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July 2025

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Asian markets open: Vietnam index at 3-year high on US deal; Sensex to open up

3 Mins Read

Asian stock markets presented a mixed picture at Thursday’s open, with Vietnamese equities surging to a more than three-year high as investors reacted to news of a new trade agreement with the United States, announced by President Donald Trump.

While this development fueled optimism in some corners, other regional markets, including Japan, edged lower, as investors continued to assess the broader global trade landscape and awaited a key US jobs report.

The standout performer in early Asian trading was Vietnam. The benchmark Vietnam Index rose 0.3% to its highest level since April 2022, according to data from LSEG.

This rally came after President Donald Trump, via his Truth Social platform, announced a new trade agreement with the Southeast Asian nation.

According to Trump, the US is imposing a 20% tariff on goods imported from Vietnam, while the latter will impose a “ZERO Tariff.” This announcement comes as the deadline for President Trump’s 90-day global tariff reprieve draws closer.

However, the Vietnamese currency, the dong, weakened to a record low of 26,195 per dollar following the news of the trade deal, as shown by LSEG data.

While Vietnam striking a trade deal with the US contributed to a rally in US equities, the optimism may not be universally shared across Asian markets and economies, according to some analysts.

Vishnu Varathan, Mizuho Securities’ head of macro research for Asia ex-Japan, suggested a more cautious interpretation, according to CNBC.

“For one, the deal with Vietnam is a stark reminder of the imbalance in leverage, to the disadvantage of Asian exporters,” he wrote in a Thursday note.

However, Varathan also added that the depreciation of the Vietnamese dong could potentially provide a buffer against the impact of the 20% US tariffs.

Elsewhere in Asia, market performance was varied. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 slipped 0.15%, and the broader Topix index lost 0.21%.

In contrast, South Korea’s Kospi added 0.77%, and the small-cap Kosdaq rose 0.5%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 also gained, adding 0.13%.

In Greater China, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slipped 0.64%, while mainland China’s CSI 300 managed to add 0.14%.

Indian markets poised for modest gains

Indian benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty, are likely to see a modest increase at the open on Thursday, influenced by the pockets of gains seen in other Asian markets following the US-Vietnam trade agreement.

This optimism is also supported by investors keeping a close watch on the progress of a potential trade agreement between the US and India.

Gift Nifty futures were trading at 25,584 points at 8:18 A.M. IST, suggesting a slight increase from the previous close of 25,574.50 and pointing to a potentially positive start for the domestic bourses.

US market backdrop: records set, jobs data awaited

US stock futures were little changed in early Asian hours as traders braced for the release of June’s major jobs report.

S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures were fractionally higher, while futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose a slight 21 points, or less than 0.1%.

Overnight in the US, the three major averages had closed mixed, but with notable record-setting performances. The S&P 500 scored a fresh all-time intraday high and closed at another record.

The Nasdaq Composite also advanced 0.94% to post a record close of 20,393.13.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, slipped a marginal 10.52 points, or 0.02%, to end at 44,484.42.

The post Asian markets open: Vietnam index at 3-year high on US deal; Sensex to open up appeared first on Invezz

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Crypto Market Recap: Coinbase Acquires Liquifi, Tether to Have its Day in Court

6 Mins Read

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (July 2) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) is priced at US$109,452, up by four percent in the last 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$107,542.

Bitcoin price performance, July 2, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin’s price gain was driven by a calming in Middle East tensions and growing optimism after the US Federal Reserve signaled a dovish tilt; both factors boosted investor risk appetite. Additionally, continued inflows into US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and favorable regulation expectations helped sustain upward momentum.

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$2,584.30, up by 7.5 percent over the past 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$2,446.41.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$152.55, up by five percent over 24 hours. Its highest valuation as of Wednesday was US$153.39, and its lowest was US$148.29.
  • XRP was trading for US$2.18, up by 4.9 percent in 24 hours. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation was US$2.15 and its highest was US$2.27.
  • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$2.92, showing an increaseof 9.3 percent over the past 24 hours and its highest valuation on Wednesday. Its lowest valuation was US$2.76.
  • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.5932, up by 10.6 percent in the last 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation as of Wednesday was US$0.5605.

Today’s crypto news to know

Judge permits billion-dollar lawsuit against Tether

A US bankruptcy judge is allowing a US$40 billion lawsuit against stablecoin issuer Tether to proceed, according to court documents filed in New York on Monday (June 30). The lawsuit was launched by crypto lender Celsius, which accused Tether of improperly liquidating nearly 40,000 Bitcoin from its platform in June 2022.

Tether attempted to dismiss claims, arguing that the liquidation was to cover Celsius’s US$812 million debt when Bitcoin prices plummeted. Tether also claimed that US courts lacked authority over Tether’s non-US operations, a claim the judge disagreed with, and maintains that Celsius had directed the liquidation.

Coinbase buys Liquifi in undisclosed deal

Coinbase has acquired Liquifi, a startup that builds token management platforms for crypto projects, continuing its busy M&A streak in 2025. Liquifi, backed in its 2022 seed round by Dragonfly and investors like Balaji Srinivasan, helps projects track token vesting, manage crypto cap tables, and handle tax requirements. Coinbase declined to disclose the purchase price, but said Liquifi will help streamline token launches and distribution. This puts Coinbase closer to an “end-to-end” model, similar to Binance’s launchpad, which supports crypto creation from early stages.

Liquifi has been locked in a legal fight with competitor Toku over alleged business document theft, claims which it denies, and Coinbase said it will stand by Liquifi’s defense.

The deal follows other Coinbase acquisitions this year, including Spindl, Iron Fish’s team and the company’s record-breaking US$2.9 billion Deribit buy.

SEC considers streamlining ETF listings

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly considering a change to its listing structure that would allow ETF issuers to submit a Form S-1, the initial listing registration filing, without having to first file a Form 19b-4.

This is according to crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett, who added that she was told issuers would only need to wait 75 days before listing their tokens if they met the criteria for a general listing standard, the details of which are still unknown but could involve criteria like market capitalization, liquidity and trading volume.

Tech billionaires launch crypto-focused bank Erebor

A group of prominent tech investors, including Anduril’s Palmer Luckey, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, are backing a new US-based crypto bank called Erebor, as per the Financial Times.

Erebor has applied for a national banking charter and plans to serve technology-driven sectors like artificial intelligence, defense and crypto, as well as individuals working in these fields.

The digital-only bank will be headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, with an additional office in New York.

Erebor intends to hold stablecoins on its balance sheet, offering a stable value backed by reserves. The bank is led by Owen Rapaport and Jacob Hirshman, a former Circle adviser.

Erebor’s mission is to address the gap left by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, which had been a critical channel for startups and venture investors until its 2023 failure.

AllUnity to launch Euro stablecoin

Germany’s financial watchdog, BaFin, has granted regulatory approval to Deutsche Bank and its asset management arm, DWS, for their joint venture, AllUnity. They will launch a euro stablecoin called EURAU, pegged 1:1 to the euro.

The approval allows AllUnity to launch its stablecoin in compliance with new MiCA regulations. The stablecoin aims to facilitate secure, transparent and compliant digital payments for institutions and businesses across Europe.

In other news out of Europe, the European Central Bank said it plans to test a new system using blockchain technology by late 2026 to settle payments in euros. This initiative, called Pontes, is part of a two-track approach that will connect modern blockchain platforms with the eurozone’s existing payment systems.

China considers stablecoins to reinforce cross-border payment strategy

Policy advisors in China are pressing Beijing to explore stablecoins for cross-border payments, even as the country’s broad crypto ban remains in place, Bloomberg reported.

People’s Bank of China (PBOC) Governor Pan Gongsheng noted that stablecoins could make international finance more resilient to geopolitical disruptions, a view echoed by other senior officials.

Former PBOC governor Zhou Xiaochuan suggested dollar-linked stablecoins might even accelerate dollarization, while others see a case for yuan-backed coins to support China’s long-term currency goals.

The momentum comes after the US Senate passed a stablecoin bill in June, advancing President Donald Trump’s digital currency agenda. Stablecoin supply is projected to reach US$3.7 trillion by 2030, driven by cheaper, faster settlement options compared to traditional banking.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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As his feud with Trump reignites, Musk’s business with the government is back in the crosshairs

4 Mins Read

Elon Musk and President Donald Trump are fighting again. Now Musk’s business interests — and the billions in government contracts they enjoy — are once again in the crosshairs.

Investors were already punishing Tesla on Tuesday, sending shares in the electric carmaker more than 4% lower in afternoon trading. The stock has experienced a late-spring rally alongside the broader market but remains down some 20% so far this year. The shares have been pummeled by a global backlash to Musk’s alliance with Trump on the campaign trail and in the White House, where the multibillionaire led a sweeping program of government cuts

Musk acknowledged there had been “some blowback” to the actions taken by his Department of Government Efficiency project that may have affected Tesla sales. Yet investors remain largely bullish on the company and its efforts to pivot away from mass-market EVs and toward self-driving taxis and robotics, pushing its market valuation back toward $1 trillion.

Tesla remains Musk’s best-known business, but its fortunes are less directly tied to the government than SpaceX, his rocket-building company. SpaceX’s $350 billion valuation largely rests on the many government contracts that fuel it. SpaceX’s work for NASA has ramped up in recent years in support of the Artemis mission to return to the moon.

Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is currently the only active vessel capable of carrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX has also become essential to the Department of Defense’s missions taking satellites into orbit and today is responsible for the majority of such missions, according to Ars Technica.

SpaceX is privately held, meaning its shares don’t trade on the open market. It is thus difficult to get a real-time gauge on how worsening relations could affect the company’s fortunes. But the impact could be substantial. Since fiscal year 2000, total revenue for SpaceX and Tesla from federal unclassified contracts sits at $22.5 billion, according to Bloomberg Government data — with most of those going to the former. The Washington Post has put the figure for SpaceX alone at close to $38 billion, with $6.3 billion alone coming in 2024 — the highest annual total to date.

The dispute with Trump has also taken a chunk out of Musk’s personal net worth. After soaring to an all-time high of nearly half a trillion dollars after Trump’s election win, Musk’s publicly available wealth tally now sits at $400 billion, though that still makes him the world’s wealthiest individual by nearly $150 billion ahead of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, another Trump ally.

The Musk-Trump tiff first exploded into public view last month, shortly after Musk formally stepped down from his special government employee role and criticized the massive spending and tax cut bill that Republican senators passed Tuesday. Trump responded at the time by threatening to “terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”

Musk, in turn, said he would begin “decommissioning” the Dragon, only to reverse course hours later after an X user advised him and Trump to “cool off and take a step back for a couple of days.”

Before their initial flare-up subsided, Musk announced he would be reining in his political spending weeks after a candidate he had backed lost a key Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Some analysts believe the current relapse in tensions between the two men will be short-lived given Musk’s reliance on the government, and vice-versa.

Still, Musk is now discussing launching his own political party to address the U.S.’s fiscal imbalances, which he believes Trump’s bill will exacerbate — a contention supported by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. While the South Africa-born executive is ineligible to run for office, any candidate he backed for national office would likely face immediate conflict-of-interest questions.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Trump turns to Supreme Court in fight to oust Biden-era consumer safety officials

3 Mins Read

President Donald Trump’s Justice Department filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court on Wednesday, seeking to overturn lower court rulings that blocked the administration from firing three Biden-appointed regulators.

The emergency appeal asks the High Court to allow the Trump administration to fire three members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), a five-member independent regulatory board that sets standards and oversees safety for thousands of consumer products. The appeal comes after the Supreme Court, in May, granted a separate emergency appeal request from the Trump administration pertaining to the firing of two Biden-appointed agency officials from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).  

‘It’s outrageous that we must once again seek Supreme Court intervention because rogue leftist judges in lower courts continue to defy the high court’s clear rulings,’ said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. 

‘The Supreme Court decisively upheld the president’s constitutional authority to fire and remove executive officers exercising his power, yet this ongoing assault by activist judges undermines that victory,’ he continued. ‘President Trump remains committed to fulfilling the American people’s mandate by effectively leading the executive branch, despite these relentless obstructions.’

Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. were appointed to serve seven-year terms on the independent government agency by former President Joe Biden. Their positions have historically been protected from retribution, as they can only be terminated for neglect or malfeasance.

After Trump attempted to fire the three Democratic regulators, they sued, arguing the president sought to remove them without due cause. Eventually, a federal judge in Maryland agreed with them, and this week an appeals court upheld that ruling. 

However, according to the emergency appeal from the Trump administration, submitted to the High Court on Wednesday morning, the three regulators in question have shown ‘hostility to the President’s agenda’ and taken actions that have ‘thrown the agency into chaos.’

The emergency appeal to the Supreme Court added that ‘none of this should be possible’ after the High Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s decision to fire two executive branch labor relations officials.

‘None of this should be possible after Wilcox, which squarely controls this case. Like the NLRB and MSPB in Wilcox, the CPSC exercises ‘considerable executive power,’ 145 S. Ct. at 1415—for instance, by issuing rules, adjudicating administrative proceedings, issuing subpoenas, bringing enforcement suits seeking civil penalties, and (with the concurrence of the Attorney General) even prosecuting criminal cases,’ Solicitor General John Sauer wrote in the emergency appeal to the Supreme Court.

The request, according to Politico, will go to Chief Justice John Roberts, who is in charge of emergency appeals stemming from the appeals court that upheld the previous Maryland court ruling blocking the Trump administration’s firings.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Here’s why the Jumia stock price is soaring

3 Mins Read

Jumia stock price rebounded this week, soaring to its highest level since December last year. JMIA soared to a high of $4.70, up by 170% from its lowest level this year. 

Jumia stock price soars amid takeover hopes

Jumia share price has surged in the past few months, mirroring the performance of most companies. The rally accelerated this week after Bloomberg reported that it was becoming a takeover target.

The report cited Axiom Telecom, a company based in Mauritius that aims to increase its footprint in Africa. In that line, it has raised $600 million to refinance its debt. 

Axiom has been interested in Jumia for a while and has been accumulating its shares, making it the eighth-largest holder. Jumia is now valued at over $570 million, meaning that the potential bid would be worth over $700 million.

Axiom Telecom and Jumia have not responded to the report, and there is a possibility that it will be scrapped. 

Jumia stock price chart | Source: TradingView

JMIA is facing major challenges

Jumia, which offers an Amazon-like e-commerce platform, has been under pressure in recent years as its growth slows and losses intensify. Its performance is a sign that demand for its products in key countries is falling. 

The most recent results showed that its revenue came in at $36 million in the first quarter, down by 26% from the same period last year. This decline happened as its gross merchandise volume tumbled by 11% YoY. 

Jumia’s revenue decline is because of the substantial competition happening across Africa, where e-commerce shopping has jumped. While Jumia is a popular company, users are opting for other way to shop.

A popular approach is where customers in urban areas use apps like Glovo to order food and groceries from nearby sellers. Unlike Jumia, these apps deliver their products within minutes.

As a result, SimilarWeb data shows that website and app traffic to some Jumia sites is falling. Jumia Kenya had 2.36 million visitors in May, down by 11.95% from a month earlier. Similarly, Jumia Egypt’s traffic dropped by 3% to 2.1 million, whle Jumia Ghana had less than 1 million visitors. 

Its results also showed that its adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $15.7 million, a big increase from $4.3 million a year earlier. 

Further, Jumia’s active customer growth is still sluggish. It ended the last quarter with 2.1 million users, down from 2.4 million in the fourth quarter. In contrast, other regional e-commerce companies like MercadoLibre and Coupang continue to see double-digit user growth. 

Juma is working to boost its business by launching more services to complement its existing ones. It has ventured into Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solutions and expanded its delivery solutions in Nigeria. 

Is it safe to buy Jumia shares?

The main reason to buy Jumia shares today is to hope that Axian will make a formal bid for the company, a move that would see it delisted in New York. Such a deal would be a good exit strategy for its investors who have endured substantial losses since it went public.

The risk, however, is if the deal fails and Jumia continues to operate as an independent company. Such a scenario is risky because of Jumia’s deteriorating financials and market share. If this happens, the next key level to watch will be at $1.75, the lowest swing in April.

The post Here’s why the Jumia stock price is soaring appeared first on Invezz

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Lithium Universe LtdPV SOLAR CELL Recycling Acquisition Legal Due Diligence Complete

2 Mins Read

Melbourne, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Lithium Universe Limited (ASX:LU7) (FRA:KU00) (OTCMKTS:LUVSF) is pleased to announce that further to its announcement dated 18 June 2025 (Announcement), it has now completed legal due diligence to its absolute satisfaction. As such, the Company is now progressing towards completion of the Acquisition (defined below).

ACQUISITION DETAILS

As detailed in the Announcement, the Company has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the global rights to commercially exploit a patented photovoltaic (PV) solar panel recycling technology known as Microwave Joule Heating Technology. The rights will be secured via an exclusive licensing agreement with Macquarie University (MQU), held through an Australian-incorporated holding company, New Age Minerals Pty Ltd (NAM). The transaction will be effected by the Company acquiring 100% of the issued share capital of NAM (Acquisition).

As disclosed in the Announcement, completion of the Acquisition was conditional on the Company completing legal due diligence. This has now been completed to the satisfaction of the Company.

Completion was also conditional on the Company, NAM and MQU entering into a variation to the licensing agreement to reflect the change in ownership of NAM. The parties have since agreed in writing to waive this condition to allow completion of the Acquisition to proceed, with the variation to be entered into with MQU as soon as practicable following completion.

The Company will now proceed to the acquisition of NAM.

About Lithium Universe Ltd:  

Lithium Universe Ltd (ASX:LU7) (FRA:KU00) (OTCMKTS:LUVSF), headed by industry trail blazer, Iggy Tan, and the Lithium Universe team has a proven track record of fast-tracking lithium projects, demonstrated by the successful development of the Mt Cattlin spodumene project for Galaxy Resources Limited.

Instead of exploring for the sake of exploration, Lithium Universe’s mission is to quickly obtain a resource and construct a spodumene-producing mine in Quebec, Canada. Unlike many other Lithium exploration companies, Lithium Universe possesses the essential expertise and skills to develop and construct profitable projects.

Source:
Lithium Universe Ltd

Contact:
Iggy Tan
Executive Chairman
Lithium Universe Limited
Email: info@lithiumuniverse.com

News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Clean energy stocks fall as Trump bill would tax components from China, phase out credits

2 Mins Read

Clean energy stocks fell Monday as President Donald Trump’s spending legislation now includes a tax on wind and solar projects using Chinese components and abruptly phases out key credits.

Shares of NextEra Energy, the largest renewable developer in the U.S., fell 4%. Solar stocks Array Technologies, Enphase and Nextracker were down between 1% and 9%.

The Senate is voting Monday on amendments to the legislation. The current draft ends the two most important tax credits for solar and wind projects placed in service after 2027.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted on X over the weekend. “Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

Previous versions of the bill were more flexible, allowing projects that began construction before 2027 to qualify for the investment and electricity production tax credits, according to Monday note from Goldman Sachs.

The change “compresses project timelines and adds significant execution risk,” Bank of America analyst Dimple Gosal told clients in a note Monday. “Developers with large ’25 pipelines, may struggle to meet the new deadlines — potentially delaying or downsizing planned investments.”

The Senate legislation also slaps a tax on solar and wind projects that enter service after 2027 if they use components made in China.

“The latest draft in the Senate has become more restrictive for most renewable players, moving toward a worst case outcome for solar and wind, with a few improvements for subsectors on the margin,” Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco told clients in a Sunday note.

To be sure, the rooftop solar industry is viewed by Wall Street as a relative winner from the bill, with Sunrun shares up more than 13% and SolarEdge trading more than 6% higher on Monday. The legislation seems to allow tax credits for leased rooftop systems to remain in place through the end of 2027, which was not the case in previous versions, according to Goldman Sachs.

And First Solar is up more than 9% as the legislation seems to allow the manufacturer to claim credits for both components and final products, according to Bank of America.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Israel accepts Trump-led ceasefire plan that could end Gaza war within 60 days

2 Mins Read

Israel has agreed to a proposal led by the Trump administration for a 60-day ceasefire, during which time President Donald Trump said all parties will work to end the war in the Middle East.

‘My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza,’ Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. ‘Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War. 

‘The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal,’ Trump added. ‘I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!’

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar said Monday, ‘Israel is serious in its will to reach a hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza.’

He pointed to Jerusalem’s acceptance of a recent proposal presented by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, but which Hamas rejected as it did not include a solution to a permanent ceasefire and a plan to withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza.

Witkoff is expected to head to Cairo in the coming days to begin hashing out new negotiations.

The president has been pushing for Israel to end its conflict in Gaza and to secure a hostage deal.

Ending Israel’s military operations in Gaza will prove a crucial step in expanding Trump’s ambitions to bring new nations into the Abraham Accords. 

‘We have opportunities in front of us,’ Sa’ar said, echoing Jerusalem’s ambitions to reach a deal. ‘We paid for the new reality in the Middle East with the blood of our soldiers and citizens.’

‘Israel is interested in expanding the Abraham Accords circle of peace and normalization. We have an interest in adding countries, such as Syria and Lebanon, our neighbors, to the circle of peace and normalization – while safeguarding Israel’s essential and security interests,’ he added. 

Prior to today, Trump had not detailed which nations are interested in normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel, though nations like Saudi Arabia have made clear that so long as Palestinians continue to suffer in the Israel-Hamas conflict, normalization is off the table.

Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Top FTSE 100 Index shares to watch: Rolls-Royce, Lloyds, BT, Aviva

4 Mins Read

The FTSE 100 Index has rebounded in the past few months, moving from a low of £7,542 in April to £8,800 today, July 1. It has jumped by 16%, and is hovering near its all-time high. 

Footsie’s V-shaped recovery has mirrored that of other global indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, which have jumped and reached their all-time highs in the past few months. 

This article highlights some of the top FTSE 100 Index shares to watch in the year’s second half.

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR)

Rolls-Royce Holdings is one of the top FTSE 100 shares to watch in the year’s second half. It had a great first  half of the year as it jumped to a record high of 964p, up from 567p on January 1. This growth makes it one of the best-performing companies in the Footsie.

The stock will be in the spotlight due to its growing market share in key industries such as civil aviation, power, and defense. Its aviation business is doing well as airlines continue thriving and as demand for airline engines jump. 

The power division is benefiting from the ongoing demand for small modular reactors. Technology companies are also investing heavily in the data center. 

Rolls-Royce has also benefited from the recent conflicts that have pushed countries to boost their defense spending. For example, Donald Trump has called upon NATO members to boost their defense budget to at least 5% of the GDP. 

Lloyds Bank (LLOY)

Lloyds Bank, the biggest domestic banking group in the UK, has also done well this year so far. It jumped to a multi-year high of 76p, up from 52p in January and 30p in 2022.

Lloyds, like other European banks, has performed well due to ongoing dividend growth and total returns. Its dividend yield has increased to 3.95%, and the company continues to repurchase its stock. Its goal is to move its CET1 ratio from 13.5% today to 13% by the end of last year.

Lloyds Bank will be in the spotlight because of the upcoming actions of the Bank of England (BoE), which is expected to cut interest rates later this year.

The company will also be in the spotlight due to the motor insurance crisis being reviewed by the Supreme Court. This case revolves around the legality of commissions between car dealerships and lenders. Lloyds has already set aside over a billion pounds to deal with the crisis.

Read more: Top 3 reasons to buy Lloyds Bank shares

BT Group (BT.A)

BT Group is another FTSE 100 Index stock to watch this year after it jumped sharply lately. It jumped to nearly 200p, up by 101% from its lowest level in 2024. 

BT Group share price has jumped because of its strong financials and investments. The most recent results showed that its revenue dropped by about 2% last year to £20.5 billion. Its profit before tax rose by 12% to £1.3 billion, while the profit after tax rose by 23% to £1.05 billion.

Aviva (AV)

Aviva is another top FTSE 100 stock to watch after rising by over 32% this year. This growth makes it one of the best-performing companies in the UK this year.

Aviva’s business has done well because of the turnaround efforts by Amanda Blanc. She has exited key international markets, and put an emphasis on the domestic market. 

One of her biggest actions was to acquire Direct Line, a top insurance company in the UK. Therefore, Aviva will be in the spotlight as investors watch her turnaround efforts and whether they are generating substantial returns. 

The other top FTSE 100 Index companies to watch are St. James Place, NatWest, Barclays, and BAE Systems. 

The post Top FTSE 100 Index shares to watch: Rolls-Royce, Lloyds, BT, Aviva appeared first on Invezz

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13 Uranium Companies Exploring Canada’s Athabasca Basin

9 Mins Read

Uranium market watchers know that Canada’s Athabasca Basin is among the world’s richest uranium jurisdictions and hosts several of the highest-grade uranium deposits on the planet.

Spanning close to 100,000 square kilometers of the Canadian Shield of Northern Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Athabasca Basin is a major contributor to Canada’s status as the second largest uranium producer and the third largest country by uranium reserves.

Unsurprisingly, the region is home to the world’s largest uranium mine, Cigar Lake. The mine reports average grades of 14.69 percent U3O8 and accounts for 14 percent of global uranium production.

First commissioned in 2014, Cigar Lake is operated by uranium major Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ), which holds a 54.547 percent stake in the mine, as part of a joint venture with Orano Canada at 40.453 percent and TEPCO Resources at 5 percent. Ore from the underground mine property is processed at Orano’s McClean Lake mill, located 70 kilometers from the mine.

Uranium was first discovered in the Athabasca Basin in 1934, and today the region remains a major hot spot for uranium exploration. In recent years, a number of Athabasca Basin uranium companies have made exciting new discoveries, sparking a staking rush by others looking to get in on the action.

Athabasca Basin uranium exploration companies

1. ATHA Energy (TSXV:SASK,OTCQB:SASKF)

ATHA Energy has an extensive uranium exploration pipeline across Canada, including in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. At 3.8 million acres, ATHA’s land package in the Athabasca Basin includes the Gemini project, a basement-hosted near-surface uranium deposit with uranium intercepts of between 6,190 and 96,600 parts per million.

The company also holds a 10 percent carried interest in exploration projects operated by NexGen Energy (TSX:NXE,NYSE:NXE) and IsoEnergy (TSX:ISO).

2. Azincourt Energy (TSXV:AAZ,OTCQB:AZURF)

Azincourt Energy has two uranium projects in Canada, one of which is its East Preston joint venture project near the southern edge of the Western Athabasca Basin. Azincourt has an 86.5 percent interest, with the remainder held by Skyharbour Resources. The 20,647 hectare property is adjacent to Skyharbour’s minority-owned Preston project.

Azincourt says it is targeting basement-hosted unconformity-related uranium deposits in two prospective conductive, low-magnetic-signature corridors. The company is planning for a fall 2025 geophysics exploration program at East Preston in preparation for a potential winter 2026 diamond drill program.

3. Baselode Energy (TSXV:FIND)

Baselode Energy’s strategy is developing assets near the Athabasca Basin with similar geology. Its ACKIO near-surface uranium discovery at its Hook project is located directly adjacent to the Athabascan Basin. First discovered by the company in September 2021, the ACKIO near-surface uranium prospect is more than 375 meters along strike, and more than 150 meters wide.

Baselode has identified at least nine separate uranium pods, or small bodies of mineralization, on the project. Drill results from its summer 2024 exploration program were released in May 2025, demonstrating the potential for further expansion of the known uranium mineralization at ACKIO.

4. CanAlaska Uranium (TSXV:CVV)

CanAlaska Uranium is a project generator with interests in a portfolio of assets in the Athabasca Basin covering 1.24 million acres. The company is advancing its West McArthur joint venture with Cameco, which is situated near the McArthur River mine in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. CanAlaska owns 85 percent of the project.

CanAlaska’s 2025 C$12.5 million drill program at West McArthur is aimed at expanding and delineating the high-grade Pike Zone uranium discovery.

Earlier this year, the company completed the first drilling in over 10 years at its wholly owned Cree East deposit in the south-eastern portion of the Basin. The drill program was fully funded by Nexus Uranium (CSE:NEXU,OTCQB:GIDMF) as part of an option earn-in agreement to earn up to 75 percent interest in the project.

5. Denison Mines (TSX:DML)

Uranium miner Denison Mines’ direct ownership interests in the Athabasca Basin region covers approximately 384,000 hectares. The company has a 22.25 percent stake in the McClean Lake mine and mill joint venture project operated by Orano Canada.

Denison’s flagship project in the region is Wheeler River, considered the largest undeveloped uranium project in the eastern region of the Athabasca Basin. Wheeler River hosts the high-grade Phoenix and Gryphon deposits.

According to a 2023 feasibility study, Phoenix hosts a proven and probable resource of 219,000 metric tons at an average grade of 11.7 percent uranium for 53.3 million pounds. The company plans to develop the deposit as an in-situ recovery operation.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is slated to conduct hearings for the project’s environmental assessment and license on October 8 and December 8 to 12, 2025. If approval is granted, the company is looking to break ground in early 2026 and commence production by the first half of 2028.

As for the Gryphon deposit, Denison has evaluated it as a conventional mine in a pre-feasibility study. The company conducted a field program in the first quarter 2025 that may be used for a future feasibility study.

6. F3 Uranium (TSXV:FUU,OTCQB:FUUFF)

F3 Uranium has three exploration properties in the western region of the Athabasca Basin: the advanced-stage Patterson Lake North project, which hosts the JR discovery, as well as the early-stage Minto and Broach projects.

In February 2025, the company launched a drill campaign at its Patterson Lake North project followed by ground geophysical exploration programs at its Broach and Minto projects. F3 Uranium raised C$7 million in flow-through shares in May 2025, which will go towards further exploration of its uranium projects.

7. Forum Energy Metals (TSXV:FMC,OTCQB:FDCFF)

Forum Energy Metals has numerous wholly owned and joint venture projects hosting new discoveries of high-grade unconformity-related uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin. So far in 2025, the company’s focus has been on the Northwest Athabasca (NWA) project, a joint venture between Forum at 45.4 percent, NexGen Energy at 25.3 percent, Cameco at 18 percent and Orano Canada at 11.3 percent.

Early in the year, Forum announced an option agreement allowing Global Uranium (CSE:GURN,OTCQB:GURFF) to earn up to 75 percent of Forum’s stake in the property by spending C$20 million in exploration expenditures at NWA.

In April, Global Uranium completed a diamond drilling program and ground geophysical surveys on the project, which intersected elevated radioactivity and alteration systems distinct to unconformity-type uranium mineralization.

8. IsoEnergy (TSX:ISO)

IsoEnergy has a portfolio of projects and joint ventures in the Eastern Athabasca Basin, and its main focus is the Hurricane deposit at its wholly owned Larocque East uranium property.

The company discovered Hurricane in 2018 and it now stands as the world’s highest-grade indicated resource of uranium. A 2022 resource estimate reported an indicated high-grade resource of 63,800 metric tons grading 34.5 percent uranium for 48.61 million pounds of contained uranium.

IsoEnergy’s summer exploration program will include drilling to test potential resource expansion at Larocque East as well as exploration at its other Athabasca Basin projects.

9. NexGen Energy (TSX:NXE,NYSE:NXE)

NexGen is another uranium mining company with a large land package in the basin, including its development-stage Rook I project.

Rook I has a measured and indicated resource estimate of 256.7 million pounds contained uranium from ore grading an average of 3.1 percent U3O8. The 2021 feasibility study outlines an 11.5 year initial mine life with up to 29.2 million pounds of U3O8 production per year for the first five years.

The Federal Environmental Impact Statement for Rook I was accepted in January 2025, and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has proposed hearing dates for the project on November 19, 2025, and February 9 to 13, 2026. NexGen plans to immediately begin construction activities following final federal approval.

10.Paladin Energy (TSX:PDN)

Paladin Energy’s Patterson Lake South (PLS) project hosts the large, high-grade and near-surface Triple R deposit, which has the potential to produce both uranium and gold. The company acquired it as part of its acquisition of Fission Uranium in 2024. Paladin also holds six early-stage uranium projects in the basin.

PLS’s mineral reserve estimate includes probable reserves of 93.7 million pounds from 3 million metric tons of ore at an average grade of 1.41 percent U3O8. The 2023 feasibility study demonstrates life of mine production of approximately 9 million pounds U3O8 per year over a 10 year mine life.

The company released positive drill results from its winter drill program on the Saloon East zone in June 2025 showing the potential to further grow the resource base of the property outside of the Triple R deposit. The project is advancing through the environmental permitting process.

11. Purepoint Uranium (TSXV:PTU)

Purepoint Uranium has an extensive uranium portfolio, including six joint ventures and five wholly owned projects all located in the Athabasca Basin.

Purepoint has a significant joint venture relationship with IsoEnergy (TSX:ISO) that includes a 50/50 joint venture agreement to explore 10 uranium projects across 98,000 hectares in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin. The partners launched a 2025 drill campaign in May at the Dorado project, which will include approximately 5,400 meters across 18 holes, targeting high-priority electromagnetic conductors for uranium mineralization.

Its joint ventures also include the Hook Lake uranium project in the Patterson region, in which it owns a 21 percent interest alongside Cameco and Orano Canada, which both hold 39.5 percent.

12. Skyharbour Resources (TSXV:SYH,OTCQX:SYHBF)

Skyharbour Resources is another junior mining company with an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in the Athabasca Basin, comprising 36 uranium projects over 614,000 hectares. The company’s core projects include its 57.7 percent owned Russell Lake project — a joint venture with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) — and its wholly owned Moore project.

Skyharbour’s 49,635 hectare Preston uranium project in the western portion of the Athabasca Basin is the subject of a 7,000 meter 2025 summer drill campaign being conducted by its joint venture partner, Orano Canada. Orano is the majority owner and operator at the project at 53.4 percent, while Skyharbour owns a minority interest of approximately 25.6 percent. The remainder is held by Dixie Gold.

13. Standard Uranium (TSXV:STND,OTCQB:STTDF)

Standard Uranium is an emerging project generator that holds interest in over 94,476 hectares in the Athabasca Basin, including its flagship Davidson River project in the southwest region of the basin.

In spring 2025, Standard Uranium partnered with Fleet Space Technologies Canada on three ExoSphere Multiphysics survey grids across the Warrior, Bronco and Thunderbird conductors at Davidson River. The surveys will provide important data for upgrading drill targets across the property through imaging of density anomalies in the basement rock.

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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