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Missed Disney’s Rally? Grab This Defined-Risk Put Spread for a Second Chance

Stock 4 Mins Read

Stocks keep notching record highs. If you’re like most investors, you’re probably wondering, “Should I really chase these prices or sit tight and wait for a pullback?”

Instead of overthinking and ending up in Analysis-Paralysis land, however, it may be worth exploring other avenues — and maybe even something you’ve never thought of.

Enter bearish counter-trend options strategies. Yup, it sounds crazy, especially when the S&P 500 ($SPX) and Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ) closed at fresh highs. But here’s the reality: a well-planned put strategy has the potential to generate some revenue while you wait for the market to slow down or pull back. I got the idea after watching a recent video that dives into these strategies (worth watching if you haven’t).

Finding an Optimal Options Strategy

If you click the OptionsPlay Strategy Center tab on your StockCharts Dashboard (OptionsPlay Add-On for StockCharts required), choose the Bearish Counter Trend or Bullish Counter Trend categories (depending on whether the market is bullish or bearish), and then select the Bear Put Spread strategy, you’ll see all the stocks that meet the criteria. Since stocks are in a bullish trajectory, I decided to look at stocks in the Bearish Counter Trend list. I also chose the 45-day timeframe, a balanced risk profile, and $2,500 max risk. I sorted the list based on IV rank. Walt Disney Co. (DIS) made it to the top of the list.

A couple of points to consider:

  • A risk/reward ratio of 0.6 to 1
  • Disney’s earnings date of August 6, which falls before the spread expires.

However, looking through the other charts on the list, DIS appeared to be the most likely to pull back in the near term.

Here’s where the beauty of options comes into play. They’re extremely flexible, and you can tweak the strategies to give you a risk/reward that’s more desirable.

With that in mind, let’s dive into Disney’s stock chart and consider how low the stock could go.

Disney’s Daily Chart

Looking at the daily chart of DIS, the stock price has pulled back a bit, and momentum, although relatively high as indicated by the relative strength index (RSI) and percentage price oscillator (PPO), is showing signs of slowing down. If momentum continues to weaken, DIS could move lower and fall to around the $120 level (dashed blue horizontal line).

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF DISNEY STOCK. DIS has been rising after its early May gap up. It’s now pulling back, and Disney’s stock price closed today at $122.98.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The Put Spread Can Bring a Little Magic

If you click the Options tab below the chart, you’ll see three strategies you could apply. Since I have a bearish bias, I clicked the Bearish button. The three optimized strategies that came up:

  •  Sell 100 shares of DIS.
  • Buy one DIS put.
  • Buy a put vertical. The put vertical has the highest OptionsPlay score and is the one that aligns with the bearish counter-trend strategy.

Looking at the risk curve for the put spread — buying 1 Aug 15 125 put and selling 1 Aug 15 110 put (see below) — you’re risking $471 for a potential reward of $1029. This is slightly better than a 0.6 to 1 risk/reward ratio. The breakeven level is $120.29, which aligns with the support level on the price chart. At least there’s a high probability of breaking even, although you want to do better than that. DIS could fall below the $120 level. I would consider placing this trade.

FIGURE 2: RISK CURVES FOR THREE OPTIMAL STRATEGIES FOR TRADING DIS STOCK. The put vertical spread has the best score, defined-risk, and an attractive payoff.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Final Thoughts

Options are dynamic, and if you decide to put on the trade, monitor your open positions regularly. With options, it’s not just about price. Time decay and volatility can change the premiums. If these variables change significantly, consider adjusting your trade.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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3 Key Themes from Fastmarkets’ 2025 Lithium Supply & Battery Raw Materials Event

Investing 6 Mins Read

Market volatility, Chinese control, supply chain risk mitigation and financing emerged as some of the most prevalent themes at the 2025 Fastmarket’s Lithium Supply Battery Raw Materials (LBRM) conference in Las Vegas.

The event, which is in its 17th year, drew a crowd of roughly 1000 delegates, industry experts and analysts, to discuss the current landscape and future projections of the battery materials sector.

During his opening remarks, Fastmarkets CEO Raju Daswani highlighted the growth and maturation the battery raw materials sector has experienced.

“We meet here at an extraordinary moment, the global lithium and battery materials industry is no longer a niche … It is now central to energy security, to industrial policy and to geopolitical strategy,” he said.

Daswani then went on to set the tone for the conference by posing four key questions about the current market designed to guide attendees’ thinking throughout the event.

  1. Decoupling vs. Interdependence: Can the US and China truly decouple their lithium and battery supply chains, or will market realities force continued interdependence?
  2. Technology Leadership Race: Who will lead battery innovation?
  3. Price Sustainability: How sustainable is the current lithium price environment?
  4. Hidden Supply Chain Risks: What proactive steps can the industry take to address emerging risks like permitting delays, power constraints, community opposition, water limitations, talent shortages, and geopolitical instability in critical mining regions?

These questions framed the agenda for the four day event while also underscoring some of the key challenges and strategic considerations facing the global lithium and battery raw materials industry.

Robust growth projections

China’s dominance in the battery metals space was a central theme at the conference and explored via a variety of angels including supply and demand dynamics, growth projections and collaboration.

At the “Lithium Market Outlook 2025–2035: Navigating Demand Across EVs, Storage, and Strategic Sectors” presentation, Paul Lusty, head of battery raw materials at Fastmarkets painted a bullish picture for the future of lithium prices, despite the current challenges the market is facing.

We’re facing headwinds, no doubt, and we’re also seeing quite a lot of negative or bearish sentiment widespread in the market, and I think at times, it’s amplified by voices that really overlooked the phenomenal levels of demand that we’re seeing in many aspects of the market,” he said.

Although prices have floundered since 2022, the Fastmarkets team is projecting a 12 percent CAGR through to 2035.

“The long term outcome looks incredibly bullish and very compelling, the fundamentals are really still very strong, and these are anchored in some very powerful, mega trends that we see developing within the global economy.”

These trends include the urgent drive for climate change mitigation, the once in a generational shift in the global energy system, and the rise of energy intensive technologies such as artificial intelligence.

China’s place in western supply

As Daswani noted in his opening remarks China’s role in the battery metal sector was a recurring topic at the conference, with several speakers and panelists weighing in.

In one of the most compelling panels “Decoding the China Playbook’, panelists recounted the country’s nearly two decade long strategy to develop a robust, vertically integrated supply chain.

Iggy Tan, chairman of Lithium Universe (ASX:LU7,OTCPink:LUVSF), told the crowd China’s dominance in the battery metals sector began with a national goal of lowering vehicle emissions in the cities.

“(The) strategy was to reduce pollution in the cities, and that started the battery revolution,” he said of the nation’s switch to electric scooters and cars.

Additionally, the decision was further supported by a long term mandate.

“With the 15 year plan, government regulations, incentives, and investment started to flow according to the plan,” said Tan. “One of the downsides with Western economies is that (the government) changes every four years, whereas in China, the plan is just updated, and you can make long term investments in this area.”

As Joe Lowry, president of Global Lithium (ASX:GL1,OTCPink:GBLRF) and widely considered ‘Mr. Lithium’, added the battery supply chain in China, was further strengthened in 2003 when then president Hu Jintao selected the battery industry among his 10 Champion Industries.

Over the two decades since the Asian nation has invested heavily up and down the supply chain.

“If it was a TV show, it would be Survivor. China, outplayed, outwitted, and outlasted their competition,” said Lowry.

Financing the future

As with most cyclical commodities once lithium prices began to fall financing and investment also declined. Although the long term demand outlook is poised to benefit from battery sector expansion and energy storage system growth, the current glut in the market has created a challenge for Western companies.

This was reiterated by SC Insights Founder and Managing Director Andy Leyland, who used a colour coded chart to explain the discrepancy.

Leyland noted that at current low lithium prices (around US$7,000 per ton), companies are not making final investment decisions (FIDs) for new lithium projects.

Additionally over the past 12 months, hardly any FIDs have been happening in the industry. This is because at such low price levels, most projects are not financially viable.

Producers are cutting back on capital expenditures and are unable to justify new investments. The low prices make it economically challenging for companies to move forward with new lithium production projects, effectively freezing new developments in the sector.

This sentiment was echoed at the “Unlocking Funding: Bridging the Liquidity Gap and the Battery Market” panel, where YJ Lee, director and co-fund manager at Arcane Capital Advisers offered advice for junior miners.

“There’s very little financing available. So the junior miners … have to really cut the corporate costs, keep that as low as possible. But the operations must go on. They must continue drilling. They must continue developing. Because the next up cycle, I believe, is just around the corner.”

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Walker Lane Resources Ltd. Receives Positive Results from Airborne Geophysical Surveys and Geological Mapping Completed by Coeur on the Silverknife Property, BC and also are Clarifying Details Related to their recent Nevada Transactions

Investing 15 Mins Read

Walker Lane Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:WLR, FRA: 6YL) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Walker Lane’) is pleased to announce that is has received results from Coeur Silvertip Holdings Ltd. (‘Coeur’) on field geophysical and geological studies completed in late 2024 on the Silverknife Property, British Columbia. Coeur contracted Expert Geophysics Limited (‘Expert’) and Precision Geophysics (‘Precision’) to complete the airborne geophysical surveys, and 39627 Yukon Inc. to complete geological mapping of the Silverknife Property and an initial geochemical survey of the northern portion of the property.

This work was completed by Coeur as a part of the option agreement for the Silverknife Property with Walker Lane. The four-year option agreement provides for $3.55 million in work expenditures and $500,000 in property payments by Coeur to earn a 75% interest in the Silverknife Property which is immediately adjacent to Coeur’s Silvertip Mine claims.

The primary results of these work efforts are:

  • The geological map of the property is now significantly revised and better defines the location of prospective lithological units;
  • The geophysical surveys served to:
    • Define the presence of complex fault structures;
    • Present additional conductivity data;
    • Identify a potential new prospective zone in the northeastern section of the property; and
    • Enhance the continued prospectivity of the Tootsee River North, Silverknife Central and Silverknife South zones of exploration prospectivity.

Kevin Brewer, President and CEO of Walker Lane noted, ‘We are very pleased with that the geological mapping and airborne geophysics has clearly served to better define and confirm the zones of exploration prospectivity. This work identified key structural features such as faults which are known in the region to be controls and loci of mineralization. Other features such the presence of fugitive calcite in outcrops typically demonstrates that you are in close proximity toa potential carbonate replacement deposit (‘CRD’). The four prospective areas on the Silverknife property are both significant and of substantial areal extent and present valid drill targets for future exploration efforts. The property has been subjected to limited drilling confined primarily to the Silverknife Prospect that in itself remains open for further expansion along strike and at depth. Given the propensity of potential mineralization in such close proximity to the Silvertip deposit, one of the world’s largest and highest grade CRD deposits, finding this much prospectivity is a very exciting development. There clearly is a great amount of work to be completed at Silverknife. We look forward to Coeur’s continued commitment to explore Silverknife, which may include some drilling.’

Precision Geophysics – Airborne High Resolution Gradient Magnetic and Radiometric Survey Results

When magnetic and radiometric data are integrated into a single-pass airborne geophysical survey, they provide complimentary information that serve as a robust geophysical framework. The magnetic and radiometric data collected by Precision was useful in mapping lithology, structure and alteration features present on the Silverknife Property. The Total Magnetic Intensity (‘TMI’) data (see Figure 1) indicated the potential existence of three main lineaments within the Silverknife Property. In the instance of Silverknife, the lineaments express underlying geological structures such as faults. Faults are important as they present corridors for the migration of mineralizing fluids. Two lineaments, northeasterly and northwesterly trending are prominent throughout the property area. The third lineament is a more northerly feature that occurs in the area of the Silverknife Property. The most prominent structural feature identified from the TMI data, was a northeasterly trending structure known as the SVT NE Fault, which is a major regional fault that transects the central portion of the Silverknife Property. In this area, the SVT NE Fault and the secondary lineaments appear to be in a cross-cutting relationship which are often prime target areas for mineralization, and are considered highly prospective as the coincide with historical soil geochemical anomalies in the Silverknife Central Zone. Geological mapping has also indicated the presence of Atan and Kechika Group limestones in this area which are favorable rock units to host carbonate replacement deposits. The Silvertip mine is characterized as a carbonate replacement deposit. In addition, the potential of additional structures throughout the Silverknife Central Zone to the western boundary of the Silverknife claims presents numerous targets for drilling and expansion of mineralization identified in the Silverknife Property, and this area is yet to be drilled.

Figure 1: Total Magnetic Intensity survey with geological and structural interpretation by Symonds (2024). Note the potential cross cutting fault structures in the central portion of the property (after Precision, 2024).

The Precision TMI data also indicated a near-north trending fault that cuts the McDame Limestones and Tapioca Group in the Silverknife South Zone. The TMI data was complimented by Residual Magnetic Intensity (‘RMI’) and Reduced to Magnetic Pole (‘RTP’) that also showed the same structural lineaments.

In-line gradient (‘ILG’) and horizontal gradient showed the same structure features as the TMI data (see Figures 2a and 2b).

Figure 2a: In Line gradient survey (ILG) with lineament interpretation in the Silverknife region (After Precision, 2024).


Figure 2b: Horizontal Gradient (HG) with lineament interpretation in the Silverknife region (After Precision, 2024).

However, they also showed the potential for more complex faulting along the southern and northern contacts of the Cassiar batholith that could represent block faulting in the metasediments. In addition, this data showed the presence of a north-oriented structure in the northeastern most portion of the Silverknife Property, that presented a new area of exploration prospectivity previously undetected.

Calculated Vertical Gradient (‘CVG’) data (see Figure 3) presented a distinct continuum of structures extending from south of the Silverknife Property into the Silverknife South Zone.

Figure 3: Calculated Vertical Gradient (CVG) with lineament interpretation of the Silverknife region (after Precision, 2024).

The radiometric data serves to delineate the extent and potential contacts of different lithological rock units. Areas of high potassium were noted to occur in the Tootsee River North and the Northeastern zones. The significance of this data is not yet determined.

Expert Geophysics Helicopter-Borne Electromagnetic and Magnetic Survey Results

Electromagnetic and magnetic surveys were carried out to:

  • Provide data to aid in mapping bedrock structures and lithologies, including possible alteration and mineralization zones;
  • Provide observations of apparent conductivity corresponding to different frequencies;
  • Inverting EM data to obtain the distribution of resistivity with depth; and
  • Collecting VLF-EM and magnetic data to study properties of the bedrock units.

The electromagnetic survey verified information from the data in Precision’s surveys but also identified new information (see Figures 4a and 4b). A conductivity low south-southeast of the Silverknife Property suggests the presence of a near surface intrusive in that area. This is important because an intrusive provides a potential heat source and driver for mineralizing fluids into the overlying sediments which comprise of limestones and sandstone which are good hosts for CRD mineralization. The survey also indicated a conductivity high in the northeastern zone further strengthening exploration interest in that area.

Figure 4a: Electromagnetic apparent conductivity at 49 Hz in the Silverknife region. Note the anomaly in the northeastern part of the property (After EGL, 2024).

Figure 4b: Electromagnetic apparent conductivity at 1067 Hz in the Silverknife region (After EGL, 2024).

Several axes of high conductivity/low resistivity were found to transect the Silverknife Property and are coincident with interpreted fault structures (see Figure 5). This relationship is important as mineralization within the Rancheria Silver District is often associated with faults and may also be correlated with the axes of a conductivity anomaly.

Three conductive axes occur in the (i) Tootsee River North Zone; (ii) the Silverknife Central Zone; and (iii) coincident with the regional SVT NE Fault structure that transects the central portion of the property. This last axis extends from outside of the Silverknife claim block and thence east-northeasterly across the entire claim block. This therefore represents the potential for a major fault structure with the geophysical signatures of silver rich CRD being that of high conductivity and low resistivity. Additional resistivity data enabled the development of a three-dimensional lithographic model suggesting the orientation and extent of the rock units within the Silverknife Property. This information is expected to significantly aid the planning of future drill programs.

VLF-EM data served to further verify other datasets as to the possible extent and location of fault structures within the Silverknife Property.

Figure 5: Axes of conductive and resistivity anomalies in the frequency range of 165-267 Hz plotted on a Total Magnetic Intensity color grid (After EGL, 2024).

Geological Mapping

An updated geological map (see Figure 6) has been constructed from field mapping, drill data, and geophysical surveys. The extent of prospective units to host CRD mineralization has been found to be considerable. More specifically, the highly prospective McDame limestone occurs in both the Tootsee River North Zone and the Silverknife South Zone. Other prospective units in the central part of the property including the Atan and Kechika Group limestones occur within the central portion of the property which is now assumed to be of significant prospectivity from previous known CRD mineralization, and positive geochemical and geophysical signatures.

Summary

This recent geophysical work in combination with property mapping and previous geophysical data has contributed significantly to the understanding of the geology of the Silverknife Property. It has also contributed significantly to better defining targets for CRD mineralization and assisting to pinpoint targets for extensive drill campaigns.

Figure   6   :   Geology Map of the Silverknife Property (After Symonds, 2024)

Clarification of Nevada Transactions

The Company wishes to clarify that in its June 9, 2025 Press release all payments to be made to the optionors are to be made in US Dollars, the floor price for the shares that may be used to make property payments is also in US dollars at $0.21 USD, and the maximum number of common shares that could be issued by property are as follows:

  • Tule Canyon: 952,381
  • Cambridge: 500,000
  • Silver Mountain: 500,000

for a total number of common shares that could be issued to be 1,952,381 for the life of the agreements.

Qualified Person

Kevin Brewer, a registered professional geoscientist, is the Company’s President and CEO, and Qualified Person (as defined by National Instrument 43-101). He has given his approval of the technical information reported herein. The Company is committed to meeting the highest standards of integrity, transparency and consistency in reporting technical content, including geological reporting, geophysical investigations, environmental and baseline studies, engineering studies, metallurgical testing, assaying and all other technical data.

About Walker Lane Resources Ltd.

Walker Lane Resources Ltd. is a growth-stage exploration company focused on the exploration of high-grade gold, silver and polymetallic deposits in the Walker Lane Gold Trend District in Nevada and the Rancheria Silver District in Yukon/B.C. and other property assets in Yukon. The Company intends to initiate exploration programs to advance the drill-ready Tule Canyon (Walker Lane, Nevada) and Amy (Rancheria Silver, B.C.) projects to resource definition stage through proposed drilling campaigns that the Company desires to undertake in the near future.

On behalf of the Board:
‘Kevin Brewer’
Kevin Brewer, President, CEO and Director
Walker Lane Resources Ltd.

For Further Information and Investor Inquiries:

Kevin Brewer, P. Geo., MBA, B.Sc. (Hons), Dip. Mine Eng.
President, CEO and Director
Tel: (709) 327 8013
kbrewer80@hotmail.com
Suite 1600-409 Granville St.,
Vancouver, BC, V6C 1T2

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and related figures, contain certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as forward-looking statements). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words ‘anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘continue’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘project’, ‘predict’, ‘potential’, ‘should’, ‘believe’ ‘targeted’, ‘can’, ‘anticipates’, ‘intends’, ‘likely’, ‘should’, ‘could’ or grammatical variations thereof and similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this presentation. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning: our strategy and priorities including certain statements included in this presentation are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the Tule Canyon, Cambridge, Silver Mountain, and Shamrock Properties in Nevada (USA), and its properties including Silverknife and Amy properties in British Columbia, the Silver Hart, Blue Heaven and Logjam properties in Yukon all of which now comprise the mineral property assets of WLR. WLR has assumed other assets of CMC Metals Ltd. including common share holdings of North Bay Resources Inc. and all conditions and agreements pertaining to the sale of the Bishop mill gold processing facility and remains subject to the condition of the option of the Silverknife Property with Coeur Silvertip Holdings Ltd. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to the Company and assumptions the Company believes are reasonable. The Company has made various assumptions, including, among others, that: the historical information related to the Company’s properties is reliable; the Company’s operations are not disrupted or delayed by unusual geological or technical problems; the Company has the ability to explore the Company’s properties; the Company will be able to raise any necessary additional capital on reasonable terms to execute its business plan; the Company’s current corporate activities will proceed as expected; general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; and budgeted costs and expenditures are and will continue to be accurate.

Actual results and developments may differ materially from results and developments discussed in the forward-looking statements as they are subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties, including: public health threats; fluctuations in metals prices, price of consumed commodities and currency markets; future profitability of mining operations; access to personnel; results of exploration and development activities, accuracy of technical information; risks related to ownership of properties; risks related to mining operations; risks related to mineral resource figures being estimates based on interpretations and assumptions which may result in less mineral production under actual conditions than is currently anticipated; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; changes in operating expenses; changes in general market and industry conditions; changes in legal or regulatory requirements; other risk factors set out in this presentation; and other risk factors set out in the Company’s public disclosure documents. Although the Company has attempted to identify significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other risks that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the Company’s control. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurances that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or benefits to, or effect on, the Company.

The information contained in this presentation is derived from management of the Company and otherwise from publicly available information and does not purport to contain all of the information that an investor may desire to have in evaluating the Company. The information has not been independently verified, may prove to be imprecise, and is subject to material updating, revision and further amendment. While management is not aware of any misstatements regarding any industry data presented herein, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made or given by or on behalf of the Company as to the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions contained in this presentation and no responsibility or liability is accepted by any person for such information or opinions. The forward-looking statements and information in this presentation speak only as of the date of this presentation and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, prospective investors should not read forward-looking information as guarantees of future performance or results and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Nothing in this presentation is, or should be relied upon as, a promise or representation as to the future. To the extent any forward-looking statement in this presentation constitutes ‘future-oriented financial information’ or ‘financial outlooks’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, such information is being provided to demonstrate the anticipated market penetration and the reader is cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for any other purpose and the reader should not place undue reliance on such future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks. Future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks, as with forward-looking statements generally, are, without limitation, based on the assumptions and subject to the risks set out above. The Company’s actual financial position and results of operations may differ materially from management’s current expectations and, as a result, the Company’s revenue and expenses. The Company’s financial projections were not prepared with a view toward compliance with published guidelines of International Financial Reporting Standards and have not been examined, reviewed or compiled by the Company’s accountants or auditors. The Company’s financial projections represent management’s estimates as of the dates indicated thereon.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8de562ce-2820-45c5-8612-27b9ec496811

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c5e486b-a52d-490c-ba47-66cff1ca79a2

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6574c00c-1175-4c7d-ab9a-51a12f6db274

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7501fed-b45b-4caa-9664-4a5e3191b7d5

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/982e982d-805c-4790-91f9-9df1cec52427

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/16d091e6-fe3b-4948-a4a4-83158f225c31

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ead9ce30-67cd-4842-a938-e38ee2a022ea

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/72c5171c-735e-47b9-a41e-07da3352448c

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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

Investing 6 Mins Read

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

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

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

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

Bitcoin price performance, July 2, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

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

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

Altcoin price update

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

Today’s crypto news to know

Judge permits billion-dollar lawsuit against Tether

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

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

Coinbase buys Liquifi in undisclosed deal

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

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

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

SEC considers streamlining ETF listings

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

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

Tech billionaires launch crypto-focused bank Erebor

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

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

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

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

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

AllUnity to launch Euro stablecoin

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

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

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

China considers stablecoins to reinforce cross-border payment strategy

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

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

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

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

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Robinhood Shares Hit Record High on EU Launch of Tokenized US Stocks

Investing 3 Mins Read

Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) rolled out a bold new push into tokenized equities on Monday (June 30), announcing the launch of commission-free stock tokens for EU customers.

The Menlo Park-based brokerage said the tokens will trade 24 hours a day, five days a week, via a partnership with blockchain firm Arbitrum. Robinhood also revealed plans to expand the service to “thousands” of stock tokens by the end of the year and to eventually develop its own blockchain to enable full 24/7 trading.

Robinhood surged nearly 13 percent to an all-time high of US$93.63 on Monday after the announcement.

“Tokenization is going to open the door to a massive trading revolution,” Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev said at the company’s keynote event, held in Cannes, France.

In a significant first, Robinhood also introduced tokenized shares linked to private companies — specifically Sam Altman’s OpenAI and Elon Musk’s SpaceX — which will be made available exclusively to EU customers.

To mark the launch, Robinhood is offering 5 euros worth of OpenAI and SpaceX stock tokens to every eligible EU user who joins the platform by July 7. Altogether, the company has earmarked US$1 million worth of OpenAI tokens and US$500,000 worth of SpaceX tokens for the incentive program.

Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s general manager and senior vice president of crypto, said the move reflects a desire to break open traditionally exclusive investment opportunities.

“We wanted to make sure we were giving access,” he said in Cannes.

“What we discussed on stage was how to address the inequality between people who have historically had access to these kinds of companies and everyone else. That’s the really exciting part: Now everyone will be able to get it.”

He added: “The goal with tokenization is to let anyone participate in this economy.”

Access to private equity has historically been limited to institutional or ultra-wealthy investors, but the EU’s more flexible regulatory environment allowed Robinhood to move quickly.

The tokenized shares will be distributed directly into users’ Robinhood custody wallets and support dividend payments, the company said, promising the same ownership and rights as traditional shares.

Robinhood’s effort reflects growing enthusiasm around so-called tokenized equities, which merge the advantages of traditional finance with blockchain-powered flexibility and low costs.

The model allows round-the-clock trading, fractional ownership, and lower barriers to entry.

Still, regulatory uncertainties cloud the future of tokenized equities, especially in the United States, where definitions around securities and investor protection rules remain unresolved.

Robinhood execs made clear that US customers should not expect to see similar private equity tokens anytime soon. The company is lobbying for more open frameworks to let retail US users participate in private equity markets.

For now, Robinhood will continue rolling out tokenized assets in the EU and expand to other jurisdictions as rules evolve.

Robinhood also announced crypto perpetual futures for its EU users, as well as the launch of crypto staking for US customers.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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

Business 4 Mins Read

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Apple sues former Vision Pro employee for allegedly stealing ‘thousands of documents’ before joining Snap

Business 3 Mins Read

Apple has accused a former engineer for its Vision Pro headset computer of stealing company trade secrets before starting a new job at Snap, according to a lawsuit filed in California last week.

In the June 24 court filing, Apple accuses Di Liu, a senior design engineer, of downloading thousands of documents in his final days at the Cupertino company last year and saving them to his personal cloud accounts.

This lawsuit is the latest example of Apple publicly going after a former employee for leaking internal information. Apple is an intensely secretive company, and lawsuits like this one highlight how the iPhone maker exercises tight control over its internal information, even if it has to pursue legal action against former staff.

Apple alleges that Liu didn’t inform the company when he resigned late last year that he was headed to Snap, a competitor and maker of smart glasses. As a result, Apple did not shut off his access to accounts and allowed him a customary two-week transition period, which he used to download company files, according to the lawsuit.

“Worse still, the review of Mr. Liu’s Apple-issued work laptop also shows that while maintaining access to Apple’s Proprietary Information under false pretenses, he used his Apple credentials to exfiltrate thousands of documents containing Proprietary Information from Apple’s secure file storage systems,” the iPhone maker’s lawyers said in the filing.

Many of the files downloaded by Liu had codenames for Apple projects and described the company’s technology, product design and supply chain, according to the lawsuit. Apple says that all employees agree to keep Apple files confidential and that Liu broke confidentiality agreements he made when he joined. Liu worked for Apple between 2017 and 2024, according to the lawsuit.

Liu worked on Apple’s Vision Pro headset as a system product design engineer, per the filing. Liu did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

Apple lawyers wrote that Liu could use the trade secrets in his work at Snap. Apple is not suing Snap, and the social media company did not respond to a request for comment.

“The overlap between Apple’s Proprietary Information that Mr. Liu retained and Snap’s AR products (for which Mr. Liu is a ‘product design engineer’) suggests that Mr. Liu intends to use Apple’s Proprietary Information at Snap,” according to the filing.

Apple is seeking damages and for Liu to have his devices inspected by a forensic examiner to make sure all the trade secrets are deleted.

The iPhone maker has sued several former employees in recent years for taking files when they left the company.

Apple settled with former engineer Simon Lancaster in 2022 over providing information to a journalist. Apple also sued a former employee, Andrew Aude, in 2024 over leaking details to the media. That lawsuit was dismissed after Aude apologized.

The Cupertino company sued Rivos, a chip startup staffed by former Apple semiconductor employees, over its intellectual property, and settled in 2024.

Additionally at least three former Apple employees have also been arrested and accused by the government of taking company secrets and giving them to China-linked organizations. One pled guilty and was sentenced to four months in prison, and two are still in proceedings.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Microsoft laying off about 9,000 employees in latest round of cuts

Business 3 Mins Read

Microsoft said Wednesday that it will lay off about 9,000 employees. The move will affect less than 4% of its global workforce across different teams, geographies and levels of experience, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.

The announcement comes on the second day of Microsoft’s 2026 fiscal year. Executives at the Redmond, Washington-based company typically unveil reorganizations at the time of the new fiscal year.

“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an email.

Microsoft has held several rounds of layoffs already this calendar year. In January, it cut less than 1% of headcount based on performance. The 50-year-old software company slashed more than 6,000 jobs in May and then at least 300 more in June. As of June 2024 it employed 228,000 people. In 2023, it laid off 10,000.

Perhaps the largest culling of Microsoft workers came in 2014, when the company eliminated 18,000 after acquiring Nokia’s devices and services business.

As was the case with the May layoffs, Microsoft is looking to reduce the number of layers of managers that stand between individual contributors and top executives, said the person who asked not to be named while discussing internal matters.

“To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness,” Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s CEO of gaming, wrote in a Wednesday memo to employees in that division.

Microsoft reported nearly $26 billion in net income on $70 billion in revenue for the March quarter. The numbers were well ahead of Wall Street’s consensus, keeping Microsoft ranked as one of the most profitable companies in the S&P 500 index, according to data compiled by FactSet.

Executives called for about 14% year-over-year revenue growth in the June quarter, thanks to expected expansion in Azure cloud services and corporate productivity software subscriptions

Microsoft stock closed at a record high of $497.45 per share on June 26. At the start of Wednesday’s trading session, the shares were down about 0.6%, while the S&P 500 was roughly flat.

Autodesk, Chegg and CrowdStrike are among the other software providers that have slimmed down in 2025. Earlier on Wednesday, payroll processing company ADP said the U.S. private sector lost 33,000 jobs in June. Economists polled by Dow Jones had predicted an increase of 100,000.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Pullbacks & Reversals: Stocks Setting Up for Big Moves!

Stock 1 Min Read

In this video, Mary Ellen spotlights key pullback opportunities and reversal setups in the wake of a strong market week, one which saw all-time highs in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. She breaks down the semiconductor surge and explores the bullish momentum in economically-sensitive sectors, including software, regional banks, and small-caps. Watch as she highlights top stocks to add to your watchlist, including FedEx, XPO, CHRW, and RL, plus identifies downtrend reversal candidates like AeroVironment (AVAV) and Nike, supported by volume and technical breakouts. In addition, she covers smart entry tactics, examining historical precedent with Coinbase.

This video originally premiered on June 27, 2025. You can watch it on our dedicated page for Mary Ellen’s videos.

New videos from Mary Ellen premiere weekly on Fridays. You can view all previously recorded episodes at this link.

If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, be sure to check out the MEM Edge Report! This report gives you detailed information on the top sectors, industries and stocks so you can make informed investment decisions.

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