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September 2025

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The EMI trap: how easy credit is silently crushing India’s middle class

5 Mins Read

Deepanshu Kaushik, a 28-year-old account executive, is trapped in a punishing EMI cycle.

With a monthly salary of ₹40,000, nearly half, about ₹18,000, vanishes on EMIs for personal loans and credit cards, leaving too little to cover rent, groceries, school fees, and medical needs for his wife and daughter.

Unexpected expenses push him to borrow more, deepening his debt. His shrinking budget and rising obligations leave him constantly anxious, unable to save or plan ahead.

Every month, the need to meet past commitments forces new compromises, keeping Deepanshu perpetually stuck and worried about the future.

India’s middle class is increasingly suffocated by a silent epidemic: easy credit has become a double-edged sword, pushing families into a worsening “EMI trap.”

Household debts have soared, defaults are mounting, and a string of newsworthy suicides highlights how financial distress has transformed into a quiet social crisis.

The debt spiral: Data speaks

India’s household debt has reached record heights, now sitting at approximately 48.6% of GDP as of March 2025, up sharply from 32% in 2019 and 41.9% just last year.

The per capita debt for individual borrowers is a staggering ₹4.8 lakh, representing a 23% increase in just two years.

This escalation is driven by a consumption-fueled lending boom; credit cards, small personal loans, and “Buy Now Pay Later” (BNPL) schemes have rapidly proliferated, enticing families with the promise of quick, frictionless borrowing.

The consequences are dire for the middle class.

As much as 33% of monthly salaries are being diverted to EMI repayments, squeezing budgets for essentials like food, healthcare, and children’s education.

Shockingly, 45% of middle-class families now spend over 40% of their income just servicing debt, a threshold widely recognized by financial experts as a warning sign for acute distress.

​Defaults and delinquencies: The growing crack

The surge in borrowing is accompanied by an alarming uptick in defaults and credit card delinquencies.

Loans overdue by more than 90 days spiked to 3.6% in March 2025, up from 3.3% last year, with the default rate among young and rural borrowers particularly high.

Delinquencies in credit card repayments have shot up to 7.6% as of June 2024, and the non-performing asset (NPA) ratio for credit cards rose by 28.4% within a year.

Personal loans under ₹10,000 are seeing the sharpest pains, with default rates jumping by 44% from late 2023 to mid-2024.

In Tier 3 towns and rural India, loan defaults touched a six-quarter high, and over-burdened borrowers with scant financial literacy are most vulnerable.

The human toll

Behind these staggering statistics are real tragedies. In Karnataka alone, at least 17 people died by suicide in the first three months of 2025 due to harassment by microfinance lenders.

Across the country, studies now attribute 19% of suicides to financial distress, with 90% of those victims holding debts.

Recent months have seen a grim litany of cases: a newly-married man in Andhra Pradesh died by suicide over a mere ₹2,000 instant loan, while a young manager in Jhansi ended his life under the pressure of EMI recovery targets.

Even mass family tragedies, suspected to stem from overwhelming loan obligations, are becoming more visible in national headlines.

The lending boom: A dangerous growth

The personal loan market is exploding from $8.34 billion in FY2024 to a projected $54 billion by FY2032, growing over 26.5% annually.

Non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) are aggressively expanding in small-ticket lending, sometimes to borrowers with little credit history, creating conditions ripe for over-borrowing and cascading defaults.

Pradeep Saini, a senior bank executive spoke with Invezz and explained how EMIs have revolutionized loan sales strategies.

“Monthly EMIs make it much easier for customers to say yes to loans as they see the affordability of a small monthly outgo, not the long-term cost,” he says.

According to Pradeep, banks now actively push EMI-based products because they simplify achieving loan disbursal targets.

The real advantage for banks, he reveals, lies in the higher total interest accumulated from long-term, small-ticket EMIs compared to bigger, shorter-tenure loans, making EMIs a win-win for sales targets and profitability.

Why the trap is so dangerous

For India’s middle class, aspirations increasingly ride on borrowed funds: from education to smartphones, cars to homes.

But no financial cushion exists if jobs are lost or income slips.

Households, squeezed by stagnant wages and persistent inflation, find easy credit too tempting to ignore, only to be choked by EMI commitments when “minimum due” becomes a mountain.

Digital lending apps and buy-now-pay-later services have exploded in popularity over the past few years, offering quick loans and easy credit with just a few taps. 

But for many borrowers, especially those new to credit, there’s little understanding of the risks involved and even less protection from reckless lending practices.

The Reserve Bank of India has started to step in, tightening rules around unsecured loans, while a few state governments are cracking down on coercive collection methods. 

Still, much of the responsibility rests with lenders to prevent borrowers from spiraling into debt, and with policymakers to ensure people are better informed and supported.

The middle class, long seen as the backbone of economic progress, now faces an uncomfortable reality. 

The promise of instant credit, without proper checks and guidance, risks turning a tool of empowerment into one of financial strain, where the road to opportunity might instead lead to uncertainty and stress.

​

The post The EMI trap: how easy credit is silently crushing India’s middle class appeared first on Invezz

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In World news

Editor’s Picks: Gold Sets New Price Record, Silver Hits 14 Year High

4 Mins Read

It’s been a historic week for precious metals, with gold nearly hitting the US$3,600 per ounce mark, and silver passing US$41 per ounce for the first time since 2011.

The gold price spent the summer in a consolidation phase, and part of what’s spurring its latest move is expectations that the US Federal Reserve will lower interest rates at its next meeting.

The central bank has held rates steady since December 2024, even as President Donald Trump places increasing pressure on Fed Chair Jerome Powell to cut.

Powell’s August 22 speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, began stoking anticipation of a cut, and August US jobs data, released on Friday (September 5), has all but guaranteed it will happen.

Non-farm payrolls were up by 22,000, significantly lower than the 75,000 expected by economists. Meanwhile, the country’s unemployment rate came in at 4.3 percent.

CME Group’s (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool now shows a 90.2 percent probability of a 25 basis point rate cut in September, with a 9.8 percent probability of a 50 basis point reduction.

Bond market turmoil also helped move the gold price this week.

Yields for 30 year US bonds rose to nearly 5 percent midway through the period, their highest level since mid-July, on the back of a variety of concerns, including tariffs, inflation and Fed independence.

Globally the situation was even more tumultuous, with 30 year UK bond yields reaching their highest point since 1998; meanwhile, 30 year bond yields for German, French and Dutch bonds rose to levels not seen since 2011. In Japan, 30 year bond yields hit a record high.

Tariff developments have also created uncertainty this past week.

After an appeals court upheld a ruling that many of Trump’s tariffs are illegal, the president’s administration asked the Supreme Court to fast track its review of the decision.

Going back to gold and silver, their recent price activity is certainly raising questions about what’s next. The broad consensus among the experts focused on the sector is positive, but the metals are beginning to get more mainstream attention too.

Notably, investment bank Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) now has a gold price prediction of US$4,000 by mid-2026, although the firm notes that the yellow metal could rise to nearly US$5,000 if just 1 percent of private investors shift from treasuries to gold.

‘If 1 per cent of the privately owned US Treasury market were to flow to gold, the gold price would rise to nearly $5,000 per troy ounce’ — Daan Struyven, Goldman Sachs

Bullet briefing — Hoffman on gold, Hathaway on silver

It’s been a short week, at least in North America, so instead of the usual news stories this bullet briefing will highlight a couple of my favorite recent interviews.

Nothing in gold’s path

First is Ken Hoffman of Red Cloud Securities. It was my first time speaking with Hoffman, and he made a compelling case for how gold could get to US$10,000.

Watch the full interview with Hoffman above.

Silver a ‘smouldering volcano’

Next is John Hathaway of Sprott. He shared what he thinks will be the trigger for gold’s next move higher — a major decline in equities — but he also discussed his bullish outlook on silver, which moved past US$40 not long after our interview.

Watch the full interview with Hathaway above.

We’re definitely entering uncharted territory right now, and I want to make sure I bring you commentary from the experts you want to hear from — drop a comment below to let me know who you’d like me to talk to, and also what questions you have.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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In Politics

Trump delivers ultimatum to Hamas: hostages home or pay the consequences

3 Mins Read

President Donald Trump issued his ‘last warning’ to Hamas to either release the remaining hostages or face the consequences.

‘Everyone wants the hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well.’

‘I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting,’ he continued. ‘This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter.’

Last month, Trump said the remaining hostages would only be returned when Hamas is ‘confronted and destroyed.’ At the time, Hamas was citing alleged progress in ceasefire talks.

In July, the U.S. and Israel pulled negotiators from Qatar after Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said Hamas showed a ‘lack of desire to reach a ceasefire’ and was likely not negotiating in good faith.

On Aug. 26, Witkoff told Fox News’ Bret Baier on ‘Special Report’ that he and Trump wanted the hostages home that week. 

‘There’s been a deal on the table for the last six or seven weeks that would have released 10 of the hostages out of the 20 who we think are alive,’ he said, noting that he believes Hamas is ‘100%’ to blame for the hold-up.

Witkoff did not elaborate on what is delaying the hostages’ return, nearly two years after they were taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Fifty hostages continue to be held by Hamas, only 20 of whom are assessed to still be alive. 

Trump previously predicted in late August that there would be a ‘conclusive’ end to the war in Gaza within the next ‘two to three weeks,’ though he did not say how this would be accomplished. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that only a comprehensive ceasefire — one that ensures the return of all hostages and ends the war on Israel’s terms — will be considered.

Israel is preparing a new offensive in Gaza targeting Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, as it expanded ground operations under Operation Gideon’s Chariots II.

IDF spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee warned Palestinians in parts of Gaza City to leave ahead of an expected escalation. The warning included a map marking the area and highlighting one building the IDF planned to strike, citing ‘the presence of Hamas terrorist infrastructure inside or nearby.’

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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In Stocks

Tim Cook’s repeated ‘thank yous’ at Trump’s White House dinner go viral

2 Mins Read

A short video from a White House dinner featuring Apple CEO Tim Cook has gone viral, not for the guest list or setting, but for Cook’s repeated expressions of gratitude.

The dinner, hosted by US President Donald Trump, brought together technology leaders to discuss investment and innovation.

During the event, Trump praised Cook for his leadership at Apple, calling it “an incredible job with the little company called Apple.”

Cook responded with a polite acknowledgement.

Over the next two minutes, however, he went on to say “thank you” at least eight times, a pattern that quickly drew attention online.

Cook’s viral moment

The video circulated widely on social media platforms, where users noted the frequency of Cook’s responses.

Some described the repetition as unusual, while others viewed it as a diplomatic effort in a high-profile political setting.

Edited clips highlighting the rapid succession of acknowledgements added to the lighthearted nature of the online commentary.

Cook’s comments during the dinner consistently centred on gratitude.

He thanked Trump for the invitation, acknowledged the role of both the president and the First Lady in creating what he described as a supportive environment for investment, and credited the administration for backing American companies abroad.

He also praised the First Lady’s focus on education, calling it “the great equaliser.”

Apple’s US Investment

The conversation eventually turned to Apple’s financial commitments in the United States.

Trump asked Cook about the scale of planned investments, to which the Apple CEO responded, “$600 billion.”

Trump followed up with his own “thank you,” prompting another round of Cook’s acknowledgements.

The post Tim Cook’s repeated ‘thank yous’ at Trump’s White House dinner go viral appeared first on Invezz

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Lode Gold Closes $1.51 Million Upsized Private Placement

8 Mins Read

Lode Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: LOD,OTC:LODFF) (OTCQB: LODFF) (‘Lode Gold’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has now closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement offering for $1.0 million (the ‘Offering’). In three tranches, the Company raised total gross proceeds of $1,513,768 through the issuance of 8,409,825 units of the Company (‘Unit’) at a price of $0.18 per Unit, (see related Company news first tranche, second tranche, and final tranche).

Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (‘Common Share’) and one common share purchase warrant (‘Warrant’). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.35 per share for a period of 36 months following the date of closing. The Company may accelerate the Warrant expiry date if the Company’s shares trade at $0.65 or more for a period of 10 days, including days where no trading occurs.

In conjunction with the private placement finder’s fees of $16,039 will be paid in cash and 89,100 Finders’ Warrants will be issued. Each Finders’ Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.35 per share for a period of 36 months following the date of closing.

Insiders of the Company subscribed to 1,022,111 Units of the private placement.

All securities issued pursuant to this private placement, including common shares underlying the Warrants, are subject to a statutory hold period which expires 4 months from the date of closing.

The completion of the private placement remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The proceeds raised from the Offering will go toward execution of the business plans for Lode Gold and its subsidiary, Gold Orogen (1475039 B.C. Ltd.).

Management Changes
Winfield Ding has resigned as the CFO with immediate effect. The Company has initiated a search for a new CFO and has identified several potential candidates for the position. Wayne Moorhouse has agreed to act as the Company’s Acting CFO. Wayne has a wealth of senior company management experience including holding the position of CFO for Roxgold Inc. (TSXV), Midnight Sun Mining Corp. (TSXV), Genco Resources Inc. (TMX), Bluestar Gold (TSXV), and other private and public companies.

Construction Loan Extension
The Company has entered into an amending agreement with Romspen Investment Corporation (the ‘Lender’) to extend the maturity date of a construction loan agreement. The new maturity date of the loan is October 31, 2025. In consideration for extending the maturity date of the loan, the Company will pay the Lender $200,000 of interest owing consisting of $100,000 to be paid in cash and $100,000 to be paid in shares subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Legal Update
As part of the 2024 Restructuring and Growth Plans, a senior secured debt holder, aligned with the Company’s new strategic direction, converted to become one of the largest shareholders, exceeding 19.9%. The former CEO resigned, citing change of control as the reason and proceeded to make a severance compensation claim. The Company disagreed that compensation is due as this debt holder is an existing key shareholder and a Director of the Board. A claim was filed and the court ruled in favor of the claimant for a payment of $222,469. The outcome will have no material impact on the Company’s 2025 financial results as this amount had been accrued in the Company’s accounting records in a prior period.

About Lode Gold

Lode Gold (TSXV: LOD,OTC:LODFF) is an exploration and development company with projects in highly prospective and safe mining jurisdictions in Canada and the United States.

In Canada Lode Gold holds assets in the Yukon and New Brunswick. Lode Gold’s Yukon assets are located on the southern portion of the prolific Tombstone Belt and cover approximately 99.5 km2 across a 27 km strike. Over 4,500 m have been drilled on the Yukon assets with confirmed gold endowment and economic drill intercepts over 50 m. There are four reduced-intrusive targets (RIRGS), in addition to sedimentary-hosted orogenic exploration gold.

In New Brunswick, Lode Gold, through its subsidiary 1475039 B.C. Ltd., has created one of the largest land packages in the province with its Acadian Gold Joint Venture, consisting of an area that spans 445 km2 with a 44 km strike. It has confirmed gold endowment with mineralized rhyolites.

In the United States, the Company is focused on its advanced exploration and development asset, the Fremont Mine in Mariposa, California. It has a recent 2025 NI 43-101 report and compliant MRE that can be accessed here https://lode-gold.com/project/freemont-gold-usa/

Fremont was previously mined until gold mining prohibition in WWII, when its mining license was suspended. Only 8% of the resource identified in the 2025 MRE has been extracted. This asset has exploration upside and is open at depth (three step-out holes at 1,300 m hit structure and were mineralized) and on strike. This is a brownfield project with over 43,000 m drilled, 23 km of underground workings and 14 adits. The project has excellent infrastructure with close access to electricity, water, state highways, railhead and port.

The Company recently completed an internal scoping study evaluating the potential to resume operations at Fremont based on 100% underground mining. Previously, in March 2023, the Company completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment (‘PEA’) in accordance with NI 43-101 which evaluated a mix of open pit and underground mining. The PEA and other technical reports prepared on the Company’s properties are available on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company’s website (www.lode-gold.com)

ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY
Wendy T. Chan
CEO & Director

Information Contact:

Wendy T. Chan
CEO
info@lode-gold.com
+1-(604)-977-GOLD (4653)

Kevin Shum
Investor Relations
kevin@lode-gold.com
+1 (604) -977-GOLD (4653)

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release includes ‘forward-looking statements’ and ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the use of proceeds, advancement and completion of resource calculation, feasibility studies, and exploration plans and targets. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘plan’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘potential’, ‘target’, ‘budget’ and ‘intend’ and statements that an event or result ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘could’ or ‘might’ occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: the status of community relations and the security situation on site; general business and economic conditions; the availability of additional exploration and mineral project financing; the supply and demand for, inventories of, and the level and volatility of the prices of metals; relationships with strategic partners; the timing and receipt of governmental permits and approvals; the timing and receipt of community and landowner approvals; changes in regulations; political factors; the accuracy of the Company’s interpretation of drill results; the geology, grade and continuity of the Company’s mineral deposits; the availability of equipment, skilled labour and services needed for the exploration and development of mineral properties; currency fluctuations; and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include a deterioration of security on site or actions by the local community that inhibits access and/or the ability to productively work on site, actual exploration results, interpretation of metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required approvals, unknown impact related to potential business disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak, or another infectious illness, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading ‘Risks and Uncertainties’ in the Company’s most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/265413

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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In Politics

DAVID MARCUS: The Department of War marks the end of America as the world’s policeman

4 Mins Read

In 1947, the United States War Department became the Department of Defense, as our nation was entering what would be four decades of Cold War with the Soviet Union, and taking its place as a global superpower.

On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order bringing the original name back to the department created by George Washington in 1789. It brings with it a change that would have earned the hearty approval of our first president.

In the 78 years in which the United States has had a ‘Department of Defense,’ we never declared war a single time, but that didn’t stop thousands upon thousands of American soldiers from sacrificing their lives in Korea, Vietnam, and later, the Middle East.

During this time, the United States widely became known as the world’s policeman. Without actually declaring wars, we played a violent game of Twister across the globe, our Defense Department dipping its toes into conflicts across continents.

Too often, the role of our soldiers was not to kill the enemy, but to maintain order, and just as a police force is restrained from using total force against criminals, our military was too often simply not allowed to bring its full force to bear.

There is a fundamental and important difference between war and policing. Wars can be won, policing cannot. Policing is a never-ending struggle, and that is exactly what America’s military interventions felt like under the reign of the Department of Defense.

‘I want offense too,’ Trump has quipped about the name change. But what he really means is that he wants wars we can win, not endless nation-building boondoggles meant to maintain balance in a world full of conflagrations from Ukraine to Gaza.

Secretary of War, as he is now known, Pete Hegseth has made clear his priority is lethality, not just being a stick for diplomats to use. He wants an army, not a police force.

It was Carl von Clausewitz, the early 19th Century father of modern war, who defined military victory as compelling the enemy to do your will by destroying their desire and means to resist. That is something our military has not done in some time.

But that may be changing.

It was no accident that this cabinet-level name change occurred in the wake of the Trump administration blowing an alleged speedboat full of drugs and drug smugglers from Venezuela to smithereens.

Under the old rubric, that boat might have been stopped, its crew given Miranda rights. In other words, it would have been policed.

But does this mere police work actually work, per Clausewitz, to destroy the Venezuelan gangs’ and government’s will and means to flood our country with deadly drugs? It does not, it just maintains the status quo from the border to the graveyard.

But now, the next guys in line to jump aboard a drug-laden boat headed for Florida aren’t looking at possible jail time, in facilities all but run by their gangs. No, they are looking at a quick exit to eternity under the sea.

Likewise, Trump’s direct attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities sent a new message to the Ayatollah that if he goes too far, we will destroy him and his nation.

The Department of Defense, may it rest in peace, was a noble idea. It was launched in the spirit of ending war, not winning wars. It was meant to prop up democracies around the planet until all nations found the right and just path of freedom and capitalism.

It may have been worth a shot, but it just didn’t work, and that is why the Trump administration is returning to the original premise, that armies don’t exist to protect and serve the world, they exist to kill our enemies.

Not long after President Washington established the War Department, he would give a farewell address in which warned against engaging in foreign entanglements, and yet under the name Department of Defense, our military seemed to do little else.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

President Trump is sending the message that the United States will no longer be defending itself through proportional half measures and never-ending peace missions. No, from here on out, the Department of War does not exist to contain or constrain our enemies, it exists, as it should, to destroy them.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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In Stocks

Opendoor stock rockets 14%, nears 52-week highs, but analysts are still cautious

3 Mins Read

Opendoor stock had another explosive day on Friday, jumping 14% as this real estate platform continues one of the most talked-about rallies on Wall Street.

The stock is now flirting with 52-week highs after what can only be described as a ride that’s got retail traders, hedge funds, and analysts all scratching their heads.

Opendoor stock: What’s behind the latest rally?

The numbers tell the story as Opendoor stock is up over 300% this year, which puts it squarely in meme stock territory.

What started with Reddit and Twitter buzz has evolved into something more serious after hedge fund manager Eric Jackson publicly disclosed a big position.

The latest surge got a boost from an unexpected source: bad economic news. The weak August jobs report made Fed rate cuts more likely, and lower interest rates are like rocket fuel for housing-related stocks.

When mortgage rates drop, more people can afford homes, and platforms like Opendoor that facilitate home sales suddenly look a lot more attractive.

But strip away the meme stock hysteria and rate cut speculation, and there’s actually a compelling business transformation happening here.

Opendoor is ditching the house-flipping model that nearly killed them during the housing downturn.

Instead, they are trying to become the Amazon of real estate, a marketplace that uses technology to make buying and selling homes less painful.

The old model was brutal. Buy houses, renovate them, hope to sell at a profit, repeat. When housing markets turned sour, Opendoor got stuck holding expensive inventory nobody wanted.

The new approach is much smarter: use algorithms to price homes, connect buyers and sellers, take transaction fees, and avoid the headaches of actually owning real estate.

This shift toward becoming an “asset-light” marketplace makes perfect sense on paper. Transaction fees are predictable revenue streams, and you don’t need massive amounts of capital tied up in housing inventory.

What analysts say?

Wall Street isn’t completely buying it though. Despite all the excitement, analyst price targets average around $1 as nowhere near the current price above $6.

That disconnect suggests professionals think this rally has gotten way ahead of the fundamentals. Several firms have actually downgraded the stock recently, worried about execution risks and unsustainable speculation.

The skepticism isn’t unfounded. Real estate is an incredibly complex, localized business where regulations, market conditions, and consumer preferences vary dramatically.

Building technology that works across different markets while competing against established players like Zillow and traditional realtors won’t be easy.

There’s also the broader question of whether Opendoor can maintain investor interest once the meme stock fever cools down.

Retail-driven rallies can disappear as quickly as they arrive, especially when companies haven’t yet proven their new business models work.

The post Opendoor stock rockets 14%, nears 52-week highs, but analysts are still cautious appeared first on Invezz

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In World news

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Carlton Precious Gains 78 Percent

11 Mins Read

Statistics Canada released its August job numbers on Friday (September 5). The report indicated a loss of 66,000 jobs in the Canadian economy and an increase in the unemployment rate to 7.1 percent from the 6.9 percent recorded in July.

The losses were primarily felt in the professional, scientific and technical services sector with a decrease of 26,000 jobs, followed by losses of 23,000 jobs in the transportation and warehousing sector and 19,000 jobs in manufacturing.

One small caveat: of the 66,000 jobs lost, 60,000 were part-time workers, while full-time employment saw little change after shedding 51,000 positions the previous month.

South of the border, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also released its August jobs report on Friday. The report is the first jobs report since Donald Trump fired the head of the BLS after the release of July’s labor report showed weakness trickling into the economy.

The economy added an estimated 22,000 jobs during August, well below analysts’ expectations of 75,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate also ticked up to 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent in July.

The federal workforce saw the largest job decline, losing 15,000 jobs. The mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sector also saw its most significant change over the last 12 months, shedding 6,000 workers.

Additionally, the BLS revised June and July’s figures. While July’s numbers rose to 79,000 added jobs from the 73,000 first reported, the agency made a significant downward revision to June’s numbers, indicating the economy lost 13,000 jobs for the month instead of gaining 14,000.

Jobs data from the last few months will play an important role when the Federal Reserve next meets on September 16 and 17 to discuss changes to the Federal Funds Rate, which is currently set in the 4.25 to 4.5 percent range. Most analysts are predicting the Fed to make a 25 point cut to the benchmark rate, with some now eyeing a larger 50 point cut.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were mostly positive during the shortened trading week. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) set another new record high on Friday, closing the week up 1.7 percent to 29,050.63. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) did even better, climbing 3.34 percent to finish Friday at 857.25. However, the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) went the opposite direction, falling 5.16 percent to end the week at 158.32.

US equity markets were volatile this week, falling sharply at the open of the trading week Tuesday (September 2) before moving back into positive territory. Although the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) pulled back slightly on Friday’s weak jobs data, it ultimately ended the week up 0.33 percent at 6,481.51. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) took a larger hit Friday, and closed down 0.32 percent on the week at 45,400.87. Of the three, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) was the week’s biggest winner, rising 1.01 percent to 23,652.44.

The gold price was in focus this week as it climbed to a new record high Wednesday (September 3) on expectations of a September rate cut by the Federal Reserve and news on August 29 that a Federal Appellate court had struck down the majority of Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. Gold ended the week up 4.03 percent at US$3,586.27 per ounce after the lackluster jobs report pushed gold above Wednesday’s highs.

Silver had a similarly explosive week, climbing past US$40 for the first time since 2011 and moving as high as US$41.38 on Wednesday. The precious metal finished Friday with a 3.32 percent weekly gain at US$41.07 per ounce.

On the other hand, copper was off this week, shedding 0.87 percent to US$4.54 per pound. The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) posted a decrease of 1.17 percent by close on Friday, finishing at 543.28.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Carlton Precious (TSXV:CPI)

Weekly gain: 77.78 percent
Market cap: C$17.74 million
Share price: C$0.24

Carlton Precious is a mineral exploration company focused on a portfolio of precious metals projects in the Americas and Australia.

Its flagship Esquilache silver project, located in Peru, consists of two mining concessions covering an area of 1,600 hectares. Unsubstantiated records from the property indicate historic mining produced 10 million ounces of silver between 1950 and 1962. Exposed structures on the property show mineralization of silver, lead, zinc, copper and gold.

On March 19, Carlton reported assay results from a 2024 surface channel sampling program, with grades peaking at 13.45 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold and 1,018 g/t silver.

The company’s most recent announcement came on July 14, when Carlton signed an agreement with the community of San Antonio de Esquilache for the project allowing for further exploration at the property. Carlton added that its staff has designed a program of up to 40 drill holes that it expects to commence in fall 2025.

In its September 2025 investor presentation, the company stated it is submitting its drill permit applications.

2. Quantum Critical Metals (TSXV:LEAP)

Weekly gain: 73.68 percent
Market cap: C$17.31 million
Share price: C$0.165

Formerly Durango Resources, Quantum Critical Metals is a polymetallic exploration company developing a portfolio of projects in Québec and British Columbia, Canada.

Its flagship NMX East critical metals project is in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Québec and lies adjacent to Nemaska Lithium’s Whabouchi mine. According to the project page, the company has drilled four holes at the property, producing a highlighted assay of 107.68 meters from surface containing average grades of 38.85 g/t gallium, 701.03 g/t rubidium, 24.98 g/t cesium and 3.61 g/t thallium.

Quantum Critical Metals has also been working to advance its Victory antimony project in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. The site was initially discovered in the 1980s and hosts mineralization of arsenic, antimony and mercury. On August 25, the company announced it submitted an application to expand the property to 1,444 hectares.

The company’s most recent news came on Thursday (September 4), when it identified mica as a key carrier of critical minerals at its NMX project. Quantum selected samples from the 107 meter interval mentioned above, and the samples with the highest mica content returning significantly higher grades of critical metals, including gallium, rubidium, lithium and niobium.

Quantum has now sent the samples for further testing. If the testing confirms the results, stated the discovery will allow for easier removal of these elements from the rock, as the company can first isolate the mica.

3. Electric Metals (TSXV:EML)

Weekly gain: 66.67 percent
Market cap: C$79.98 million
Share price: C$0.45

Electric Metals is a mineral development company focused on advancing its flagship North Star manganese project in Minnesota, US. According to the company, the asset is North America’s highest-grade manganese resource. It plans to produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate for lithium-ion batteries.

On August 26, Electric Metals released its preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for North Star. The assessment demonstrated a base-case after-tax net present value of US$1.39 billion, with an internal rate of return of 43.5 percent and a payback period of 23 months.

The report also included an updated mineral resource estimate with an indicated resource of 7.6 million metric tons of ore grading 19.07 percent manganese, 22.33 percent iron and 30.94 percent silicon, and an inferred resource of 3.73 million metric tons of ore grading 17.04 percent manganese, 19.04 percent iron and 30.03 percent silicon.

Momentum from the PEA release landed Electric Metals on this list of top performers last week, and its shares climbed even higher this week after the company announced the results of its annual and special shareholder meeting.

Shareholders approved all resolutions, including two related to Electric Metals’ plan to redomicile its business in Delaware, US. The first is continuance from the Canada Business Corporations Act to the Business Corporations Act of British Columbia. Shareholders also voted to authorize a continuance of the company to the Delaware General Corporation Law, with the condition of a successful corporate move to BC.

Electric Metals CEO Brian Savage said the change is intended to align its corporate home with the company’s mission to build a fully domestic US supply of manganese.

4. Valhalla Metals (TSXV:VMXX)

Weekly gain: 66.67 percent
Market cap: C$11.53 million
Share price: C$0.15

Valhalla Metals is a polymetallic exploration company working to advance a pair of projects in Alaska’s Ambler Mining District. Its Sun project consists of 392 claims that cover an area of 25,382 hectares.

A May 2022 technical report states that the indicated mineral resource for the project is 1.71 million metric tons of ore containing 162.96 million pounds of zinc, 55.85 million pounds of copper, 42.04 million pounds of lead, 3.3 million ounces of silver and 12,000 ounces of gold.

It also reported an inferred resource of 9.02 million metric tons containing 831.33 million pounds of zinc, 239.64 million pounds of copper, 290.26 million pounds of lead, 23.68 million ounces of silver and 73,000 ounces of gold.

The project is largely dependent on the construction of the 211 mile Ambler Access Road, which Donald Trump approved in his first term as president. Joe Biden rescinded the federal permit in 2024 due to environmental concerns.

Shares in Valhalla gained momentum this week after Congress voted 215 to 210 on Wednesday to move ahead with the project. It’s expected that the Senate will follow suit when it votes on the resolution in the next few weeks.

5. Orosur Mining (TSXV:OMI)

Weekly gain: 65.31 percent
Market cap: C$108.97 million
Share price: C$0.405

Orosur Mining is an exploration company focused on the development of early to advanced-stage assets in South America.

Exploration has revealed multiple gold deposits at its flagship Anzá gold project in Colombia, which is located 50 kilometers west of Medellin and sits along Colombia’s primary gold belt.

Orosur acquired the project, previously a 49/51 joint venture between Newmont and Agnico Eagle, in November 2024.

Since that time, the company has been working to explore the property and has made several announcements regarding its exploration efforts. The most recent came on August 26, when it reported highlights from infill drilling being carried out at the property, including one hole with 6.13 g/t gold over 71.85 meters from near surface at the Pepas gold prospect.

Orosur also owns several early-stage projects, the El Pantano gold-silver project in Argentina, the Lithium West project in Nigeria and the Ariquemes project in Brazil, which is prospective for tin, niobium and rare earths.

On Monday (September 1), Orosur reported that in August, it had issued 3.28 million new common shares for a total consideration of US$174,711.67 following its exercise of the same number of warrants. It also stated that 31.51 million warrants remained outstanding.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of May 2025, there were 1,565 companies listed on the TSXV, 910 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,899 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together, the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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In Business

Paramount mandates 5-day-a-week return to office ahead of major cost cuts

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David Ellison continues to put his stamp on Paramount after its acquisition by Skydance.

The CEO and chairman told employees Thursday that they will be expected to work in the office five days a week starting Jan. 5, 2026, according to a memo obtained by CNBC. Employees who do not wish to make the transition can seek a buyout starting Thursday and until Sept. 15.

“To achieve what we’ve set out to do — and to truly unlock Paramount’s full potential — we must make meaningful changes that position us for long-term success,” Ellison wrote to staffers. “These changes are about building a stronger, more connected, and agile organization that can deliver on our goals and compete at the highest level. We have a lot to accomplish and we’re moving fast. We need to all be rowing in the same direction. And especially when you’re dealing with a creative business like ours, that begins with being together in person.”

The move could help Paramount thin the herd ahead of looming staffing cuts.

Variety reported last month that the company is expected to lay off between 2,000 and 3,000 employees as part of its postmerger cost-cutting measures. These cuts are slated for early November, Variety reported.

Paramount is looking to take $2 billion in costs out of the conglomerate amid advertising losses and industrywide struggles with traditional cable networks.

Phase one of Ellison’s back-to-work plan will see employees in Los Angeles and New York returning to a full five-day workweek in the new year.

Phase two will focus on offices outside LA and New York, including international locations. A similar buyout program will be offered in 2026 for those who operate in these locations.

“We recognize this represents a significant change for many, and we’re committed to supporting you throughout this transition,” Ellison wrote. “We will work closely with managers to ensure you have the time and flexibility to make the necessary adjustments.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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In Politics

Trump endorses Hinson in 2026 race to keep key Senate seat red

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President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson as she runs to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst in Iowa.

Hinson — a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the northeastern portion of the state — showcased her support for Trump as she launched her Senate campaign on Tuesday.

‘I’m running to be President Trump’s top ally in the United States Senate,’ she said. And in a Fox News Digital interview this week, Hinson highlighted that she’s ‘proud to stand’ with Trump.

Trump, in a social media post, said, ‘I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER!’ 

‘I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER! A Loving Wife and Proud Mother of two sons, Ashley is a wonderful person, has ALWAYS delivered for Iowa, and will continue doing so in the United States Senate,’ the president said. 

‘Ashley Hinson will be an outstanding Senator, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement – SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!’

Trump’s support followed earlier endorsements from Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which is the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.

‘We need conservative fighters in the Senate — and that’s exactly what we’ll get with Ashley Hinson,’ Thune wrote early Friday as he endorsed Hinson.

And NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said, ‘Having traveled Iowa with Ashley, I know she is the fighter the Hawkeye State needs to deliver President Trump’s agenda in 2026 and beyond.’

Hinson doesn’t have the GOP primary field to herself. Former state Sen. Jim Carlin and veteran Joshua Smith had already entered the primary ahead of Ernst’s announcement.

But the support from Trump, Thune, and the NRSC will further boost Hinson, who was already considered the frontrunner for the nomination, and will likely dissuade any others from entering the primary. The president’s clout over the GOP is immense, and his endorsement in a Republican primary is extremely influential.

Hinson’s campaign launch came a few hours after Ernst, in a social media video, officially announced that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms.

‘After a tremendous amount of prayer and reflection, I will not be seeking re-election in 2026,’ the 55-year-old Ernst, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, said in a video posted to social media.

Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War, had been wrestling for months over whether to run for re-election in 2026. And in her video, she said, ‘This was no easy decision.’

Ernst first grabbed national attention 11 years ago with her ‘make ’em squeal’ ads as she won the high-profile Senate election in Iowa in the race to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.

And Ernst highlighted in her video that ’11 years ago, Iowans elected me as the first female combat veteran to the U.S. Senate, and they did so with a mission in mind – to make Washington squeal. And I’m proud to say we have delivered. We’ve cut waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government.’

Hinson, in a social media post, thanked Ernst for her ‘incredible service to our state and nation’ as well as for her friendship. ‘Iowa is better off thanks to your selfless service,’ she said.

In an Iowa radio interview on Tuesday, she said that among her priorities as she runs for the Senate are ‘secure borders, keeping men out of girls’ sports, cutting taxes for our working families, standing up for Iowa agriculture and helping our young Iowans who are trying to buy a house and start a family.’

Hinson also pledged to campaign across all 99 of Iowa’s counties, starting with a kick-off event on Friday.

And as she entered the race, Hinson was endorsed by Republican Sens. Jim Banks of Indiana, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.

House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, House Republican Leadership Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik and Iowa House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann also backed Hinson.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) communications director Maeve Coyle, following Hinson’s announcement, argued that ‘Republicans failed to convince Joni Ernst to run for reelection, and now they may be stuck with Ashley Hinson, who has repeatedly voted to raise costs and make life harder for Iowans by voting to slash Medicaid, cheering on the chaotic tariffs that threaten Iowa’s economy, voting against measures to lower the cost of insulin, and threatening Social Security.’

Responding, Hinson told Fox News Digital, ‘I think they’re misinformed at best.’

And she charged that ‘when I hear the lies and the fearmongering coming out of the left, it’s to only cover up for the fact that they have no message and no real leader other than Bernie and AOC and now Mamdani in New York,’ as she referred to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.

‘If that’s the direction they want to take our country, I think Iowans are going to reject that wholeheartedly,’ she predicted.

Iowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles, with President Donald Trump carrying the state by nine points in 2016, eight points in 2020, and by 13 points last November.

Republicans currently hold both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats – Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley – and all four of Iowa’s congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except for state auditor, which is held by Democrat Rob Sand, who’s running for governor next year.

But Democrats in Iowa are energized after flipping two GOP-held state Senate seats in special elections so far this year.

Five Democrats are already running for Senate in Iowa. The field includes state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian wheelchair basketball player, state Sen. Zach Wahls, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce executive director Nathan Sage and Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris.

‘An open seat in Iowa is just the latest example of Democrats expanding the senatorial map,’ Lauren French, spokesperson for the Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC, said in a statement.

But Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), said in a statement, ‘The NRSC is confident Iowans will elect a Republican to continue fighting for them and championing President Trump’s agenda in 2026.’

Republicans are aiming to not only defend, but expand, the current 53-47 Senate majority in next year’s elections.

Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red to win back the majority.

But the party in power – the Republicans – traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states.

In battleground Georgia, which Trump narrowly carried in last year’s White House race, Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat incumbent up for re-election next year.

They’re also targeting battleground Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of next year, and swing state New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen decided against seeking a fourth six-year term in the Senate.

Also on the NRSC’s target list is blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith isn’t running for re-election.

But the GOP is defending an open seat in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tills decided against seeking re-election. And Republicans will likely be forced to spend resources to defend Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio – who was appointed to succeed former senator and now-Vice President JD Vance – as he faces off next year against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Meanwhile, Democrats are also targeting moderate Sen. Susan Collins – who has yet to announce her expected 2026 re-election — in blue-leaning Maine. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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