customers will start receiving their new EVOs in a few days. The new Grunt EVO is Volcon's latest edition of its fat-tired, off-road, two-wheel electric motorcycle. One of the key features is the near-silent Gates Carbon Belt Drive which replaces the chain drive on the original Grunt. Customers can expect improved suspension with custom-tuned Walker Evans shocks and an overall weight reduction of 20 percent for improved handling. Volcon shipped the first EVO units in September to fulfill multiple Latin American contracts where there is a thriving market for the Grunt FE and EVO motorcycles. One of the contracts fulfilled in September was with Brazilian importers, Ventura Experience, who signed a three-year distribution agreement with the Company at a $12 million minimum purchase requirement, effective March of this year.

09:25 EDT Humana expands health plans to Middlesex County, NJ - Humana is expanding its health plans to Middlesex County, widening the company's Medicare Advantage footprint to 100% of the state. For the first time, residents of every New Jersey county can select a Humana Medicare Advantage plan during this year's Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Annual Election Period, or AEP. The AEP runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 for plan coverage taking effect Jan. 1.

09:21 EDT International Paper announces actions to optimize its manufacturing system - International Paper announced a series of actions to further strengthen and optimize its manufacturing system to meet customers' needs. The company will permanently close its containerboard mill in Orange, Texas, and will permanently cease production on two of its pulp machines - the #20 machine in Riegelwood, N.C., and the #4 machine in Pensacola, Fla. In total, approximately 900 positions will be impacted. Wherever possible, the company's goal is to minimize the impact on employees by using current vacancies, retirements, normal attrition and other roles at International Paper. The permanent closure of the Orange mill will reduce the company's containerboard capacity by approximately 800,000 tons. The company's remaining containerboard mill system in North America will include 17 mills with an annual production capability of 13M tons. The actions in Pensacola and Riegelwood will reduce IP's pulp capacity by approximately 500,000 tons (300,000 tons fluff pulp and 200,000 tons southern bleached softwood). The company's remaining pulp mill system will include eight mills with an annual production capability of 2.7MM tons. The company expects the Orange mill and the #20 machine in Riegelwood to cease production by the end of the year. The #4 machine in Pensacola is currently idled and will not resume production.

09:19 EDT Canacol Energy appoints Valentina Garbarini to board of director - Canacol Energy announces the resignation of Mr. Juan Argento and that Ms. Valentina Garbarini has been appointed to the Board of Directors as his replacement. As a replacement for Mr. Argento, pursuant to its right to do so, the same shareholder nominated Ms. Garbarini. The Corporation has accepted the nomination of and has appointed Ms. Garbarini to the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Ms. Garbarini has more than 10 years of experience as director of the Family Office of the Cisneros Blavia family

09:15 EDT Crexendo, Nomadix sign strategic distribution agreement - Crexendo and Nomadix announced the signing of a strategic distribution agreement. This new partnership will combine Crexendo's more than 200 service provider partners with the expertise and solutions from Nomadix, including PMS integration - a module of its portfolio of internet gateways, to equip service providers with powerful joint offerings for hotels and guests that meet the stringent requirements of the hospitality telephony market. Crexendo partners will also be able to offer Nomadix Alerts, Nomadix Networks, and other complementary hospitality technology products to customers.

09:15 EDT Procter & Gamble: Investing for productivity gains continues to be a priority - Does not see significant need to drive price promotion. Says innovation strong enough to obtain in-store support. Expects FX headwinds to accelerate in coming quarters. Expects gross margin to normalize through balance of the year.

09:13 EDT Standard Lithium file Definitive Feasibility Study for commercial lithium plant - Standard Lithium announced that the Definitive Feasibility Study for its first commercial lithium project proposed to be located at the LANXESS South Plant has been filed. With expected first production in 2026, Phase 1A is anticipated to be the first US-based lithium production project built in six decades, and the first commercial direct lithium extraction facility in North America with potential to double current United States lithium production from current levels. Phase 1A will process lithium-rich brine currently flowing through existing infrastructure and represents production of only five percent of the total Measured and Indicated Resource of 2.8 Mt lithium carbonate equivalent. The Definitive Feasibility Study demonstrates strong economics, assuming initial annual production of 5,700 tonnes, and an average annual production of 5,400 tonnes of battery-quality lithium carbonate over a 25-year operating life based on Proven and Probable Reserves of 208 Kt LCE at an average concentration of 217 mg/L.

09:10 EDT VivoPower signs definitive Joint Venture agreement with Geminum - VivoPower International announces that it has signed a Joint Venture with Geminum, a specialist digital twin technology company founded in Australia, to design, test and implement digital twins of Tembo electric utility vehicles and ancillary VivoPower sustainable energy solutions. These digital twins will enable corporations engaging in decarbonisation programmes to optimise total cost of ownership and capture and synthesize near real-time analytics and carbon abatement data. Executive Chairman and CEO of VivoPower, Kevin Chin said: "Digital twin technology will enable our customers and partners to cost effectively and quickly assess the TCO equation of a decarbonisation program, incorporating fleet electrification solutions. With TCO for decarbonisation, it is not enough to simply consider traditional financial-based metrics, but it is equally important to carefully quantify the carbon emissions consequences as well as the implications for workflow processes and people. This JV Agreement with Geminum will fortify our VivoSES capabilities, especially for the mining sector and enable our customers and partners to achieve their decarbonisation goals."

09:09 EDT Morgan Stanley: M&A to explode when Fed stops rate moves

09:07 EDT Tenable Holdings appoints O'Leary as CMO - Tenable, the Exposure Management company, announced the appointment of Meg O'Leary as chief marketing officer, CMO. Most recently, O'Leary served as chief marketing officer at Cybereason, where she and her team positioned the company as an endpoint security leader.

09:07 EDT Paylocity introduces Recognition & Rewards, Employee Voice products - Paylocity introduces two new products, Recognition & Rewards and Employee Voice, to help business leaders and HR teams build culture and employee engagement while attracting and retaining talent more effectively. Building on the company's track record of innovation, including integrating generative AI in multiple areas of its HCM platform and delivering Community, a social collaboration hub, the two new products announced today bolster strong workplace connections in an environment where employees feel both valued and heard.

09:05 EDT Morgan Stanley CEO: 'Well into' CEO succession process

09:04 EDT Celularity announces biomaterial products receive SFDA classification - Celularity announced that its Halal Certified biomaterial products have been classified by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, SFDA, as "Minimally Manipulated Biological Products" for importation license purposes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The SFDA independently reviewed and issued classifications for each of the following Celularity Halal Certified biomaterial products: Biovance, a decellularized, dehydrated human amniotic membrane derived from the placenta of a healthy, full-term pregnancy. Biovance is an intact, extracellular matrix structure that provides a natural scaffold to support the body's wound-healing process. Biovance3L and Biovance 3L Ocular are tri-layer human amniotic membrane products focused on the wound care, surgical, and ocular markets and available in both sheet and disk form. Interfyl, a human connective tissue matrix derived from the placenta of a healthy, full-term pregnancy. It is used by a variety of medical specialists to replace or supplement damaged or inadequate integumental tissue resulting from wounds, trauma, or surgery. CentaFlex, a decellularized human placental matrix derived from the umbilical cord that can be used as a surgical covering, wrap, or barrier to protect and support the repair of damaged tissue. "The SFDA's Minimally Manipulated Biological Product classification establishes a clear regulatory pathway for the importation of our Halal Certified biomaterial products into Saudi Arabia," said Robert Hariri, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Celularity. "As such, SFDA classification marks the achievement of another important step in launching product sales with our commercial partners in the region, including Tamer Group, with which we announced an exclusive distribution agreement earlier this year for Celularity's branded biomaterial products in Saudi Arabia. This is a critical milestone in Celularity's globalization strategy to bring our technologies to important markets in the Islamic world and beyond."

09:03 EDT Direct Digital appoints Diana Diaz as pemanent CFO - Direct Digital Holdings announced that the Company appointed Diana Diaz, who had been serving as the Company's interim Chief Financial Officer, as permanent CFO, effective October 16. Diaz served as interim CFO of Direct Digital Holdings beginning June 5. As permanent CFO, she will continue to lead the Company's finance, accounting and treasury organization and report directly to the Company's CEO. Diaz joined the Company from Sharps Compliance Corp. (previously Nasdaq listed until its acquisition, a leading national healthcare waste management provider to customers in multiple healthcare-related markets, specializing in regulated waste streams including medical, pharmaceutical and hazardous, where she served for a total of 13 years, including as Vice President and CFO from June 2010 to February 2022.

09:02 EDT Morgan Stanley CEO: 'I would leave at earliest moment board feels comfortable'

08:54 EDT Procter & Gamble expects market to follow historical patterns near-term - Says high energy costs, lower savings hurting European consumers. Expects shipment volumes to improve in FY24. Feels "very good" about trajectory of volume growth. Does not expect China recovery to be "quick, extensive, or linear." Still feels China is "an attractive place to do business." Sees mid-single digit growth in China in coming periods.

08:51 EDT Morgan Stanley looking to grow asset management fees over time, says CFO

08:44 EDT Yield10 Bioscience finalize global license to advance Camelina technology - Yield10 Bioscience announced that the Company has exercised its option to finalize an exclusive global, commercial license to advanced omega-3 production technology from U.K.-based Rothamsted Research. In 2020, Yield10 signed an exclusive collaboration agreement with Rothamsted to support Rothamsted's Flagship Program to develop omega-3 oils in Camelina sativa. As part of the collaboration agreement, Yield10 received an exclusive option to sign a global, exclusive license agreement for the technology. The technology developed by Rothamsted enables the sustainable, plant-based production of omega-3 nutritional oils in Camelina. "Our decision to exercise the exclusive global option to the omega-3 production technology with Rothamsted underscores our belief that there will be significant market opportunities for the omega-3 oil profiles that can be produced using Camelina as a platform crop," said Oliver Peoples, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Yield10 Bioscience. "The Rothamsted team has advanced the omega-3 Camelina technology to where it is ready to begin commercialization. We are also planning improvements in the varieties through the deployment of our herbicide tolerance and performance traits. Commercially, we are on a promising path to commercializing elite omega-3 varieties of Camelina that combine good agronomics in the field while also producing high-value, high-purity omega-3 oils possessing very attractive economics." The potential market opportunity for omega-3 fatty acids produced in Camelina includes use in pharmaceutical products, dietary supplements, and food and feed ingredients. Under the collaboration with Yield10, additional intellectual property has been developed by Rothamsted for next generation omega-3 Camelina varieties. However, in response to customer interest, Yield10 has elected to prioritize the current EPA8 omega-3 Camelina as the initial profile for commercialization. The seed yield, oil content and oil composition of the EPA8 Camelina variety have thus far met the Company's expectations for performance, setting the stage for advanced development and possible future market introduction.

08:43 EDT Wheeler REIT posts simplified Series D redemption forms on website - Based on shareholder feedback, Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust posted simplified versions of the Holder Redemption Notice and the Stock Ownership Statement to its website for use by holders of the Company's Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock who wish to redeem their Series D Preferred Stock. The Company will continue to accept earlier versions of the forms that were previously posted to the Company's website if submitted by a holder of Series D Preferred Stock.

08:42 EDT Gamer Pakistan announces development of 5G Edge mobile gaming platform - Gamer Pakistan announced the initiation of development of an esports gaming platform for mobile devices leveraging 4G technology and optimized for 5G, 5G Edge, artificial intelligence enhancements, and analytics. The 5G Edge platform is expected to launch in phases, the first of which will be the mobile streaming platform and will position Gamer Pakistan as possibly the first mobile gaming company in Pakistan and the Middle East for university/collegiate esports, and streamers. The final platform will include emerging 4K streaming technology for devices with a resolution of 3840 pixels 2160 and can be optimized for future 5G devices. Edge AI technology and tools will then further enhance the platform for esports, with expected features including: Player performance analysis. AI tools can analyze thousands of matches to determine the most effective strategies, helping teams gain a competitive edge. Real-time in-app gameplay analytics. AI can dynamically analyze in-game player behavior, optimizing scorekeeping metrics and providing insightful feedback. Immersive experience for players. AI allows for immediate suggestions and feedback to enhance gameplay strategies and decisions and offers unparalleled engagement for both casual gamers and esports professionals. Content creation. AI can be used to create more immersive and engaging content for viewers-including personalized highlights, real-time statistics, and interactive experiences. Audience engagement. AI can help improve audience engagement by providing personalized recommendations, targeted advertising, and interactive features during live streaming and esports events. Esports betting. AI technology can transform esports betting by providing better insights and predictions based on historical data and real-time gameplay analysis. Broadcasting. AI and machine learning can improve esports broadcasting by creating more engaging and tailored programs for viewers. Sponsorship and marketing. AI systems can help esports teams and players find the right sponsors, while sponsors can find the right teams and players to support. Game development. AI can make games more realistic, responsive, and adaptive - enhancing the overall gaming experience for players.

08:40 EDT Genetic announces paper on geneType's Pancreatic Cancer risk test - Genetic Technologies announces the publication of a peer-reviewed research paper validating geneType's Pancreatic Cancer risk assessment test. Highlights: Pancreatic cancer has a very high mortality rate, approximately 76%1 of those diagnosed will die within 1 year. The five-year survival rate is only 9%. GeneType's Pancreatic Cancer risk assessment test showed a nearly 50% improvement to the traditional clinical risk score in identifying patients at a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. GeneType for Pancreatic Cancer will lead to a significant improvement to the number of pancreatic cancers being discovered earlier. When identified early, surgical intervention can save lives. The study evaluated close to 380,000 adults aged 40 to 69 years from the UK Biobank, identifying 851 incident cases of pancreatic cancer, providing a very powerful validation of the geneType model. Identifying those at-risk will enable doctors and their patients to increase surveillance and be proactive in their efforts to prevent the development of cancer. GTG's Chief Commercial Officer, Carl Stubbings said, "Around 65,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic in the U.S. this year and 50,000 people will die3. This devastating statistic is driven by late diagnosis of this cancer. Implementing geneType risk assessment test for pancreatic cancer will help doctors diagnose the disease earlier, intervene earlier and reduce this appalling mortality. This test really can make a difference in improving patient outcomes."

08:39 EDT SeaStar Medical receives Breakthrough Device Designation for SCD - SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation announces receipt of U.S. Food and Drug Administration Breakthrough Device Designation for its patented, first-in-class, cell-directed Selective Cytopheretic Device for use with patients in the hospital intensive care unit with acute kidney injury and acute on chronic liver failure. This is the third Breakthrough Device Designation granted by the FDA to SeaStar Medical for the SCD device, and is expected to expedite the clinical development and regulatory review of the SCD for use in this patient population.

08:37 EDT DatChat receives notice of allowance for technology platform patent application - DatChat announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for patent application No. 18/451,449 titled, "Technology platform for providing secure group-based access to sets of digital assets." This patent enables the preservation of data, including storage, sharing, and secure control of data on social media technology platforms and digital archives.

08:36 EDT Morgan Stanley sees changes before capital rules are finalized

08:36 EDT Morgan Stanley has adequate capital to meet requirements, says CEO Gorman

08:35 EDT Morgan Stanley CEO sees much of M&A buildup materializing in 2024

08:35 EDT Morgan Stanley 'clearly has a significant capital buffer,' says CEO Gorman

08:34 EDT Morgan Stanley 'controlling what we can control,' says CEO Gorman - Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:33 EDT Odyssey Health provides update on asset purchase agreement with Oragenics - Odyssey Health is providing an update on its Asset Purchase Agreement with Oragenics. When the Asset Purchase Agreement is consummated, Odyssey will receive eight million shares of Oragenics Series F Convertible Preferred Stock at the close of the transaction. Oragenics has approximately 2.5 million shares of common stock outstanding. The preferred stock converts to Oragenics common stock on a one-to-one basis. In addition, Odyssey will receive $1 million in cash, of which $500,000 was paid on signing and $500,000 will be paid on the sooner of ninety days from the October 4, 2023, signing of the agreement, or on the successful proxy vote of the Odyssey stockholders. The Company believes that asset sale is in the best interest of stockholders and provides many benefits. The 8 million shares of Series F Preferred Stock will become an asset of Odyssey. Oragenics has the resources and cash, as well as the ability to raise additional capital to fund the development of the platform technology and begin the clinical trials for the concussion drug. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to the satisfaction of various closing conditions, including approval of the transaction by Odyssey's shareholders and approval of the conversion of the Series F Preferred Stock by Oragenics shareholders.

08:27 EDT Lightspeed plans to welcome partners from round the world to its Oxygen Summit - Lightspeed Commerce plans to welcome over 300 independent business owners, partners and Lightspeed leaders from around the world to the Lightspeed Oxygen Summit, an invitation-only three-day conference in the heart of Montreal. Powering the world's best businesses, Lightspeed is the unified POS and payments platform for ambitious entrepreneurs who wish to accelerate growth, provide the best customer experiences and become a go-to destination in their space. "I'm a huge believer in the power of in-person gatherings to spark something great. That's what the Lightspeed Oxygen Summit is all about: making connections, sharing insights and building ideas," said JP Chauvet, Lightspeed's CEO. "This is the perfect moment to share our story: who we are, how we're shaping the future of commerce, and how-with the help of our invaluable partners-this will help our customers scale their businesses."

08:26 EDT FuelCell Energy electrolyzer to be used in UK Hydrogen, Nuclear study - FuelCell Energy has been contracted by EDF Energy for a project exploring the viability of using hydrogen to decarbonize asphalt production. The Bay Hydrogen Hub consortium, which is made up of EDF, Heidelberg UK, the National Nuclear Laboratory, and Vulcan Burners, proposes combining the use of FuelCell Energy's 1-Megawatt Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell with nuclear generated heat and electricity to produce hydrogen in bulk at a lower cost than other hydrogen electrolysis technologies. FuelCell Energy President and CEO Jason Few commented, "Solid oxide electrolysis is ideal for producing hydrogen from nuclear power sources. The already high efficiency of solid oxide electrolysis systems can be raised even higher using waste heat from the nuclear power plant, lowering the cost per kilogram of the hydrogen produced." FuelCell Energy's electrolyzer will be analyzed for use at the Nuclear Power Plant in Heysham as part of the Bay Hydrogen Hub project, which endeavors to decarbonize the asphalt industry by distributing that hydrogen via high volume tankers to dispersed sites.

08:24 EDT CymaBay announces presentation on RESPONSE Phase 3 data of seladelpar - CymaBay Therapeutics announced that a late-breaking presentation highlighting results from the RESPONSE Phase 3 study of seladelpar in patients with primary biliary cholangitis will be presented at The Liver Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, in Boston, MA. Seladelpar is a potent, selective, orally active delpar or PPARdelta agonist, in development for the treatment of adult patients with primary biliary cholangitis. The oral presentation titled "Efficacy and Safety of Seladelpar in Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis in the RESPONSE Trial: A Phase 3 International, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study," will be delivered by Professor Gideon Hirschfield, M.D., Lily and Terry Horner Chair in Autoimmune Liver Disease Research, Toronto Centre for Liver Disease. Charles McWherter, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and President of Research and Development at CymaBay, commented, "We look forward to sharing results from the RESPONSE study, which is the culmination of years of clinical development of seladelpar in patients with PBC examining and confirming it's treatment effects on cholestatic markers and symptoms. This is an important step forward in the process of obtaining regulatory review and potentially marketing authorization. We are extremely grateful to our team, investigators, and especially patients in the participation and collaboration in this endeavor. It's a privilege once again to be invited to share these results at The Liver Meeting(R) 2023."

08:22 EDT American Hotel Income Properties appoints Amy Friedman to board of directors - American Hotel Income Properties REIT announced the appointment of Amy Freedman as an independent director and the resignation of Richard Frank as an independent director of the Company. Freedman was also appointed as the Chair of the Compensation Committee and as a member of each of the Audit Committee and Investment Committee effective today. Amy Freedman is a Partner and Head of Engagement Fund Investment at Ewing Morris & Co. Investment Partners

08:20 EDT Mainz Biomed presents results of ColoFuture study - Mainz Biomed is presenting its groundbreaking results of its ColoFuture Study. Originally scheduled for presentation by Dr Moritz Eidens, the Company's Chief Scientific Officer, to assembled academics as part of a poster session at the 4th International Conference on Gastroenterology in Paris, the event has since been rescheduled from October to December. In consultation with the Conference leadership, Mainz Biomed has opted to release the eagerly anticipated ColoFuture results in line with the original conference schedule. The ColoFuture study was a multi-center international clinical trial assessing the potential to integrate a portfolio of novel gene expression biomarkers into ColoAlert, the Company's highly efficacious, and easy-to-use screening test for colorectal cancer which is being commercialized across Europe and in select international territories. The presented results of the groundbreaking study included a sensitivity for CRC of 94% with a specificity of 97% and a sensitivity for advanced adenoma of 80%.

08:18 EDT Ovid Therapeutics, Ligand enter $30M agreement for soticlestat - Ovid Therapeutics (OVID) and Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) announced that Ligand has acquired a 13 percent portion of the royalties and milestones owed to Ovid related to the potential approval and commercialization of soticlestat. In return, Ovid will receive a $30M payment, less certain reimbursable expenses. "We are pleased to partner with Ligand which recognizes the potential value of our royalty and milestone payments associated with soticlestat," said Jeffrey Rona, Chief Business and Financial Officer of Ovid. "Ligand conducted an extensive review of the comprehensive scientific and development program supporting soticlestat, and together, we structured a creative and customized transaction that enables both parties to benefit in soticlestat's expected future success while simultaneously enabling Ovid to propel our current pipeline of potential first-in-class or best-in-class neurological and anti-seizure medicines." Prior to the transaction with Ligand, Ovid's cash runway was expected to last into 2025, during which time five clinical and regulatory milestones are anticipated for its pipeline programs. With this additional, non-dilutive capital infusion from Ligand, Ovid anticipates that its cash runway is expected to last into 2026 and will enable the expansion of its clinical programs. Ovid sold its rights in soticlestat to Takeda (TAK) in 2021 and received an upfront payment of $196 million. Under that agreement, Ovid is eligible to receive regulatory and commercial milestone payments of up to $660 million, as well as tiered royalties on global net sales of soticlestat at percentages ranging from the low double-digits up to 20%, if soticlestat is approved and successfully commercialized.

08:16 EDT Yoshitsu to launch direct-sale stores in Canada - Yoshitsu announced that the Company is set to launch direct-sale stores in Canada. Through the opening of the Stores, the Company expects to streamline its operational processes, improve its speed of responding to customer preferences, and enhance its brand awareness in the Canadian market. Mei Kanayama, the Principal Executive Officer of Yoshitsu, commented, "Launching our direct-sale stores in Canada is a transformative step for Yoshitsu. By expanding our operations into Canada, we aim to not only align with the preferences of Canadian consumers, but expect to also refine our business model to bolster profitability. We anticipate that the Stores will elevate the overall customer journey - from the customers' shopping experience to our post-purchase interactions with them. Our aspiration is to blend Japanese craftsmanship and quality into the Canadian retail landscape."

08:15 EDT Ambarella CFO Brian White to retire at end of FY24 - Ambarella announced that Brian White will retire from his role as CFO at the conclusion of the current fiscal year ending January 31, 2024. John Young, Ambarella's current Vice President of Finance, has been elected to assume the role of CFO effective at that time.

08:12 EDT Aspen Group announces uplisting to OTCQB Market - Aspen Group announced its up-listing from the OTC Pink Market to the OTCQB Venture Market effective for trading October 18, 2023 at the open. Aspen Group will continue to trade under the ticker symbol "ASPU."

08:11 EDT X4 Pharmaceuticals appoints R. Keith Woods to board of directors - X4 Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of R. Keith Woods as an independent director to the company's Board of Directors. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer of argenx, a company focused on rare diseases.

08:09 EDT Paycor HCM promotes Brett Meager to Chief Customer Experience Officer - Paycor HCM announced the promotion of Brett Meager to Chief Customer Experience Officer, or CCEO, effective October 23. This new role will unify Paycor's Implementation and Service & Loyalty organizations, further enhancing the Company's relentless focus on creating an irresistible customer experience. Brett has over two decades of experience leading and scaling sales and service organizations. She joined Paycor in 2019 as Executive Vice President, Client Service & Loyalty and transformed Paycor's service model and customer experience. She directed considerable investments in both customer service resources and scalable technologies that significantly reduced wait and resolution times and elevated customer satisfaction, achieving record revenue retention. She has a proven track record as a leader focused on process optimization, outcomes and talent development.

08:08 EDT Baudax Bio announces corporate update, to initiate development of TI-168 - Baudax Bio announced that following recent shareholder approval of corporate actions related to its June 29 2023 acquisition of TeraImmune, the Company is now poised to initiate clinical development of TI-168, the Company's next-generation, FVIII specific Treg therapy designed to reliably and effectively address Hemophilia A patients with FVIII inhibitors. The Company anticipates initiating its Phase 1/2a clinical study of TI-168 in Hemophilia A patients with FVIII inhibitors with a modest initial budget in Q1 of 2024. "We are very pleased with the broad support received in last week's special shareholder meeting, during which shareholders approved all remaining issues related to our acquisition of TeraImmune," said Gerri Henwood, President and Chief Executive Officer of Baudax Bio. "We believe this combination, which brings together TeraImmune's research expertise with Baudax's drug development experience for the initiation of clinical development of TI-168, represents the best path forward to create shareholder value. With shareholder support now secured, we can finalize our preparations for initiating a Phase 1/2a clinical study of TI-168 in Hemophilia A patients in Q1 of 2024."

08:08 EDT Sophia Genetics announces collaboration with MSK Cancer Center and AstraZeneca - Sophia Genetics (SOPH) announced a collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, or MSK, a top cancer treatment and research institution, and AstraZeneca (AZN) to bring high quality, comprehensive cancer testing to a global scale. With this collaboration, the three leading organizations will further their shared goal to advance health equity on a global scale by providing inclusive access to comprehensive cancer testing worldwide. The partnership will provide MSK's proprietary liquid biopsy and solid tumor cancer tests - MSK-ACCESS and MSK-IMPACT- to organizations via the decentralized, technology-agnostic SOPHiA DDM Platform. This offering will be rapidly deployed by SOPHiA GENETICS with support from AstraZeneca's global footprint. Through SOPHiA GENETICS' cloud-based platform, which provides highly accurate and reliable data and insights, institutions around the world - and in traditionally under-resourced and under-served areas - will have the power to make data-driven decisions.

08:07 EDT Novavax receives full marketing approval for Nuvaxovid in UK - Novavax announced that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the United Kingdom has granted full marketing authorization for its prototype COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid for individuals aged 12 and older for active immunization to help prevent COVID-19.

08:07 EDT ISS recommends Crestwood unitholders vote for Energy Transfer transaction - Crestwood Equity (CEQP) announced that leading independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommends that unitholders vote "FOR" the pending transaction with Energy Transfer (ET) at the special meeting of unitholders scheduled to be held on October 30. In its report dated October 17, ISS stated : "...the strategic rationale is compelling and CEQP investors will have an opportunity to participate in the potential upside of the combined entity." "...the market response to the deal announcement has been positive. On balance, support for the transaction is warranted." Crestwood issued the following statement: "We are pleased that ISS supports the Board's unanimous recommendation that unitholders vote "FOR" the Transaction with Energy Transfer. The report issued by ISS reaffirms the compelling value creation opportunity the Transaction is expected to provide Crestwood unitholders, delivering estimated distribution per unit growth of 3-5% per year and providing substantial ownership in a significantly larger, more diverse MLP. We are confident that the combined entity will have significant growth prospects and deliver greater long-term value than Crestwood could realize on a standalone basis. We look forward to working alongside Energy Transfer to complete the Transaction." The Transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to the approval of Crestwood's unitholders and other customary closing conditions.

08:06 EDT Ford names Kumar Galhotra COO of global industrial systems - Ford is laying the last cornerstone in a series of organizational changes for its Ford+ growth plan, creating an effective and efficient end-to-end global industrial system as the operational engine behind all Ford vehicles - gas, hybrid and electric. Kumar Galhotra, who was heading Ford Blue, the company's business unit for gas and hybrid vehicles, becomes chief operating officer and will lead Ford's global industrial system. Galhotra now oversees all global vehicle engineering and cycle planning, ICE and hybrid programs, supply chain management, and manufacturing of vehicles on behalf of all the business units. Doug Field, as chief EV, digital and design officer, continues to drive innovation at startup speed in developing electric vehicles, creating digital platforms and software for Ford's entire product lineup, and leading the company's vehicle and digital design studios. Succeeding Galhotra as the head of Ford Blue is Andrew Frick, who reports to Farley. Frick had been managing Ford Blue's sales and distribution functions; trucks, SUVs and enthusiast vehicles; and operations in Mexico and Canada.

08:05 EDT IBM expands relationship with AWS - IBM (IBM) announced an expansion of its relationship with Amazon Web Services (AMZN) to help more mutual clients operationalize and derive value from generative artificial intelligence. As part of this, IBM Consulting aims to deepen and expand its generative AI expertise on AWS by training 10,000 consultants by the end of 2024; the two organizations also plan to deliver joint solutions and services upgraded with generative AI capabilities designed to help clients across critical use cases. IBM Consulting and AWS already serve clients across a variety of industries with a range of AI solutions and services. Now, the companies are enhancing those solutions and services with the power of generative AI designed to help clients integrate AI quickly into business and IT operations building on AWS.

08:04 EDT ViaSat's in-flight connectivity and wireless IFE selected by Porter Airlines - Canada's Porter Airlines and Viasat announced Viasat's in-flight connectivity and wireless In-Flight Entertainment, or IFE, systems will be factory-installed on an additional 20 new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft on order. The first of these new aircraft are scheduled to begin service next year. Porter Airlines is Canada's only airline to offer free, fast in-flight Wi-Fi across its entire Embraer E195-E2 fleet. Powered by Viasat's Ka-band satellite technology and efficient use of bandwidth, connected Porter passengers aboard its Embraer E195-E2 aircraft are able to stream video or music, browse websites, use email or apps - all on their own personal electronic devices. Porter placed an initial order with Viasat to outfit 30 E195-E2 aircraft. The majority of these are installed and operating today.

08:03 EDT G1 Therapeutics' COSELA recommended in updated SCLC guidelines - G1 Therapeutics announced that COSELA has been recommended as a myeloid supportive agent in the updated American Society of Clinical Oncology small cell lung cancer guidelines for patients with untreated or previously treated extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, SCLC, who are undergoing treatment with chemotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy. COSELA is indicated to decrease the incidence of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in adult patients when administered prior to a platinum/etoposide-containing regimen or topotecan-containing regimen for ES-SCLC. "The inclusion of COSELA in these new ASCO SCLC guidelines is essential, as they inform treatment decisions by U.S. physicians caring for people living with small cell lung cancer," said Raj Malik, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of G1 Therapeutics. "The mounting body of evidence from our clinical trials and real-world studies demonstrates the potential of COSELA to protect the bone marrow of patients with ES-SCLC against the harmful effects of chemotherapy. These updated guidelines provide further clarity and confidence to physicians considering cytotoxic therapies for their patients with untreated and previously treated SCLC."

08:02 EDT Nayax announces war in Israel has not disrupted business operations - Nayax announced that an internal analysis of actual and potential effects of the ongoing war in Israel has concluded, based on what we know as of today, that the war has not materially disrupted the Company's business operations, nor is it expected at this time to have a material adverse effect on the Company's ongoing business operations. Specifically, the analysis concluded that there are no current or expected material interruptions to the Company's business continuity, supply chain, sales of products or services, backlog of orders or employee productivity. While the Company's R&D center is located in Israel, only approximately 8% of its revenues are derived from Israel, and such revenues are not currently expected to be materially impacted by the war. Yair Nechmad, Nayax co-founder and Chief Executive Officer commented: "We are heartbroken by the horrific acts of violence and terror that occurred in Israel. As always, our first responsibility during these uncertain times is the health and safety of our employees and their families. Our deepest condolences to all the people and families who have been affected and have lost loved ones. We hope for the safe and speedy return of all the hostages. Our thoughts are with our employees and customers in Israel. While the terrible situation in Israel continues, we remain confident in the execution of our strategy and long-term growth plans."

07:47 EDT Ally Financial sees FY23 NIM above 3.3% vs. prior view of 3.4% - Sees adjusted noninterest expense $4.9B, in line with prior view, with a tax rate of 9% vs. prior view of 18%. Comments taken from Q3 earnings call presentation slides.

07:46 EDT Trio Petroleum appoints Michael Peterson as CEO - Trio Petroleum announced that Michael Peterson has been appointed as the new CEO of Trio effective October 23, 2023, replacing Frank Ingriselli who will be resigning, effective as of the same date. Mr. Peterson is currently a member of the Company's Board of Directors, serving as the Chairman of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee, and the Company's Special Acquisitions Committee. Mr. Ingriselli will assume the role of Vice Chairman of Trio, and enter into a consulting engagement to support the CEO transition to Mr. Peterson through December 2023. Mr. Ingriselli plans to focus a good part of his future on growing Brightening Lives Foundation, the public foundation he founded in 2006.

07:35 EDT Abbott reports Q3 worldwide Medical Devices sales up 16.6% on reported basis - Worldwide Medical Devices sales increased 16.6% on a reported basis and 14.7% on an organic basis in the third quarter. Sales growth was led by double-digit organic growth in Diabetes Care, Electrophysiology, Structural Heart, and Neuromodulation. Several recently launched products and new indications contributed to the strong performance, including Amplatzer Amulet, Navitor, TriClip, and AVEIR. In Electrophysiology, internationally, sales grew more than 20% on a reported and organic basis, which includes mid-teens growth in Europe. In Diabetes Care, FreeStyle Libre sales were $1.4B, which represents sales growth of 30.5% on a reported basis and 28.5% on an organic basis.

07:34 EDT Lincoln Electric appoints Marc Howze to board of directors - Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO) announced that Marc Howze, Senior Advisor, Office of the Chairman, at Deere & Company (DE), has been elected to Lincoln Electric's Board of Directors, effective October 17, 2023. He will serve as a member of the Compensation and Executive Development Committee and the Finance Committee. Mr. Howze's appointment expands Lincoln Electric's Board to 12 directors, 11 of whom are independent.

07:33 EDT Ally Financial announces workforce reduction to save $80M annually - Ally is reducing expense growth considering near-term revenue headwinds. The company announced specific actions taken to drive down expense growth going forward: Full impact of mid 2022 hiring freeze now reflected in run rate; reduction in workforce estimated to save $80M annually. The company announced a normalization of credit losses; normalization of weather losses; ramp up of technology and brand spend.

07:32 EDT Lilium becomes first eVTOL for private sale in U.S. in partnership with EMCJET - Lilium N.V. has opened private sales of its eVTOL jets in the U.S. market, in partnership with EMCJET. EMCJET is set to be the exclusive Lilium dealer in Texas through 2030 for private sales. Under the terms of the partnership, which includes a commercial commitment to Lilium for five production slots, EMCJET will enable individuals to purchase some of the first Lilium Pioneer Edition Jets available in the U.S. market. The Lilium Jet will be available countrywide, with the initial focus on key cities in Texas, including Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, aligning with Texas' commitment to sustainability, delivering efficient and eco-friendly transportation choices for residents and visitors. "We are thrilled to partner with EMCJET as we embark on our mission to revolutionize regional air mobility in the United States. EMCJET's proven track record of private premium market jet sales in the U.S. and managing privately owned aircraft and exceptional customer service aligns seamlessly with Lilium's vision of delivering an unparalleled flying experience to our potential customers," said Sebastien Borel, Chief Commercial Officer at Lilium.

07:29 EDT Ally Financial reaffirms FY23 other revenue view $1.9B - Lowers FY23 net interest margin view to 3.3% from 3.4%. Reaffirms FY23 adjusted noninterest expense view $4.9B.

07:15 EDT Idaho Strategic announces extension of high-grade mineralization at Mineral Hill - Idaho Strategic Resources announced the extension of high-grade mineralization at its Mineral Hill rare earth elements project. The Company is also pleased to report on the progress made at each of its Idaho REE projects and discusses the Company's partnerships and potential opportunities. Over the course of the 2023 rare earth elements geology field season, Idaho Strategic achieved several milestones and laid the foundation for continued success. In addition to sampling greater than 23% total rare earth elements at the Company's Mineral Hill Project, IDR geologists have thus far traced that mineralization for over 0.5 miles of strike length, utilizing the Company's X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) machine to confirm the continuity and possibly build upon this already impressive REE grade and composition. The Mineral Hill Project is made up of several prospects: Roberts, Phyllis Gross, and Lower Lee Buck. The Roberts prospect's 0.5-mile seam hosts a continuous 1,500-foot carbonatite with thicknesses up to 10 feet, and locally contains assay grades in excess of 23% TREE. IDR geologists have reason to believe recent samples sent to the lab for analysis may very well exceed the previous TREE grades of 23%. IDR's sampling at Lower Lee Buck returned TREE grades of up to 10%. The Phyllis Gross area, located between the Roberts and Lee Buck prospects, indicates remarkable carbonatite activity and was controlled by one family and largely left unevaluated for over 75 years prior to IDR's ownership. Detailed geological mapping of the high-grade REE seam at the Roberts prospect in preparation for drill permitting is ongoing and this season's mapping has led to additional carbonatite discoveries identified throughout the Company's broader Mineral Hill project. Simultaneous with the Company's work at its Mineral Hill Project, IDR began the first trenching program at its expansive Lemhi Pass Project with the goal of better understanding its structural geology and undertaking the sampling of prospective and known areas of REE mineralization. The Lemhi Pass Project is made up of numerous prospects spread across 10 square miles and this season IDR commenced trenching on three of its many prospects within the Company's greater Lemhi Pass landholdings: Sparky, In-Trust and Independence. Assay results are still pending on various samples collected from vastly different geological settings and REE mineralization. Significant and remarkable neodymium mineralization was collected from up to 12-inch-thick low angle faults and mylonite zones. Although these assays are still pending, data collected from a handheld XRF tool promises encouraging results. The Diamond Creek Project continues to advance its USFS permit for a core drilling program in the Simer and Frank Burch prospects targeted for the summer of 2024. Additional summer geological mapping and sampling for REE's in these areas returned results of up to 5% TREE which enhanced drilling targets. IDR geologists were excited to share highlights of the Company's 2022 Diamond Creek drilling campaign with geologists of the Tobacco Root Geological Society at their 48th Annual Field Conference. Two areas of Idaho Strategic Resource's projects, Diamond Creek and the Mineral Hill District, were given full-day field trips and the ensuing discussions were productive and informational for both IDR and the attendees at the Tobacco Root Field Conference. Over the past year the folks at IDR have been diligent in seeking and forging relationships with several strategic and community partners. The list includes Idaho National Labs, Dept. of Energy, Colorado School of Mines, the University of Idaho, Center for Advanced Energy Studies, Idaho Geological Survey, and other Idaho state and local agencies. The Company has also worked with other industry folks that are focused on addressing the lack of a domestic REE supply chain. Over the course of 2023, these relationships have been strengthened and plans are in place to look for oppo

07:11 EDT Visa, MasterCard slip as Fed plans meeting to discuss debit-card fee cap - Shares of Visa (V) and Mastercard (MA) are each slightly lower in morning trading after the Federal Reserve announced it will consider revising the cap on fees merchants must pay to banks when consumers swipe a debit card. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve will discuss proposed revisions to the Board's debit interchange fee cap at an open board meeting on October 25, according to a notice posted to the central bank's website. Reference Link

07:10 EDT Energy Recovery gets $28M in Algeria contracts to supply PX Pressure Exchanger - Energy Recovery, announced several contracts to supply the PX Pressure Exchanger to desalination projects in Algeria totaling over $28M..This slate of projects will help bring the country closer to its goal, as all of these contracted projects will supply PX devices to municipal desalination projects, providing clean drinking water to local residents. All orders are scheduled to deliver in 2023. "Algeria is a clear example of why desalination will continue to be a critical part of a diversified water supply strategy in the face of water scarcity around the world," said Rodney Clemente, Energy Recovery Senior Vice President of Water. "While Algeria has also invested in reuse, conservation, and the construction of dams to increase water capacity, seawater desalination remains the only drought-proof source. With these new awards, we will have nearly 3.5 M cubic meters per day of installed capacity within the country. Customers around the world continue to rely on the PX to be able to meet their water demand while optimizing their operational costs."

07:09 EDT Hookipa Pharma announces publication of preclinical data on HB-400 - HOOKIPA Pharma (HOOK) announced that The Journal of Infectious Diseases has published preclinical data on HB-400, an investigational therapeutic vaccine for chronic hepatitis B developed in collaboration with Gilead Sciences (GILD). The published data highlight HB-400 as a potential component in achieving a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B. HOOKIPA's alternating 2-vector approach is designed to optimize and focus the immune response against the target antigens. HB-400 is one of two independent development programs in HOOKIPA's collaboration and license agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. The preclinical data published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases show that: Immunization with HB-400 induced robust, hepatitis B-specific T cell and antibody responses in non-human primates; and HB-400 vaccination cleared detectable serum hepatitis B antigens in a mouse model for chronic HBV infection, with near elimination of detectable hepatitis B antigen positive hepatocytes in the liver. "The lack of curative therapies for chronic hepatitis B infection is a significant barrier to addressing the global burden of disease," said Joern Aldag, Chief Executive Officer at HOOKIPA. "We're pleased to see our novel arenaviral platform technology featured in this reputable journal, and we look forward to seeing how clinical results of Gilead's ongoing Phase 1 trial of HB-400 may further support its potential as a component of a functional cure regimen for hepatitis B."

07:08 EDT AN2 Therapeutics receives license from UGA for Chagas disease treatment - AN2 Therapeutics (ANTX) announced that it has received an exclusive license from the University of Georgia Research Foundation to advance the development of a boron-containing small molecule for Chagas disease. These boron-based molecules were originally discovered by researchers at Anacor Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer (PFE) and the University of Georgia, with grant funding from Wellcome. The lead compound under this series, AN2-502998 , was discovered in close collaboration with Professor Rick Tarleton, Ph.D., University of Georgia, an expert in Chagas disease and Trypanosoma cruzi biology. To date, preclinical activities have been supported using non dilutive grant funding from Wellcome and are conducted in partnership with Professor Tarleton. "AN2-502998 has the potential to be a game-changer for the treatment of individuals infected with T. cruzi, and at risk of developing clinical Chagas disease, which affects over 7 million people worldwide," said Eric Easom, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of AN2 Therapeutics. "AN2-502998 is the only compound to date that demonstrates complete cures of infection in non-human primates with long-term, naturally acquired chronic infections of diverse T. cruzi genetic types. Professor Tarleton and scientists from AN2 have advanced this research, and with IND-enabling preclinical studies for AN2-502998 well underway, and this license in hand, we are excited to further develop AN2-502998 as a potential treatment for Chagas disease." " "

07:07 EDT Tonix announces publication of data in Journal Nature on TNX-1500 - Tonix Pharmaceuticals announced that a study published in the Journal Nature by faculty at the Center for Transplantation Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital in collaboration with biotechnology company, eGenesis, utilized TNX-1500 as part of the immune modulating regimen to prevent organ transplant rejection. Tonix's TNX-1500 is in development for the prevention of human kidney organ transplant rejection. The molecular target of TNX-1500 is CD40-ligand, which is also known as CD154. The Nature article titled, "Design and testing of a humanized porcine donor for xenotransplantation" includes data that provide additional support for TNX-1500's activity in preventing pig xenograft organ rejection and for its tolerability in non-human primates. Because anti-CD40L treatment is widely recognized as critical to the success of xeno organ transplant, no animals were transplanted without anti-CD40L treatment. Four of the transplanted animals received prophylactic treatment with TNX-1500. The other animals were treated with a primate-adapted version of mAb 5c8, which is an earlier antibody that was also discovered by Dr. Lederman, when he was an assistant professor at Columbia University. The primate-adapted 5c8 anti-CD40L mAb5 has been provided to qualified researchers at a nominal charge for more than 20 years in an National Institute of Health-funded program called the "Non-human Primate Reagent Resource Center". "The animal study described in the Nature publication supports the growing evidence that the protein engineering behind the invention of TNX-1500 resulted in a dimeric antibody that retains activity to prevent rejection and preserve graft function. These and other data6,7 confirm the rationale for us to pursue development of TNX-1500 to prevent rejection in human transplantation," said Dr. Lederman. "We are currently enrolling in a Phase 1 trial with TNX-1500 in healthy volunteers to support the development of TNX-1500 for the prevention of allograft rejection. There remains a significant need for new treatments with improved activity and tolerability to prevent organ transplant rejection. We believe TNX-1500 has the potential for treating and preventing organ transplant rejection.

07:05 EDT Tiziana Life announces allowance by FDA for at-home dosing of Foralumab - Tiziana Life Sciences announces a significant milestone in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, has allowed multiple sclerosis patients to take home and self-administer Intranasal Foralumab, a groundbreaking treatment developed by Tiziana Life Sciences. Delivery Device Training materials have been developed and refined in collaboration with the FDA, and patients will be trained in the use of the nasal device in accordance with these materials. "Traditionally, MS patients have had to visit healthcare facilities for treatment, which could be inconvenient and burdensome. The FDA's approval for home dosing of Foralumab will transform the way patients manage their condition, offering them greater control over their treatment schedules and the convenience of receiving care in their familiar environment," commented Gabriele Cerrone, Chairman, acting CEO and founder of Tiziana Life Sciences on this landmark decision, saying, "We are elated with the FDA's allowance for home dosing of Intranasal Foralumab. This step significantly aligns with our mission to make innovative therapies more accessible to patients and ultimately improve their quality of life. We believe that this treatment approach will revolutionize the way multiple sclerosis patients manage their condition."

07:04 EDT Intellia Therapeutics announces FDA clearance of IND for NTLA-2001 Phase 3 trial - Intellia Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the company's Investigational New Drug application for NTLA-2001 for the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy. The global Phase 3 study of NTLA-2001, an in vivo CRISPR-based gene editing candidate, is expected to initiate by year-end 2023.

07:03 EDT Stepan Company increases quarterly dividend 2.7% to 37.5c per share - Stepan Company reported that the board of directors of Stepan Company approved an increase of $0.010 per share, or 2.7%, on its quarterly cash dividend on its common stock. The dividend of $0.375 per share is payable on December 15 to common stockholders of record on November 30. The increase marks the 56th consecutive year in which the quarterly dividend rate on the company's common stock has increased.

07:01 EDT Shell completes sale of interest in Indonesia's Masela block - Shell Upstream Overseas Services, a subsidiary of Shell plc, has completed the previously announced sale of its 35% participating interest in Indonesia's Masela Production Sharing Contract to Indonesia's PT Pertamina Hulu Energi and PETRONAS Masela Sdn. Bhd. The sale includes the Abadi gas project. Completion of the sale follows regulatory approval from Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources for the transfer of SUOS' stake to PT Pertamina Hulu Energi Masela and Petronas Masela. This divestment is in line with Shell's focus on disciplined capital allocation. Shell remains active in Indonesia's downstream and low-carbon fuel sectors.

06:59 EDT Stepan Company expects challenges in Q4 similar to rest of the year - "Looking forward, we believe the fourth quarter of 2023 will face challenges similar to those experienced during the first nine months, including continued destocking within the agricultural end market, and the normal low seasonal demand for Rigid Polyols. We expect to reduce inventory levels further by year-end and we are nearing the end of our high capital spending phase. As we look toward 2024, we believe volumes and margins will improve due to continued recovery in Rigid Polyols demand, growth in Surfactant volume driven by new contracted business and lower raw material costs," said Scott Behrens, president and CEO. "Given the continued challenging market conditions, we are expanding our cost reduction activities and expect to deliver $50 million in pre-tax savings in 2024, which will help offset future inflation and increased expenses associated with the planned commissioning of our new Pasadena alkoxylation assets. Our cost reduction activities are centered around workforce productivity and improved operational performance across our manufacturing network. A combination of anticipated market recovery, executing our strategic initiatives, and the aforementioned cost reductions, should position us to deliver earnings growth and positive free cash flow in 2024. We remain confident in our long-term growth and innovation initiatives."

06:57 EDT Eneti subsidiary signs contract to assist with the installation of wind turbines - Eneti announced that Seajacks UK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and a leading provider of installation and maintenance vessels to the offshore wind sector, has signed a contract with an undisclosed client to assist with the installation of wind turbines. With mobilization commencing in 2024, the contract will be performed by the Company's NG14000X-class vessel, "Seajacks Scylla". Inclusive of mobilization and demobilization, the engagement is expected to be between 442 and 655 days and generate approximately $113M-$167M of gross revenue. There are no material project costs or transit costs related to the contract.

06:35 EDT AstraZeneca says Soliris approved in China for treatment of adults with NMOSD - Soliris has been approved in China for the treatment of adult patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, or NMOSD, who are anti-aquaporin-4 antibody positive, AstraZeneca announced. "Soliris is the first and only complement inhibitor approved for the treatment of NMOSD in China," the company stated.

06:10 EDT BMW to adopt NACS for battery electric vehicles in U.S. and Canada - BMW of North America (BMWYY) and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA announced that drivers of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Combined Charging System battery electric vehicles in the U.S. and Canada will gain access to designated Tesla (TSLA) Supercharger stations in early 2025. "With six fully electric BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce models now available in the U.S. market, and more to come, it is our top priority to ensure that our drivers have easy access to reliable, fast charging," said Sebastian Mackensen, President & CEO, BMW of North America. "This agreement is the latest in our longstanding and continued effort to expand charging options for our customers as we continue on the road to electrification." The companies will work together in the coming months to create a seamless customer experience enabling BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce drivers to find and access available Superchargers on their vehicle's display, and make payments through their respective vehicle's brand app. As part of the arrangement, the BMW Group will also adopt the North American Charging Standard for its battery electric vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, starting in 2025. This agreement is independent of BMW NA's recently announced commitment, with six other automakers, to create a joint venture company that will build a new, high-powered electric vehicle charging network in North America. The new joint venture will build at least 30,000 new chargers in metropolitan areas and along major highways, which will be accessible to drivers of all battery electric vehicles from any automaker using CCS or NACS charging standards. The joint venture is expected to be established this year, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

06:06 EDT Walgreens and the CRF announce collaboration for PREVUE-VALVE study - Walgreens and the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, or CRF, announced a collaboration to drive forward the PREVUE-VALVE study, a groundbreaking population-based clinical trial that aims to quantify the prevalence of valvular heart disease, or VHD, among older Americans and pave the way for the development of new therapies and tools for VHD detection and diagnosis. Walgreens aims to leverage its national presence, strong community relationships and data-driven clinical trials solutions to help identify and reach potential study participants. Walgreens will provide patient recruitment services to support this study, which seeks to define the prevalence of VHD in older Americans and to ensure representative access and enrollment. To enhance patient convenience and engagement, participants will have all study procedures performed in the comfort of their homes. By leveraging longitudinal pharmacy and social determinants of health insights and proprietary automated recruitment selection software, Walgreens looks forward to reaching eligible patients for enrollment at the right time to deliver the right message and help orchestrate their participation seamlessly. The PREVUE-VALVE study is currently underway, with topline results expected in 2025, making a significant step forward in the fight against valvular heart disease.

05:40 EDT WISeKey announces SEALSQ Corp. to supply ValutIC408 - WISeKey (WKEY) announced that its Semiconductors & PKI subsidiary SEALSQ Corp. (LAES) was selected by Aesopower, a wireless connectivity solution provider, to supply its secure element ValutIC408 into their street lighting controller with cryptographic technology that can safeguard the device against the most sophisticated cyberattacks. The VaultIC408 is a tamper resistant secure microcontroller with embedded firmware designed for strong device authentication and secure communication. The targeted markets are smart city applications, industrial equipment, medical equipment and smart appliances. VaultIC408 is a hardware secure element that can be used in various applications such as IP protection, access control, IoT or hardware protection.

05:35 EDT Nvidia says U.S. restrictions will not meaningfully impact near-term results - Nvidia disclosed last night that on October 17, the U.S. government announced that it submitted the interim final rule, "Implementation of Additional Export Controls: Certain Advanced Computing Items; Supercomputer and Semiconductor End Use; Updates and Corrections" for publication. The rule imposes additional licensing requirements for exports to China and country groups D1, D4, and D5, including but not limited to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, but excluding Israel, of Nvidia's integrated circuits exceeding certain performance thresholds. The licensing requirement includes future Nvidia integrated circuits, boards, or systems classified with ECCN 3A090 or 4A090, achieving certain total processing performance and/or performance density, the company added. Nvidia said the licensing requirement may impact the company's ability to complete development of products in a timely manner, support existing customers of covered products, or supply customers of covered products outside the impacted regions, and may require the company to transition certain operations out of one or more of the identified countries. "Given the strength of demand for our products worldwide, we do not anticipate that the additional restrictions will have a near-term meaningful impact on our financial results," Nvidia stated.

05:32 EDT Genentech announces results from primary analysis of ALINA study - Genentech, a member of Roche, announced results from the primary analysis of the Phase III ALINA study demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in disease-free survival. The study results showed that Alecensa reduces the risk of disease recurrence or death by 76% compared with platinum-based chemotherapy in people with completely resected Stage IB to IIIA anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. A clinically meaningful improvement of central nervous system, or CNS-DFS was also observed. The safety and tolerability of Alecensa in this trial were consistent with previous trials in the metastatic setting and no unexpected safety findings were observed. Overall survival data were immature at the time of this analysis and follow-up is ongoing to report a more mature estimate. The full results of ALINA are being presented as a late-breaking oral at the European Society of Medical Oncology, or ESMO, Congress 2023 Presidential Symposium on Saturday, October 21. These data will be submitted to global health authorities, including the FDA and the European Medicines Agency. Results from the primary analysis of the ALINA study showed median DFS was not yet reached for Alecensa compared with 41.3 months for chemotherapy. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events, or AEs, occurred in 30% of people receiving Alecensa, compared with 31% of those receiving chemotherapy. No Grade 5 events were observed in either treatment arm. For those receiving Alecensa, 5.5% of patients discontinued treatment due to AEs versus 12.5% in the chemotherapy arm.

05:18 EDT Clear Channel Outdoor to sell France business to Equinox Industries - Clear Channel Outdoor announced that it has signed a share purchase agreement to sell its business in France to Equinox Industries, a Paris-based industrial holding company that makes long-term majority equity investments. In addition, Didier Quillot, Equinox's senior advisor, would participate alongside Equinox Industries in the proposed transaction and would be appointed non-executive chairman of Clear Channel France upon completion. In the proposed transaction, Equinox would acquire full ownership of Clear Channel France, which achieved turnover of EUR 245M in the year ended December 31, 2022 and has approximately 800 employees. As consideration for the transaction, the company would deliver Clear Channel France to Equinox Industries at closing with approximately EUR 42M of cash, subject to adjustment for related customary items, tax and other costs, to support ongoing operations of the business, and Equinox Industries would maintain the approximately EUR 30M state-guaranteed loan held by Clear Channel France. The company duly informed and consulted the French employee works council. The parties are aiming to complete the transaction in the coming weeks, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The transaction is not subject to regulatory approval.

05:07 EDT Clarivate renews contract with FEDLINK - Clarivate announced the renewal of its contract with the Federal Library and Information Network, or FEDLINK. This contract is in addition to the contract agreed with ProQuest, part of Clarivate. Together these commitments will equip government libraries and information centers with workflow management tools and cutting-edge research and discovery solutions.

05:02 EDT Yum China discloses possible quarterly dividend with HKEX - Yum China announced, in compliance with the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, or HKEX, which require advance notice of board meetings at which a dividend is expected to be declared, that its board of directors will consider the declaration and payment of a quarterly dividend. If the board decides to proceed, the declaration will be adopted by board resolution on or around November 1 and will be promptly disclosed by the company.