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Intel CEO retires as chipmaker loses ground in AI revolution

Intel’s CEO is stepping down as the stalwart American chipmaker has struggled to keep pace with the artificial intelligence revolution.

The company announced that Pat Gelsinger, who’d led Intel since 2021 and logged more than 30 years in various positions with the chipmaker, had retired from the company effective Sunday.

“While we have made significant progress in regaining manufacturing competitiveness and building the capabilities to be a world-class foundry, we know that we have much more work to do at the company and are committed to restoring investor confidence,’ Intel’s board chair, Frank Yeary, said in a news release.

Intel, once the standard-bearer for American computer chip manufacturing, has struggled to keep up with the turn toward AI computing over the past couple years. Having largely missed out on the smartphone boom of the 2010s, Intel could not afford another misstep by failing to anticipate the next major tech trend.

Yet, it largely has missed the mark — and has suffered disastrous consequences as a result.

As the AI boom began to dawn in 2022, major tech giants began to tap a rival chipmaker, Nvidia, to handle many of their AI computer processing needs.

That’s because Nvidia’s graphics processing unit (GPU) chips are better able to handle the strenuous computing power needs of AI processes. Nvidia’s GPUs are able to perform calculations more efficiently thanks to their ‘parallel processing ability,’ whereas regular computer-processing units, or CPUs — the kind of chips Intel has long specialized in — are better suited for straightforward computing tasks like writing files to a disk.

As a result, demand for Nvidia’s chips has proven virtually insatiable.

Intel shares have declined 61% since Gelsinger took over, while Nvidia’s surged more than 820% over the same time period.

The S&P 500 rose 54% over that time.

Nvidia is now valued at more than $3 trillion, while Intel’s market cap stands at approximately $100 billion — about 30-times smaller than Nvidia.

Gelsinger had embarked on a campaign to turn the company’s fortunes around, stating in Intel’s most recent earnings report that it was in the midst of its most critical restructuring since it was established in 1968.

The Biden administration has sought to support Intel through CHIPS Act funding — but last month, announced it was reducing the size of a planned investment by $600 million compared with the award it had earlier announced in March. While some of that was due to Intel having also announced a $3 billion Defense Department contract, the Commerce Department noted that timelines for some projects had extended beyond a 2030 government deadline.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Why Amazon sellers and retailers are flocking to TikTok Shop despite looming U.S. ban

Sporting a sparkly dress and a Santa hat atop her distinctly pink hair, Sarah Potempa stood in front of her smartphone at her hair-care company’s warehouse in Waukegan, Illinois. It was time to go to work. 

Potempa is a celebrity hairstylist who goes live on TikTok multiple times a week. During “the packing show,” as she calls it, Potempa livestreams herself as she packs up orders of her viral Beachwaver curling iron for six to eight hours at a time. 

The stream on Nov. 20 had a party atmosphere, with Potempa taking breaks to dance to “In Da Club” by 50 Cent in between shipping out orders. To the more than 1,000 TikTok users who typically tune in for Potempa’s shows, this is entertainment and shopping all at once. 

Beachwaver is part of a growing influx of retailers that are flocking to TikTok Shop, the video app’s shopping service. TikTok Shop launched in September 2023 as a way for users to purchase products without leaving the app, and since then, the China-owned app has emerged as a viable alternative for retailers looking to diversify their e-commerce business from Amazon. 

Via a dedicated Shop tab, retailers big and small promote products of all kinds, ranging from eyeshadow palettes, phone chargers, detox teas, treadmills and more. On TikTok, retailers typically offer generous coupons and free delivery within a few days. Shoppable posts, which look like normal videos but are ads for products sold in TikTok Shop, frequently appear in TikTok’s main video feed, known as the “For You” page. Those posts allow users to purchase products without exiting their For You feed.

On Potempa’s show, shoppers race to place an order to get a 50% discount on Beachwaver products and free add-ons to their order like face washes or lipsticks, along with the chance to have their username read aloud by Potempa while she packs their order on screen.

“When TikTok Shop was new and people hadn’t used it yet, they would ask, ‘Is this on Amazon yet?’” Potempa said in an interview. “I would get those questions like, ‘Can I buy it somewhere else?’ Now that it’s been around for a year or so, we’ve done 1.2 million orders.”

ByteDance-owned TikTok has already cemented itself as an advertising powerhouse, and with TikTok Shop, the company has been trying to carve out another revenue stream through e-commerce. The company has attracted the likes of Nike, PacSun and Crocs, among others. Those retailers want to tap into the more than 170 million Americans on TikTok who shop on impulse as they scroll through videos. 

They aren’t the only ones. 

Amazon sellers are also being persuaded to try out the service with promises of low fees and steep discounts on products footed by TikTok. Besides sellers, the company has also hired talent away from Amazon, filling key roles for TikTok Shop in areas like marketing, creator relationships, brand safety, category managers and operations.

In the 15 months since its launch, TikTok Shop has emerged as a “massive e-commerce machine,” according to ecommerceDB, a market research firm. EcommerceDB predicts TikTok Shop will more than double its gross merchandise volume, or the dollar value of items sold on its marketplace, to $50 billion this year. That’s a fraction of Amazon’s 2024 expected GMV of $757 billion, but nonetheless, TikTok Shop is making strides.

“Every time you scroll, every other scroll is a Shop post, so they’re making a lot of investment to encourage that in-app conversion,” said Caila Schwartz, Salesforce’s director of consumer insights and strategy for retail and consumer goods.

Amazon spokesperson Mira Dix told CNBC in a statement that sellers are engaging with its store “more than ever before” and seeing greater success. Dix said the company’s services for sellers are optional, such as fulfillment, which costs “an average of 70% less” than comparable two-day shipping alternatives.

“Our selling partners are incredibly important to Amazon, and we work hard to innovate on their behalf and support the growth and success of these businesses across all of their sales channels,” Dix said.

Beachwaver CEO Sarah Potempa hosts livestreams on TikTok Shop multiple times a week.

TikTok’s e-commerce push comes at a precarious moment for the company. 

In April, President Joe Biden signed a law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok by Jan. 19. If TikTok fails to cut ties with its parent company, app stores and internet hosting services would be prohibited from offering the app, amounting to a nationwide ban in the U.S. TikTok has sued to block the measure.

President-elect Donald Trump could rescue TikTok from a potential U.S. ban. After trying to implement a TikTok ban during his first administration, Trump reversed his stance, acknowledging in a March interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that “there’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad” with the app. Trump changed his position around the time that he met with billionaire Jeff Yass, who is a major investor in ByteDance.

As the January deadline grows nearer, TikTok has largely been operating its business as usual. 

Executives from TikTok Shop pitched its marketplace as a holiday shopping destination during an October event in Manhattan with business owners and social media influencers. Users have shopped hundreds of millions of units on its e-commerce platform since launching September 2023, said Nico Le Bourgeois, TikTok Shop’s head of U.S. operations. Le Bourgeois, who joined TikTok in August 2023, previously spent nearly nine years at Amazon in a variety of divisions including its third-party marketplace.

TikTok Shop isn’t trying to sell “everything to everybody,” Le Bourgeois told CNBC in October. TikTok Shop is a marketplace for product discovery that surfaces “new, cool, interesting” items from big and small brands, he added.

“You see it, you like it, you buy it. It’s not a search,” he said. “It’s a very different way of shopping.”

Le Bourgeois declined to comment on the looming TikTok ban, but a company spokesperson at the event said TikTok Shop isn’t slowing down.

“The sellers here, creators, they’re building their livelihoods on TikTok,” the spokesperson said. “We’re going to continue to show up for that. There’s a huge opportunity for us.”

More Americans are expected to turn to TikTok and other China-linked apps for gift buying this holiday shopping season. 

Roughly 63% of Western consumers plan to purchase from Chinese shopping apps during the season, according to Salesforce. That includes TikTok, Alibaba’s AliExpress, Shein, Temu and fast-fashion company Cider.

On Saturday, TikTok said its U.S. Black Friday sales topped more than $100 million, with home goods, fashion and beauty products among the most popular categories. Canvas Beauty, a top seller of hair-care and beauty products on TikTok Shop, hit $1 million in sales within two hours of going live on the app, the company said.

Retailers and sellers, some of which count TikTok for the lion’s share of their online sales, told CNBC that they’re sticking with the platform despite the possibility that it could disappear.

Although it’s impossible to ignore the conversation around a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. as a brand that heavily relies on the platform, Yay’s Snacks co-founder and COO Rachel Cheng said she’s not convinced that TikTok will go away under the Trump administration because it doesn’t seem to be the president-elect’s main focus.

Yay’s Snacks, which makes crispy Cambodian beef jerky, was one of the earliest companies to join TikTok Shop when it launched. Yay’s founder and CEO Marlin Chan, a former YouTuber, frequently posts humorous TikTok videos promoting his snacks, which are based on his grandmother’s original recipe. Among the videos is a series that parodies the show “Undercover Boss.” Those videos helped Yay’s amass tens of thousands of TikTok followers, who keep buying the jerky, Cheng said.

At one point, TikTok sales comprised nearly 90% of Yay’s total revenue, with monthly sales from the app peaking at $75,000 last November, Cheng said. Yay’s is prepared to divert to Amazon and its own website if TikTok is banned, but as long as TikTok is “still here, we’re going to do what we can to stay on top,” Cheng said.

“If we were sitting here worrying about what’s next, we would’ve never gotten on TikTok Shop,” Cheng said. “We’re enjoying it while it’s hot.”

Scrub Daddy, known for its smiley face-shaped sponges, went viral on TikTok during the Covid pandemic and counts more than 4 million followers. Its top video, a demonstration of its Damp Duster sponge, has 30 million views while its bestselling product on TikTok Shop has been purchased nearly 76,000 times, according to the app. That figure doesn’t account for items that have been returned after purchase.

After kicking off in 2012 with an appearance on “Shark Tank,” Scrub Daddy CEO Aaron Krause said he lost faith in traditional marketing efforts. 

“We did a TV ad, we did some outdoor ads on billboards, we did a little bit of radio,” Krause said. “All I found was that I was throwing money into the air.”

The company pivoted toward social media marketing, primarily on Instagram, which turned out to be a “pot of gold,” Krause said. Scrub Daddy set up an account on TikTok in 2020 and worked with influencers to promote its products, including Vanesa Amaro, a popular account for housecleaning content with more than 5.7 million followers. After Amaro recommended the sponges to her viewers, Scrub Daddy sold 30,000 units in one weekend, Krause said.

TikTok’s “algorithm just allows you to hit millions and millions of views with one hysterically crazy video,” he said.

In recent months, TikTok has encouraged retailers and sellers to host hourslong livestreams multiple times per week as a way to connect with shoppers. Many brands have invested in building out their own studios to record the shows or have hired talent to host them. 

Scrub Daddy snatched up longtime QVC host Dan Hughes after he was laid off from the home shopping company in 2023. Others, like Beachwaver, have turned their CEOs into on-screen talent.

TikTok Shop was a big topic of conversation at a conference for Amazon sellers in New York in October. A session on “how to scale your brand” with TikTok Shop drew a packed room of sellers who listened to e-commerce strategist Rafay MH talk up the potential for brands to haul in $8 million to $10 million in sales from TikTok in less than a year. 

“Amazon comes with a ton of competition,” MH said. “TikTok is the opportunity for free eyeballs and sales.” 

Many Amazon sellers have embraced TikTok after they were initially slow to join the platform, said Michelle Barnum Smith, who provides consulting services to online businesses.

“I was the bedraggled gold miner standing on the street corners of New York, saying ‘There’s gold in those hills,’ and people were like, ‘Yeah, sure,’” Barnum Smith said “But as soon as they started seeing their competition on there, or their buddy on there, they were like, ‘I’ve got to get on there.’”

There’s now “extreme FOMO,” or fear of missing out, among Amazon sellers to join TikTok even if it no longer exists in the U.S. next year, Barnum Smith said.  

“Whatever the future looks like for TikTok Shop, they’re happy to take that money now and get while the getting’s good,” Barnum Smith said.

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Strong Momentum Continuing at Flicka Lake Gold and Copper Project

Red Mountain Mining Limited (“RMX” or the “Company”) is pleased to advise that it is making highly encouraging progress via exploration programs at the Flicka Lake Gold and Copper Project, part of the four 100% owned Fry Lake sub-projects, located in Ontario, Canada.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Since acquisition Red Mountain has rapidly advanced the Flicka Lake Project from study phase to delivering highly anomalous gold and copper assay results in a promising new area
  • At the Flicka Lake Gold zone, previous channel samples included 9.96 g/t Au and 12.96 g/t Au while grab samples included 17.88 g/t, 7.38 g/t and 20.07 g/t of Au
  • Due Diligence sampling at the Flicka Zone reported Vein #2 with values of 24.2 g/t Au and 19.4 g/t Au and Vein #3 returned a peak value of 9.35 g/t Au
  • Reconnaissance soil sampling reported exceptionally high gold from two areas:
    • 17.8 g/t Au, 6.32 g/t Au and 1.11 g/t Au returned for three soil samples from the north of the project area
    • 0.816 g/t Au returned for a single sample sample taken from northwest of existing claims
  • Results suggest potential for concealed high grade vein-hosted gold mineralisation similar to that seen at the Flicka Zone
  • Polymetallic copper-rich soil anomalies with values of up to 2,420ppm Cu indicate the potential of Flicka Lake for volcanic-hosted base metal sulphide mineralisation, particularly in the northern part of the tenement
  • RMX continues to investigate these anomalous gold and base metal results at Flicka Lake as well as investigating the mineralisation potential across the other three sub project areas that make up the Fry Lake Project
  • Portfolio has recently expanded in Tier-One Jurisdictions with complementary Gold (WA) and Antimony (NSW) assets secured in a low-cost approach

The Company is now conducting deeper investigations across all four projects into historical exploration, building databases, reinterpreting historical and new results, and designing further work programs to test the multiple, prospective contextualized targets.

The Company’s exploration efforts over the last five months have developed from basic target generation to revealing new areas of mineralization. This has also included efforts to unlock additional areas of mineralisation based on these new and historical results.

In recent months, the Company has achieved a considerable amount, including:

1) In early July RMX identified of key structural targets across the region of underdeveloped Meen- Dempster Greenstone Belt which lies adjacent to the more developed Pickle Lake Greenstone Belt, host to numerous gold deposits. It pegged four clusters of claims covering 37.9km2, namely the Flicka Lake, Relyea Porphyry, Fry Lake Stock and the Fry-McVean Shear. The four projects are based on structural targets, reported alteration, proximity to banded iron, reported gold occurrences and porphyry intrusions, all key elements. (Refer ASX announcement: 2 July 2024)

2) In mid-July, key targets within the Flicka Lake claims were discriminated and a sampling program designed around these key elements. The targeting focused on the mapped faults, shear zones, reported areas of basement alteration and extensions of know zones of interest Identified by past explorers. (Refer ASX announcement: 22 July 2024)

3) In Late July, RMX appointed local geological specialist contractors, Fladgate Exploration Consulting Corporation, to conduct the maiden sampling program which involve a series of 100m spaced traverses along the target areas collecting rock chip and soil samples at regular intervals, with bias to areas of alteration or visible mineralisation. Included in the program was due diligence sampling of the Flick Lake gold bearing quartz veins. (Refer ASX announcement: 31 July 2024)

4) Late August Red Mountain mobilised to site and collected 283 soil and 91 rock samples across the target areas including the due diligence sampling. The samples were analysed by AGAT laboratories in Thunder Bay by Fire assay for gold and Aqua Regia (soils) and four acid digest (rock) base metal suite. (Refer ASX announcement: 28 August 2024)

5) In early November initial results were announced from the 91-rock chip samples. The due diligence rock samples validated the Flicka Zone gold endowed vein system with Vein #2 returning 24.2g/t and 19.4g/t Au while Vein#3 returned a peak value of 9.35g/t Au. These results confirmed the high- grade nature of the gold mineralisation in the area. A rock sample of a pyrite vein 800m WSW of the Flicka Zone and along strike of the main ENE shear produced a 0.514g/t Au highlighted the potential for an extension of the mineralised system. (Refer ASX announcement: 6 November 2024)

6) In Mid-November the soil sample results highlighted two new areas of mineralisation. In the north of the project area three samples with 800m returned 17.8g/t, 6.32g/t and 1.11g/t Au, also locally within the area anomalous copper up to 2,420ppm was identified in the soils. In the northwest of the tenement a soil sample returned 0.816g/t Au, highlighted another area for gold mineralisation. (Refer ASX announcement: 19 November 2024)

Following the considerable success of exploration activities to date, the Company is in the process of designing a follow-up program to target these anomalous soil and rock areas with high density rock and soil samples of sufficient density to define potential drill targets.

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Exclusive Interview: Energy Technologies CEO Nick Cousins

Energy Technologies (ASX:EGY)CEO Nick Cousins shared that the company is refocusing its business strategy, focusing on the burgeoning renewable energy sector in Australia.

Watch the full interview with Nick Cousins, CEO of Energy Technologies.


The information contained here is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should conduct their own research for all information publicly available concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it is recommended that readers consult directly with Energy Technologiesand seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.

This interview may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, receipt of property titles, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. The issuer relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements. Investing in companies comes with uncertainties as market values can fluctuate.

EGY:AU

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Is Now a Good Time to Buy Bitcoin? (Updated 2024)

Bitcoin is prone to price volatility, with wide swings to the upside and downside.

Several notable events already occurred in the Bitcoin space this year, including the much-anticipated launch of the first US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January, the fourth Bitcoin halving event that occurred on April 19 and a global financial rout that wiped around US$600 billion from the entire cryptocurrency market cap.

The most recent upswing comes alongside President-elect Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House.

Bitcoin has skyrocketed by 40 percent since November 4, as a wave of new investors, fueled by hopes of a crypto-friendly administration, floods into the market.

Buying Bitcoin isn’t a simple decision. Before you decide if Bitcoin is a good investment for you, you need to understand both Bitcoin and the wider crypto market. Read on to learn the basics.

In this article

    What gives Bitcoin its value?

    Bitcoin was the world’s first cryptocurrency, created in January 2009 by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto.

    Conceived as a virtual alternative to fiat currency, Bitcoin is built atop blockchain technology, which it uses for both validation and security. Blockchain itself is a distributed digital ledger of transactions, operating through a combination of private keys, public keys and network consensus.

    The best analogy to explain how this works in practice involves Google Docs. Imagine a document that’s shared with a group of collaborators. Everyone has access to the same document, and each collaborator can see the edits other collaborators have made. If anyone makes an edit that the other collaborators don’t approve of, they can roll it back.

    Going back to Bitcoin, the virtual currency primarily validates transactions through proof of work. Also known as Bitcoin mining, this competitive and incredibly resource-intensive process is the means by which new Bitcoins are generated.

    How it works is deceptively simple. Each Bitcoin transaction adds a new ‘block’ to the ledger, identified by a 64-digit encrypted hexadecimal number known as a hash. Each block uses the block immediately preceding it to generate its hash, creating a ledger that theoretically cannot be tampered with. Bitcoin miners collectively attempt to guess the encrypted hex code for each new block — whoever correctly identifies the hash then validates the transaction and receives a small amount of Bitcoins as a reward.

    From an investment perspective, Bitcoin toes the line between being a medium of exchange and a speculative digital asset. It also lacks any central governing body to regulate its distribution. As one might expect, these factors together make Bitcoin quite volatile, and therefore somewhat risky as an investment target.

    As for the source of this volatility, Bitcoin’s value is primarily influenced by five factors.

    1. Supply and demand

    It’s widely known that no more than 21 million Bitcoins can be produced, and that’s unlikely to happen before 2140.

    Only a certain number of Bitcoins are released each year, and this rate is reduced every four years by halving the reward for Bitcoin mining. The last of these ‘halvings’ occurred in April 2024 and the next one is due sometime in 2028. When it happens, there may be a significant increase in Bitcoin demand, largely driven by media coverage and investor interest.

    Bitcoin demand is also strengthening in countries experiencing currency devaluation and high inflation.

    It would be remiss not to mention that Bitcoin represents an ideal mechanism for supporting illicit activities — meaning that increasing cybercrime could itself be a demand driver.

    2. Production costs

    It’s said that Bitcoin benefits from minimal production costs. This isn’t exactly true, however. Solving even a single hash requires immense processing power, and it’s believed that crypto mining collectively uses more electricity than some small countries. It’s also believed that miners were largely responsible for the chip shortage experienced throughout the pandemic due to buying and burning out vast quantities of graphics cards.

    These costs together have only a minimal influence on Bitcoin’s overall value. The complexity of Bitcoin’s hashing algorithms and the fact that they can vary wildly in complexity are far more impactful.

    3. Competition

    Bitcoin’s cryptocurrency market share has sharply declined over the years. In 2017, it maintained a market share of over 80 percent. Bitcoin’s current market share is just over 56 percent.

    Despite that fall, Bitcoin remains the dominant force in the cryptocurrency market and is the marker by which many other cryptocurrencies determine their value. However, there is no guarantee that this will always remain the case. There are now scores of Bitcoin alternatives, known collectively as altcoins.

    The most significant of these is Ethereum. Currently accounting for roughly 14 percent of the crypto market, Ethereum has maintained its position as the second largest cryptocurrency. Some experts have suggested that Ethereum may even overtake Bitcoin, but others don’t see that as a possibility in the near future.

    4. Regulations

    Bitcoin may itself be unregulated, but it is not immune to the effects of government legislation. For instance, China’s 2021 ban of the cryptocurrency caused a sharp price drop, though it quickly rallied in the following months. The European Union has also attempted to ban Bitcoin in the past, and Nic Carter, a partner at Castle Venture, accused the US of trying to do the same in February 2023. A ban in either region could be devastating for Bitcoin’s overall value.

    However, the US made progress in establishing crypto legislation in 2024 when the House passed the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century (FIT21) Act in a bipartisan 279 to 136 vote on May 22.

    5. Public interest and media coverage

    As with any speculative commodity, Bitcoin is greatly influenced by the court of public opinion.

    Perhaps the best example of this occurred in 2021. At that time, a tweet from Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Elon Musk caused Bitcoin’s price to drop by 30 percent in a single day. This also wiped about US$365 billion off the cryptocurrency market.

    A more recent example occurred on January 9, leading up to the deadline for eight spot Bitcoin ETFs by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In a since-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, a hacker falsely stated that the SEC had approved all eight pending Bitcoin ETFs. This caused the price of Bitcoin to spike to US$48,000, but it quickly dropped back down to around US$46,000 after the SEC confirmed it was a hack, leading some analysts to consider it a ‘sell-the-news’ event.

    Is now a good time to buy Bitcoin?

    To determine if it is a good time to invest in Bitcoin, you must pay attention to the market and listen to the experts. Generally speaking, Bitcoin’s price action is sentiment driven.

    While Bitcoin is notoriously volatile, making it difficult to judge where the crypto is going next, there are also different technical indicators crypto traders use to help them decide if now is the time to buy or sell.

    For example, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a technical indicator used to gauge the momentum of a cryptocurrency’s price. It fluctuates on a scale from 0 to 100. By analyzing the magnitude of recent price changes relative to the previous 12 month period, the RSI helps traders identify whether a cryptocurrency is potentially overbought or oversold. An RSI above 70 often signals an overbought market, while an RSI below 30 suggests an oversold market.

    Another metric to consider is the MVRV Z-score, calculated by subtracting the ‘realized’ value of Bitcoin, which is an average of the prices at which each Bitcoin was last moved, from the current market value. This is then divided by the standard deviation of the Bitcoin market cap.

    This indicator helps identify when market value deviates strongly from realized value, which could show the market is at a turning point. A score above 7 likely indicates that Bitcoin is overvalued, meaning it could be due for a correction, while a score below 0 suggests that Bitcoin is undervalued, meaning it could be a good buying opportunity.

    Finally, to gauge the overall market sentiment, investors can look at the Fear & Greed Index. This index provides a snapshot of how optimistic or fearful the market is about Bitcoin, with high readings potentially signaling overenthusiasm and a possible correction.

    For example, the recent surge in Bitcoin’s price is driven by optimism about a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment and increasing mainstream acceptance, resulting in a high Fear & Greed score of 75 on November 27.

    While it’s useful to learn these technical indicators to help you trade, it is important to remember that there’s no such thing as a guaranteed investment, especially when it comes to cryptocurrencies. On the one hand, there’s virtually no chance that Bitcoin will experience a crash to zero. On the other hand, we also cannot take for granted that its value will continue to climb.

    What is Bitcoin’s long-term price outlook?

    For those considering Bitcoin as a long-term investment, it’s worth considering experts’ thoughts on Bitcoin in the future.

    Veteran analyst Peter Brandt said in February that if Bitcoin could break past its previous high, the cryptocurrency could easily reach a new record of US$200,000 by September 2025.

    Only two weeks after the interview, Bitcoin surpassed the US$72,000 mark in the early hours of March 11. Since the November 4 election, Bitcoin has been inching its way toward US$100,000.

    Crypto industry specialists surveyed in early 2024 by UK fintech firm Finder pointed to prices above US$100,000 in the near future, stating that Bitcoin could rise to a value of roughly US$122,688 by 2025, and US$366,935 by 2030.

    In March, ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood gave an astronomical Bitcoin prediction when she said its market cap could reach US$75 trillion by 2030. More recently, Wood told CNBC that, in a bull market, it could hit US$1.5 million by that same year.

    Not everyone is so optimistic about Bitcoin’s prospects. Pav Hundal, lead market analyst at Swyftx, has expressed concerns about Bitcoin’s future in the context of continued geopolitical upheaval and economic uncertainty. Billionaire investor Warren Buffet, meanwhile, has not minced words regarding his opinion on Bitcoin and its future.

    According to Buffet, Bitcoin is an unproductive asset with no unique value. He also feels that it doesn’t count as a true currency — in fact, he called it “rat poison.” Moreover, he believes that the crypto market as a whole will end badly.

    Regardless of whether you believe Bitcoin’s proponents or naysayers, it’s clear that it has some incredibly prominent backers in both the investment world and the wider business landscape. Business analytics platform MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) is by far the largest public company in the Bitcoin space, with 386,700 Bitcoin to its name as of November 25. The next three public companies with the largest Bitcoin holdings are Marathon Digital Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) with 25,945 Bitcoin, Riot Platforms with 10,019, Tesla with 9,720 and Hut 8 (NASDAQ: HUT) with 9,109.

    The US, China and the United Kingdom hold the top three spots for countries with the most Bitcoin holdings, with 208,000, 190,000 and 61,000 Bitcoin respectively at that time.

    There are also plenty of individuals with large holdings, the most significant of which is believed to be Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Other prominent names include Michael Saylor, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Tim Draper.

    How to smartly invest in Bitcoin

    If you opt to jump into the market, what comes next?

    How to buy Bitcoin

    The good news is that investing in Bitcoin is actually quite simple. If you’re purchasing through a stockbroker, it’s a similar process to buying shares of a company. Otherwise, you may need to gather your personal information and bank account details. It’s recommended to secure your network with a VPN prior to performing any Bitcoin transactions.

    The first step in purchasing Bitcoin is to join an exchange. Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) is one of the most popular, but there’s also Kraken and Bybit. If you’re an advanced trader outside the US, you might consider Bitfinex.

    Once you’ve chosen an exchange, you’ll need a crypto wallet. Many first-time investors choose a software-based or ‘hot’ wallet either maintained by their chosen crypto exchange or operated by a service provider. While simpler to set up and more convenient overall, hot wallets tend to be less secure as they can be compromised by data breaches.

    Another option is a ‘cold’ wallet — a specialized piece of hardware specifically designed to store cryptocurrency. It’s basically a purpose-built flash drive. If you plan to invest large amounts in crypto, a cold wallet is the better option.

    Once you’ve acquired and configured your wallet, you may choose to connect either the wallet or your crypto exchange account to your bank account. This is not strictly necessary, and some seasoned investors don’t bother to do this.

    Finally, with your wallet fully configured and your exchange account set up, it’s time to place your order.

    Best practices for investing in Bitcoin

    The most important thing to remember about Bitcoin is that it is a high-risk asset. Never invest money that you aren’t willing to lose. Treat Bitcoin as a means of slowly growing your existing wealth rather than an all-or-nothing gamble.

    As with other investments, it’s important to hedge your portfolio. Alongside Bitcoin, you may want to consider investing in other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, or perhaps an altcoin. You may also want to explore other blockchain-based investments, given that even the most stable cryptocurrencies tend to be fairly volatile.

    It’s also key to ignore the hype surrounding cryptocurrencies. Recall how many people whipped themselves into a frenzy over non-fungible tokens in 2022. More than 95 percent of the NFTs created during that time are now worthless.

    Make decisions based on your own market research and advice from trusted — and more importantly, certified — professionals. If you’re putting up investment capital based on an influencer’s tweets, you are playing with fire.

    You should also start small. A good rule of thumb is not to dedicate more than 10 percent of your overall capital to cryptocurrency. Even that number could be high — again, it’s all about moderation.

    Make sure to prioritize cybersecurity as well. Cryptocurrencies are an immensely popular target for cybercriminals. In addition to maintaining a cold wallet, make sure you practice proper security hygiene. That means using a VPN and a password manager while also exercising mindfulness in how you browse the web and what you download.

    Finally, make an effort to understand what cryptocurrencies are and how they work. One of the reasons Sam Bankman-Fried was able to run FTX as long as he did was because many of his investors didn’t fully understand what they were putting their money into. Don’t let yourself be fooled by buzzwords or lofty promises about Web3 and the metaverse.

    Do your research into the technology behind it all. That way, you’ll be far better equipped to recognize when something is a sound investment versus a bottomless money pit.

    Indirect crypto investing

    Given Bitcoin’s volatility, it’s understandable that you might be leery of making a direct investment. The good news is that you don’t have to. You can indirectly invest into the crypto space through mutual funds, stocks and ETFs.

    ETFs are a popular and flexible portfolio choice that allows investors to benefit from a sector’s performance without the need to directly own individual stocks or assets. They are an especially appealing option in the cryptocurrency market as the technical aspects of purchasing and holding these coins can be confusing and intimidating for the less technologically inclined.

    Bitcoin futures ETFs provide exposure to the cryptocurrency’s price moves using Bitcoin futures contracts, which stipulate that two parties will exchange a specific amount of Bitcoins for a particular price on a predetermined date.

    Conversely, spot Bitcoin ETFs aim to track the price of Bitcoin, and they do so by holding the asset. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been offered to Canadians since 2021; for more details, check out 13 Canadian Cryptocurrency ETFs and 5 Biggest Blockchain ETFs. Spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading in the US on January 11, 2024.

    Do a bit of research and touch base with your stockbroker or financial advisor before you go in this direction.

    Investor takeaway

    Bitcoin is a fascinating asset. Simultaneously a transactional tool and a speculative commodity, it’s attracted the attention of investors almost since it first hit the market. Unfortunately, it’s also incredibly volatile.

    For that reason, while current market conditions are favorable for anyone considering buying Bitcoin, it is an asset you should purchase only at your own risk. Because while Bitcoin may have the potential for significant returns, you may also lose most of your investment. If that knowledge doesn’t bother you, then by all means, purchase away.

    Otherwise, there are better — less volatile — options for your capital.

    FAQs for buying Bitcoin

    What is a realistic Bitcoin price prediction for 2025?

    Reality and price predictions rarely match up as forecasters have no way of predicting major events like Russia’s war with Ukraine or the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of that, the further away the time period, the less realistic the prediction will be.

    As such, there is a massive range for 2025 Bitcoin price forecasts. As of April 2024, forecasts for where the Bitcoin price might land in 2025 range from US$74,456.13 to US$270,929.12. We’ll have to wait a a couple of years to see which are correct.

    What does Cathie Wood say about Bitcoin?

    ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood is extremely bullish on Bitcoin, telling Bloomberg in February 2023 that her firm believes the cryptocurrency could reach a value of US$1 million by 2030. A year later, Wood hiked her 2030 bitcoin price prediction astronomically to US$75 trillion.

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

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

    Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Orosur Surges 78 Percent on Anzá Acquisition

    The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) increased 1.85 percent on the week to close at 614.26 on Friday (November 29). Meanwhile, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was up 0.75 percent to 25,648.00 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) rose 2.49 percent to 141.47.

    Statistics Canada released its third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data on Friday (November 29). The numbers show a small increase in real GDP of 0.3 percent during the three months ending in September.

    On the surface, the increase seems positive, but examining the numbers reveals some cause for concern: per capita GDP actually shrank by 0.4 percent, the sixth consecutive quarterly decline. Additionally, real GDP growth was down from the 0.5 percent increase recorded in the prior two quarters of 2024.

    StatsCan also released the more granular September GDP data by industry on Friday. The data for the resource sector indicated a month-over-month contraction of 1.4 percent, the third consecutive decline and the largest one since January.

    The oil and gas extraction sector fell by 1.8 percent, attributed to lower output, with oil sands extraction dropping by a significant 2.3 percent. Meanwhile, mining and quarrying increased 0.1 percent, with coal mining gaining 8.7 percent and non-metallic mineral mining edging up 1.5 percent. However, these gains were offset by a 1.6 percent decline in the metal ore mining subsector.

    South of the border, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis released figures for October’s personal consumption expenditures index (PCE) on Wednesday (November 27). The data showed that while the PCE remained flat on a monthly basis at 0.2 percent, it nudged up on a yearly basis to 2.3 percent compared to the 2.1 percent registered in September. Additionally, the more volatile core PCE less food and energy also nudged up 2.8 percent from the 2.7 percent increase the month before, indicating some stickiness in inflation.

    The PCE is a favored indicator by the US Federal Reserve and its decision-making committee. With yearly PCE up, most analysts predict a 25 basis point cut from the central bank at its next meeting in December, but some are speculating that the Fed may pause its cuts in the new year due to the incoming administration.

    On Monday, Donald Trump said he was considering imposing 25 percent tariffs on all goods entering the US from Canada and Mexico and 35 percent on goods from China. If implemented, this move could raise prices on a broad category of goods, triggering new inflationary pressure.

    The price of gold lost 2.4 percent this week to US$2,650.33 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST, while silver sank 2.34 percent to US$30.60. Copper was unchanged, ending the week at US$4.14 per pound on the COMEX. More broadly, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was down 1.4 percent to close the week at 536.20.

    While metals hit a road bump, equity markets posted gains this week. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) moved up 1.48 percent to end Friday at 6,032.39, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) gained 0.93 percent to 20,930.37 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) finished the week up 2.37 percent to 44,910.66.

    Find out how the five best-performing Canadian mining stocks performed against that backdrop.

    Data for this article was retrieved at 3:30 p.m. EST on November 29, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

    1. Orosur Mining (TSXV:OMI)

    Company Profile

    Weekly gain: 77.78 percent
    Market cap: C$16.49 million
    Share price: C$0.08

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

    Its flagship Anzá gold project in Colombia was a 49/51 joint venture with Minera Monte Aguila (MMA), a corporation owned equally by Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) and Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM).

    Exploration has revealed multiple gold deposits at the site, which is located 50 kilometers west of Medellin and sits along Colombia’s primary gold belt.

    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.

    Shares in Orosur jumped significantly this week following its announcement on Thursday (November 28) that it had completed its takeover of MMA. The acquisition gives Orosur 100 percent indirect ownership of the Anzá gold project.

    Under the terms of the agreement previously announced on September 9, Newmont and Agnico will each receive a 0.75 percent net smelter royalty plus a fixed royalty of US$37.5 per ounce of gold or gold equivalent of the first 200,000 ounces produced.

    Additionally, the company said it completed the first three drill holes of its drill program, announced on November 21 at the site’s Pepas prospect, and samples were being sent to Medellin for testing.

    2. Mkango Resources (TSXV:MKA)

    Company Profile

    Weekly gain: 66.67 percent
    Market cap: C$51.63 million
    Share price: C$0.15

    Mkango Resources is a rare earths exploration and development company focused on the advancement of rare earths mining and recycling projects.

    Mkango shares surged this week following a news release on Monday (November 25) stating that a feasibility study focused on its HyProMag USA project demonstrated HyProMag’s ability to establish domestic recycling or rare earth magnets for the US market.

    In the announcement, Mkango reported that the plant, which would be located in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, would have an after-tax net present value of US$262 million and an internal rate of return of 23 percent based on current market prices.

    The company is projecting a 750 metric ton per year output of recycled sintered neodymium magnets and a 291 metric ton per year output of associated products over a 40-year operating life.

    HyProMag is owned by Maginito, in which Mkango holds a 79.4 percent stake. The remaining 20.6 percent interest is held by CoTec Holdings (TSXV:CTH,OTCQB:CTHCF).

    Additionally, the company released its Q3 results on Friday. In the release the company indicated it has a strong cash position with US$2 million at the end of September. It also said it had completed a strategic review for its Songwe Hill rare earth project in Malawi and was advancing toward commercial production at its recycling and manufacturing projects in the UK, Germany and USA.

    3. CopperCorp Resources (TSXV:CPER)

    Company Profile

    Weekly gain: 51.5percent
    Market cap: C$14.19 million
    Share price: C$0.245

    CopperCorp Resources is an exploration and development company working to advance projects in Western Tasmania.

    Its primary work over the past several months has been exploration of the 171 square kilometer Razorback prospect. Razorback hosted a historic mining operation and is home to mineralized deposits of copper, gold and rare earth elements.

    The company has identified three high-priority target zones: Jukes, Hyde and Darwin.

    The share price of CopperCorp climbed this week following an announcement on Monday (November 18) in which the company reported that it encountered broad zones of visible copper from the Jukes zone.

    The company is currently awaiting assay results but said it was encouraged by the results, which include 24.4 meters of visual copper sulphide from 400 meters downhole and 88.7 meters of visual copper sulphide from 463.3 meters downhole. This comes after CopperCorp reported 0.35 percent copper and 0.19 g/t gold over 132 meters from an adjacent hole on October 15.

    4. Jervois Global (TSXV:JRV)

    Company Profile

    Weekly gain: 50 percent
    Market cap: C$27.09 million
    Share price: C$0.0.015

    Jervois Global is working to advance a global portfolio of nickel and cobalt projects. It owns the Idaho Cobalt Operations in the US, at which it suspended mine construction in 2023 due to low cobalt prices.

    According to Jervois, the Idaho Cobalt Operations host the largest US cobalt resource. A 2020 feasibility study shows that they have a measured and indicated resource of 50.1 million pounds of cobalt from 5.24 million MT grading 0.44 percent, with inferred values of 12 million pounds of cobalt from 1.57 million MT grading 0.35 percent.

    The company announced in June 2023 that it had entered into a US$15 million agreement through the US Department of Defense’s Defense Production Act for exploration activities at its property.

    In an announcement from the project on July 31, Jervois reported that extensional drilling at the Idaho Cobalt Operations had shown positive resource growth potential, with cobalt, gold and copper mineralization at depth. In the announcement, the company provides a highlighted result of 1.1 percent cobalt, 1.18 percent gold and 0.69 g/t gold over 1.8 meters.

    Most recently, Jervois announced on Tuesday that it had secured an additional US$24.5 million in working capital through an increase to a US$7.5 million delayed draw term loan it received earlier in the year.

    The increase raises the limit to a US$32 million of which the company has access to US$8 million to be used before December 14, with an additional US$16.4 million available after that, subject to certain milestones regarding the potential recapitalization of Jervois’ balance sheet.

    5. Baru Gold (TSXV:BARU)

    Company Profile

    Weekly gain: 44.44 percent
    Market cap: C$19.87 million
    Share price: C$0.065

    Baru Gold is a development company working to advance its Sangihe gold project in Indonesia.

    The company holds a 70 percent stake in the 42,000 hectare project, with the remaining 30 percent interest being held by three Indonesian-based companies.

    A mineral resource estimate contained in a 2017 technical report demonstrates an indicated resource of 114,700 ounces of gold and 1.97 million ounces of silver from 3.16 million metric tons of ore with grades of 1.13 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold and 19.4 g/t silver. The project also hosts an inferred resource of 105,000 ounces of gold and 1.06 million ounces of silver.

    Shares in Baru gained in recent weeks following a series of announcements.

    The first came on November 19 when the company announced it had signed a letter of intent with Indonesian company PT Arsari Tambang, which will become a strategic equity partner and investor with a 10 percent stake in Baru Gold subsidiary PT Tambang Mas Sangihe.

    The initial 10 percent stake is being purchased from one of Baru’s private partners, meaning it will not affect Baru’s interest in its Sangihe project. However, PT Arsari will also be granted a five-year option for an additional 15 percent stake in the company; if exercised, Baru’s interest will lower from 70 to 59.5 percent.

    Its next announcement came on November 21 when Baru Gold announced it had retained the services of a specialist advisory firm to lead fundraising operations. The move comes after Baru received several unsolicited inquiries from investors looking to invest in the Indonesian gold sector, including from companies looking for diversification opportunities.

    Baru’s most recent release came on Tuesday (November 26) when it announced a non-brokered private placement for C$300,000 for 7.5 million shares at C$0.04 per unit. The financing is expected to close on or before December 13, with proceeds being used for year-end audit fees and land taxes.

    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 companies are listed on the TSXV?

    As of June 2024, there were 1,630 companies listed on the TSXV, 925 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,806 companies, with 188 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

    Tech 5: Microsoft, Google Face New Antitrust Action, Ether Rallies

    Ether outperformed this week as Bitcoin’s ascent paused around US$98,000.

    Meanwhile, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) became the latest of the Big Tech firms to come under scrutiny by the US Federal Trade Commission, and the Biden administration finalized its milestone deal with Intel (NASDAQ:INTC).

    1. Bitcoin pulls back as Ether outperforms

    Bitcoin pulled back at the start of the week following a rally toward US$100,000 last Friday (November 22). After setting a new all-time high of US$99,645, the cryptocurrency struggled to stay above US$98,000 over the weekend, eventually falling as low as US$92,058 on Monday evening. Bitcoin declined even further to US$90,911 as the markets wrapped on Tuesday, marking its lowest valuation of the week.

    On Wednesday, following Fox News reports that the Trump administration would move to hand more power to crypto regulation to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Bitcoin rallied to an intraday high of US$97,360. Investor confidence also rose due to weekly inflation numbers that suggested a resilient economy and a strengthening job market, both of which typically bolster risk appetite. As markets wrapped, Bitcoin was ahead by over 6.5 percent in 24 hours.

    It traded sideways on Thursday as US markets celebrated Thanksgiving, and started Friday strong with a brief surge to US$98,680 in early trading before pulling back and wrapping the day around US$97,500. As of 6:00 p.m. EST Friday, Bitcoin was down 1.9 percent for the week, trading at US$97,485.

    Meanwhile, Ether showed signs of a resurgence, climbing to over US$3,500 for the first time since June on Monday. While it quickly pulled back to a weekly low of around US$3,280 on Tuesday afternoon, Ether climbed steadily Wednesday to hit a weekly high of US$3,666 as Asia’s markets opened.

    Block Scholes and Bybit Analytics released a report on Thursday observing a US$8.9 billion surge in Ether open interest, estimating its price could top US$4,000 before Donald Trump takes office on January 20.

    Ether traded in the range of US$3,550 and US$3,650 for the remainder of the week. As of 6:00 p.m. EST Friday, it was up 8.9 percent for the week, trading for around US$3,590.

    Ether price chart. November 23, 2024, to November 29, 2024.

    Chart courtesy of CoinGecko.

    2. Dell, CrowdStrike fall following Q3 reports

    Dell (NYSE:DELL) and Crowdstrike (NASDAQ:CRWD) are down 10.94 percent and 3.81 percent, respectively, for the week after both companies delivered quarterly reports that left shareholders dissatisfied.

    Shares of Dell fell by over 12 percent on Wednesday morning after the company’s Q3 2025 results, released after the closing bell on Tuesday afternoon, revealed declining revenue for its PC business. Dell’s Client Solutions Group revenue declined by 1 percent year-over-year in Q3 to US$12.1 billion, despite the increase in demand for PCs equipped with AI anticipated by analysts.

    “The PC refresh cycle is pushing into next year,” the company’s CFO Yvonne McGill said on a call with analysts after the results were released.

    Meanwhile, Infrastructure Solutions Group revenue rose at an annual rate of 34 percent to US$11.4 billion. Total revenue grew 10 percent to US$24.4 billion, missing the average analyst estimate of US$24.6 billion. Adjusted earnings were US$2.15 per share, above with the average estimate of US$2.06.

    Additionally, Dell’s Q4 2025 revenue outlook of US$24.5 billion fell short of analyst expectations of US$25.57 billion, leaving shareholders unimpressed despite some positive data points.

    Shares of Crowdstrike opened 1.6 percent lower and fell by over 3 percent in early trading on Wednesday after a lackluster earnings report for Q3 2025.

    CrowdStrike’s CFO, Burt Podber, emphasized the company’s strong quarterly performance. During an earnings call, he highlighted a growing sales pipeline and expressed optimism about finishing the year with momentum “despite expected headwinds from the July 19 incident,” referring to the global outage that temporarily crippled the cybersecurity defenses of countless organizations worldwide.

    The event could explain the company’s adjusted earnings per share forecast to a range of US$0.84 to US$0.86 for Q4, slightly below the analyst expectation of US$0.87. The company’s total operating expense increased nearly 40 percent compared to the same period last year.

    On a more upbeat note, CrowdStrike’s Q3 sales surpassed predictions, reaching US$1.01 billion, and its adjusted profit per share of US$0.93 exceeded estimates of US$0.81 per share.

    Additionally, CrowdStrike increased its full fiscal year revenue forecast to between US$3.92 billion and US$3.93 billion, higher than the anticipated US$3.9 billion.

    Dell and CrowdStrike’s share prices fell following their Q3 earnings reports.

    Chart courtesy of Google Finance.

    3. Microsoft latest to be investigated by FTC, Google faces lawsuit in Canada

    The US Federal Trade Commission launched an antitrust investigation into Microsoft on Wednesday. According to sources for Bloomberg, who first reported the news, the FTC has been interviewing business partners and competitors for over a year, and has requested the company turn over information regarding all aspects of Microsoft’s business in a document that’s “hundreds of pages long.”

    Sources familiar with the matter say that the ongoing investigation is heavily focused on Microsoft’s practice of bundling its popular office productivity and security software with its cloud products.

    Microsoft opened 0.71 percent lower on Friday morning following the news but recovered by the end of the shortened trading day. Its stock is up 2.93 percent for the week.

    FTC regulators will reportedly meet with Microsoft executives next week. Neither organization has issued a formal comment on the situation.

    This is the fifth investigation launched by FTC Chair Lina Khan in recent years, and likely one of the last before she steps down in January. President-elect Donald Trump has not yet named Khan’s successor.

    Meanwhile, Canada’s Competition Bureau announced it was suing Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) for anti-competitive practices in the online advertising market, adding to the company’s mounting list of legal problems.

    “The Competition Bureau conducted an extensive investigation that found that Google has abused its dominant position in online advertising in Canada by engaging in conduct that locks market participants into using its own ad tech tools, excluding competitors, and distorting the competitive process,” Matthew Boswell, Commissioner of Competition, said in the press release. “Google’s conduct has prevented rivals from being able to compete on the merits of what they have to offer, to the detriment of Canadian advertisers, publishers and consumers.”

    4. Biden Administration finalizes US$7.9 billion CHIPS funding for Intel

    The US Biden Administration has finalized its deal with Intel for nearly US$7.9 billion in federal grants for chip manufacturing in Arizona, Ohio, Oregon and New Mexico. This amount, slightly less than the initially proposed award of US$8.5 billion, will be used to boost chip manufacturing in these locations.

    “The award will directly support Intel’s expected US investment of nearly US$90 billion by the end of the decade, which is part of the company’s overall US$100+ billion expansion plan,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.

    The company will receive at least US$1 billion this year based on milestones it has already reached and can begin receiving additional funds as it hits negotiated benchmarks on projects.

    Bloomberg reported that government officials said the reduction in the grant wasn’t a reflection of the challenges the company’s chip business has faced this year, but instead is due to a US$3 billion grant the company is eligible for to make chips for the military. Due to a change in the financing for the military grant, some of the funds were instead taken from the CHIPS Act grant.

    Although the initial deal included provisions for US$11 billion in loans, Intel opted not to utilize this option. Bloomberg columnist Mackenzie Hawkins noted that makes it the third major company to turn down government loans provided by Biden’s US$75 billion in loans available through the CHIPS Act.

    Shares of Intel fell by nearly 4.5 percent on Tuesday before the markets closed.

    5. California proposes renewed EV rebates excluding Tesla

    California Governor Gavin Newsom shared plans to create a new version of the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) and offer state rebates for electric vehicles (EVs) if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on campaign promises and eliminates the Biden-era federal EV tax credit.

    The CVRP was a state program funded through California’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that offered rebates to residents who purchased or leased eligible new zero-emission vehicles. It ran from 2010 until it was closed on November 8, 2023, after funding was exhausted.

    Governor Newsom’s office told Bloomberg on Monday that the current plan included market share proposals that could exclude models made by Tesla, but reiterated that the details of the proposal would first need to pass through the regular legislative channels.

    “It’s about creating the market conditions for more of these car makers to take root,” the governor’s office told Bloomberg.

    Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO and Trump’s pick as head of the newly-announced Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, Elon Musk was quick to fire back, posting his thoughts on X: “Even though Tesla is the only company that manufactures their EVs in California! This is insane.”

    Despite the bump in the road — Tesla closed down over 6 percent on Monday — the company ended the week slightly ahead by 1.26 percent.

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

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

    Starbucks (SBUX) Stock Analysis: Key Resistance at $103.33

    The opening of a Starbucks near South Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) highlights the intersection of global commerce and geopolitics, showcasing the brand’s ability to establish itself even in politically sensitive locations. Positioned in an observatory in Gimpo, just 1.4 km from North Korea, the café provides patrons with a rare view of the reclusive state while enjoying the familiarity of a latte. This unique location is expected to attract both domestic and international visitors, capitalizing on the DMZ’s status as an unlikely tourist destination.

    While Starbucks often tailors its expansion strategies to local cultural and economic contexts, this store’s strategic placement reflects its ambition to tap into South Korea’s thriving coffee culture while offering a distinctive experience. Tourists passing through military checkpoints and viewing North Korean territory emphasize the symbolic and literal bridging of starkly different worlds—a marketing narrative that could further boost Starbucks’ appeal.

    From a business perspective, this venture demonstrates Starbucks’ commitment to innovation in location strategy, leveraging geopolitical intrigue to drive foot traffic. However, given the ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula, the store’s proximity to such a contentious border could pose operational and reputational risks. Overall, this opening underscores the brand’s global reach and ability to find opportunity in unconventional markets.

    Sturbucks Stock Chart Analysis

    This 15-minute chart for Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) highlights recent price action. The stock is trading at $101.51, down 0.21% for the day. The overall trend on this timeframe shows a sharp rally early in the week, followed by a pullback and consolidation.

    The chart indicates a recent high of $103.33, which may act as a key resistance level. The price retreated from this level and found support near $97.11. This bounce shows potential buyer interest around the lower levels. The recovery on the 27th suggests renewed bullish momentum but is tempered by some sideways trading in the most recent sessions.

    The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 50.37, which reflects neutral momentum. It suggests neither overbought nor oversold conditions, indicating potential indecision among market participants.

    From a technical perspective, the key zones to watch include resistance at $103.33 and support at $97.11. A break above resistance could pave the way for further upside, while a drop below support might indicate renewed bearish sentiment.

    Traders may look for confirmation through volume or additional indicators, as the sideways consolidation suggests a lack of strong conviction in either direction at the moment. A breakout or breakdown is likely to set the next trend.

    The post Starbucks (SBUX) Stock Analysis: Key Resistance at $103.33 appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.

    FTC opens broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft

    The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft, including of its software licensing and cloud computing businesses, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters Wednesday.

    A source confirmed the investigation to NBC News.

    The investigation was approved by FTC Chair Lina Khan ahead of her likely departure in January. The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president, and the expectation he will appoint a fellow Republican with a softer approach toward business, leaves the outcome of the investigation up in the air.

    The FTC is examining allegations the software giant is potentially abusing its market power in productivity software by imposing punitive licensing terms to prevent customers from moving their data from its Azure cloud service to other competitive platforms, sources confirmed earlier this month.

    The FTC is also looking at practices related to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence products, the source said on Wednesday.

    Microsoft declined to comment on Wednesday.

    Competitors have criticized Microsoft’s practices they say keep customers locked into its cloud offering, Azure. The FTC fielded such complaints last year as it examined the cloud computing market.

    NetChoice, a lobbying group that represents online companies including Amazon and Google, which compete with Microsoft in cloud computing, criticized Microsoft’s licensing policies, and its integration of AI tools into its Office and Outlook.

    “Given that Microsoft is the world’s largest software company, dominating in productivity and operating systems software, the scale and consequences of its licensing decisions are extraordinary,” the group said.

    Google in September complained to the European Commission about Microsoft’s practices, saying it made customers pay a 400% mark-up to keep running Windows Server on rival cloud computing operators, and gave them later and more limited security updates.

    The FTC has demanded a broad range of detailed information from Microsoft, Bloomberg reported earlier on Wednesday.

    The agency had already claimed jurisdiction over probes into Microsoft and OpenAI over competition in artificial intelligence, and started looking into Microsoft’s $650 million deal with AI startup Inflection AI.

    Microsoft has been somewhat of an exception to U.S. antitrust regulators’ recent campaign against allegedly anticompetitive practices at Big Tech companies.

    Facebook owner Meta Platforms, Apple and Amazon.com Inc. have all been accused by the U.S. of unlawfully maintaining monopolies.

    Alphabet’s Google is facing two lawsuits, including one where a judge found it unlawfully thwarted competition among online search engines.

    Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella testified at Google’s trial, saying the search giant was using exclusive deals with publishers to lock up content used to train artificial intelligence.

    It is unclear whether Trump will ease up on Big Tech, whose first administration launched several Big Tech probes. JD Vance, the incoming vice president, has expressed concern about the power the companies wield over public discourse.

    Still, Microsoft has benefited from Trump policies in the past.

    In 2019, the Pentagon awarded it a $10 billion cloud computing contract that Amazon had widely been expected to win. Amazon later alleged that Trump exerted improper pressure on military officials to steer the contract away from its Amazon Web Services unit.

    This post appeared first on NBC NEWS