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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (May 9) 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) was priced at US$103,116 as markets closed for the week, up 2 percent in 24 hours.

The day’s range has seen a low of US$102,526 and a high of US$103,636. After breaking through the US$100,000 threshold on Thursday (May 8), the digital asset has found support.

Bitcoin performance, May 9, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

The crypto market’s surge is attributed to positive geopolitical developments, particularly surrounding a US-UK trade agreement and optimism over upcoming trade talks with China.

A better-than-expected jobs report also reignited institutional interest. Meanwhile, the MOVE index has cooled from its late March-early April spike, encouraging broader risk-taking across financial markets.

On the technical side, Bitcoin’s realized cap has hit an all-time high above US$893 million. Cointelegraph’s Marcel Pechman notes that strong options activity suggests that prices above US$105,000 could fuel further gains. Analyst Egrag Crypto is forecasting a rally to US$170,000, contingent on Bitcoin breaking past its previous all-time high of US$109,000.

However, with Bitcoin’s relative strength index approaching 70, overbought conditions are emerging, and investors are urged to be cautious of short-term volatility.

Ethereum’s (ETH) price surge has outperformed that of Bitcoin and can be attributed to an increase in transactions following Wednesday’s (May 7) Pectra upgrade. ETH’s price has increased by over 25 percent from last week and 42 percent month-on-month. It finished the week at US$2,325.35, a 10 percent increase over 24 hours.

The day’s range saw a low of US$2,288.24 and a high of US$2,372.09.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) closed at US$171.67, up 7.1 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$168.64 and a high of US$172.75.
  • XRP was trading at US$2.35, reflecting a 3.6 percent increase over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached a daily low of US$2.33 and a high of US$2.40.
  • Sui (SUI) was priced at US$3.89, showing a decreaseof 0.6 percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$3.87 and a high of US$4.03.
  • Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.7799, up 5.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$0.7763, and it reached a high of US$0.7953.

Today’s crypto news to know

Coinbase to acquire Deribit in US$2.9 billion crypto derivatives deal

Coinbase has announced plans to acquire Deribit, a leading crypto derivatives exchange, for $2.9 billion — the largest deal in the crypto industry to date. This strategic move positions Coinbase to expand its offerings in the crypto options market, catering to the growing demand for advanced trading products.

The acquisition includes US$700 million in cash and 11 million shares of Coinbase Class A common stock.

Deribit, which processed US$1.2 trillion in trading volume last year, controls approximately 85 percent of the global crypto options market. This deal is expected to enhance Coinbase’s presence in the international derivatives market and diversify its revenue streams. Analysts view the acquisition as a significant step for Coinbase to compete with other major exchanges like Binance and Kraken in the derivatives space. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is anticipated to close later this year. Until then, Deribit will continue its operations as usual.

Rumble’s crypto wallet launch and Q1 earnings

Rumble’s (NASDAQ:RUM) CEO confirmed the firm will launch a Bitcoin and stablecoin wallet to compete with the Coinbase Wallet in Q3. The Rumble Wallet will launch in partnership with Tether.

“Our goal is to become the most prominent non-custodial Bitcoin and stablecoin wallet, powering the creator economy,” according to a May 9 (Friday) X post by Chris Pavlovski.

On the earnings front, Rumble reported a net loss of US$2.7 million for Q1 on Thursday, a significant improvement over the US$43 million loss reported in Q1 2024. The company’s revenue of US$23.7 million exceeded analysts’ estimates; however, the firm reported a decrease in monthly active users to 59 million, down from 68 million in Q4 2024.

Rumble opened 2.44 percent higher on Friday (May 9) and closed the week with a gain of over 17 percent.

Meta’s potential stablecoin integration

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is reportedly in discussions with cryptocurrency enterprises regarding the potential implementation of stablecoins for select, smaller-scale creator disbursements.

Five informed sources told Fortune that the corporation has engaged in consultative deliberations with multiple cryptocurrency infrastructure providers, albeit without having yet settled upon a definitive strategic approach.

An insider suggests that the entity may adopt a multi-token framework, encompassing the integration of established stablecoins such as Tether’s USDt and Circle’s USD Coin, amongst other alternatives.

This news comes the day after Democratic lawmakers withdrew support for the GENIUS Act after concerns arose over the lucrative crypto dealings of companies tied to US President Donald Trump. The bill stalled on the floor of the Senate, prompting a public statement from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent:

“This bill represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand dollar dominance and US influence in financial innovation. Without it, stablecoins will be subject to a patchwork of state regulations instead of a streamlined federal framework.’

Celsius founder sentenced to 12 years for crypto fraud

Alex Mashinsky, founder and former CEO of Celsius Network, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for defrauding customers and manipulating the price of the company’s CEL token.

Between 2018 and 2022, Mashinsky misled investors about the safety of their funds, using customer deposits to inflate CEL’s value and personally profiting over US$48 million. Celsius, which once managed over US$25 billion in assets, collapsed in 2022 amid a broader crypto market downturn, leaving thousands of users unable to access their funds.

SEC considers crypto exemptions

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is “considering a potential exemptive order” to let crypto firms bypass requirements to register as a broker-dealer, clearing agency exchange to issue, trade and settle securities. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce made the announcement in a speech published on Thursday.

Companies would still be expected to comply with rules to prevent fraud and market manipulation and may also need to meet certain disclosure and recordkeeping requirements.

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

This week proved pivotal for the tech and energy sectors as market dynamics and the regulatory landscape shifted.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) made waves by signaling a foray into artificial intelligence (AI) search and challenging app store regulations, while OpenAI underwent a major restructuring amid legal battles with Elon Musk.

Meanwhile, legislation targeting AI chip tracking gained momentum, and the nuclear energy sector saw increased activity with Ontario Power Generation’s new reactor project and potential White House actions.

Earnings reports from major players like Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR), AMD (NASDAQ:AMD), Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM) and Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ:SMCI) painted a complex picture of growth and challenges in a turbulent economic environment.

The interplay of innovation, regulation and market forces played out against a backdrop of trade developments between the US and the UK, with optimism regarding forthcoming negotiations with China boosting sentiment toward the end of the week.

Read on to dive deeper into this week’s top stories.

1. Apple’s App Store appeal, AI search plans and chip news

Apple is formally contesting last week’s judicial ruling mandating a reduction in its App Store commission.

The company filed an appeal against the order that would compel it to lower the existing 27 percent fee imposed on businesses offering links within their apps to external payment processing alternatives.

In related news, Apple executive Eddy Cue revealed during federal court testimony that the tech giant is investigating the development of its own AI-powered search engine for the Safari web browser. The news had an immediate impact on Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) shares, resulting in a 9 percent decline on Wednesday (May 7) afternoon.

In other news, Apple is reportedly making advances in its in-house silicon development.

The company is designing new proprietary chips intended to serve as the main central processing units for a range of future Apple products. These include anticipated devices such as smart glasses, more powerful iterations of its Mac computer line and specialized AI servers.

Combined with this week’s macroeconomic and geopolitical developments, Apple’s share price experienced turbulence, ultimately closing 2.25 percent below Monday’s (May 5) opening price on Friday (May 9).

2. OpenAI announces restructuring, acquisition and leadership changes

In a notable week for AI giant OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman shared a reorganization strategy on Monday, announcing that its operational arm will transition into a new public benefit corporation, with its non-profit arm acting as the primary shareholder. The decision follows talks with civic leaders and state attorneys general.

A person familiar with the matter told Business Insider that the new plan will let the company receive the full US$30 billion investment from SoftBank (TSE:9984). Meanwhile, sources told Bloomberg on Monday that Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and OpenAI are still in negotiations regarding a restructuring plan. A later report from the Information reveals that OpenAI plans to slash its 20 percent revenue-sharing agreement with Microsoft to 10 percent by 2030.

Regarding the ongoing legal dispute between Sam Altman and Tesla (NADAQ:TSLA) CEO Musk, who alleges that the company has strayed from its founding mission, Musk’s attorney, Marc Toberoff, told Reuters on Monday that the team intends to proceed with the lawsuit. Toberoff also called the restructuring a “cosmetic” move that turns charitable assets into private wealth, adding that “the founding mission remains betrayed.”

In other news, OpenAI made its largest acquisition to date this week, agreeing to buy AI-assisted coding tool Windsurf for about US$3 billion, and named ex-Instacart (NASDAQ:CART) CEO Fidji Simo as its new head of applications.

According to reports, Simo will manage operations and report directly to Sam Altman, who will retain his title as CEO. Altman will shift his focus to research, safety efforts and advancing artificial general intelligence.

3. AI chip regulatory developments

US Representative Bill Foster is preparing to introduce legislation aimed at tracking the location of AI chips, such as those produced by NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), after they are sold.

The proposed bill, first reported by Reuters on Monday, would task US regulators with developing rules to monitor these chips, ensuring they remain in authorized locations under export control licenses.

It would also seek to prevent unlicensed chips from being activated outside of authorized locations.

In other chip-related news, NVIDIA shares rose following news that the Trump administration plans to eliminate the so-called “AI diffusion rule.” However, a spokesperson from the US Department of Commerce clarified upcoming plans in a statement to CNBC’s Kif Leswing on Wednesday, commenting:

“The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation. We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance.”

The announcement highlights the Trump administration’s intention to keep some guardrails in place to protect US interests, despite pushback from tech industry executives.

At a Congressional hearing on Thursday (May 8), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the importance of maintaining US leadership in AI development. He cautioned against overregulation, warning that poorly designed rules could hinder America’s competitive edge, particularly against China.

4. Palantir, AMD, Arm and Super Micro share results

Palantir’s Q1 revenue rose 39 percent year-on-year to US$884 million, driven by demand for its data analytics software in the US. The company expects demand to continue, forecasting Q2 revenue between US$934 million and US$938 million. Palantir’s share price fell by 8 percent after hours as investors anticipated even stronger results. The company posted a loss of 5.6 percent for the week after a volatile week for tech stocks, as overvaluation concerns persist.

Advanced Micro Devices’ Q1 earnings report shows quarterly revenue of US$7.4 billion, an annual increase of 36 percent, with adjusted earnings per share of US$0.96. Despite an initial 7 percent stock surge following a positive quarterly report, AMD shares fell following the company’s announcement of a projected US$1.5 billion revenue decrease this year, attributed to US government limitations on the sale of AI chips to China.

Palantir, Super Micro, AMD and Arm performance, May 6 to 9, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

For Q4 2024, Arm Holdings reported quarterly revenue of more than US$1 billion for the first time in its history, but forecast revenue and profit for Q1 2025 below Wall Street estimates, resulting in a 4 percent slump on Thursday morning

Super Micro Computer’s net sales increased from US$3,85 billion in Q3 2024 to US$4.6 billion, while the company’s earnings per share fell year-on-year from US$0.66 to US$0.17.

The company lowered its full-year revenue guidance from US$23.5 billion to US$25 billion, down to US$21.8 billion to US$22.6 billion, with trade war-induced uncertainty and increasing competition cited as obstacles to growth. The company’s share price opened over 5 percent lower the next day and fell by over 3 percent this week.

5. Constellation shares jump, White House plans reactor push

Shares of Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG) rose nearly 10 percent in two days ahead of the Tuesday (May 6) release of its Q1 earnings report, which revealed revenue that exceeded expectations by over 20 percent.

Later, during an earnings call, CEO Joe Dominguez said the company was close to inking multiple long-term deals to provide nuclear power to meet surging energy demands, further bolstering investors’ optimistic outlook.

In another significant development within the nuclear energy sector, Ontario Power Generation said it has secured the necessary approvals to commence construction on the first of four small modular reactors (SMR) designed by GE Verona (NYSE:GEV), which will be located at the company’s Darlington site near Toronto.

The Darlington project is anticipated to be the first deployment of this particular SMR technology within a G7 nation.

Separately, Axios reported on Tuesday that sources familiar with the matter say the White House is in the final stages of preparing executive actions intended to accelerate the deployment of nuclear reactors. These plans, reportedly under consideration for several weeks, could be officially announced imminently.

On Friday, NPR said its reporters have seen a draft of such an order. According to the report, the order instructs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to send new reactor safety guidelines to the White House for review and possible amendments. The draft also calls for a reduction of NRC’s staff and a “wholesale revision of its regulation” in coordination with the administration and the Department of Government Efficiency.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

The US Federal Reserve met on Tuesday (May 6) and Wednesday (May 7) for the third time in 2025. Ultimately, the committee decided to maintain its benchmark rate in the 4.25 to 4.5 percent range that was last set in November 2024.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell cited balance in the central bank’s dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment, but noted that the Trump administration’s tariffs have been more aggressive than anticipated. This was a prime factor in the Fed’s rate decision — officials are waiting for more data on how tariffs will affect inflation and employment.

On Thursday (May 8), the White House announced a trade deal with the UK. Although initial details of the deal were limited, what was provided indicates the UK will reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers for US products and companies.

Among them are provisions for improved access to the UK market for US farmers and cattle ranchers and an increase in US ethanol exports. In exchange, the US will ease tariffs on British auto imports, with the first 100,000 vehicles being taxed at the 10 percent reciprocal rate and 25 percent on any additional vehicles.

Additionally, new negotiations will be held for an alternative arrangement to tariffs on steel and aluminum products from the UK. However, the deal does not remove the 10% reciprocal tariffs on any imports from the UK.

North of the border, Statistics Canada released its April labor force survey on Friday (May 9). The data showed little change in employment throughout the month, with just 7,500 jobs added to the workforce. Meanwhile, the employment rate declined 0.1 percent to 60.8 percent and the unemployment rate ticked up 0.2 percent to 6.9 percent.

The biggest increase of 37,000 new jobs was owed to the hiring of temporary workers related to the recent federal election. The next highest gains were in the finance, insurance and real estate sector, where 24,000 workers were added. The biggest losses were felt in manufacturing, which declined by 31,000 workers, and wholesale and retail trade, which shed 27,000 workers.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, major indexes were mixed at the end of the week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 1.46 percent during the week to close at 25,357.74 on Friday, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) moved up 3.57 percent to 683.4 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) falling 0.41 percent to 119.12.

US equities were flat this week, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) flat gaining 0.08 percent to close at 5,659.90, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) gaining 0.67 percent to 20,061.45 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) rising 0.18 percent to 41,249.37.

The gold price strengthened in the middle of the week but remained off recent highs, but still managed to post a 2.72 percent gain, closing out Friday at US$3,328.93.

The silver price was also up, rising 2.38 percent during the period to US$32.76.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price was flat, falling just 0.64 percent over the week to US$4.66 per pound. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) rose 2.18 percent to close at 531.54.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

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

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4 p.m. EDT on Friday 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. Group Eleven Resources (TSXV:ZNG)

Weekly gain: 69.44 percent
Market cap: C$53.2 million
Share price: C$0.305

Group Eleven Resources is an exploration company working to advance its flagship PG West zinc, lead, copper and silver project in the Republic of Ireland. The wholly owned asset consists of 22 prospecting licenses covering 650 square kilometers and hosts the main Ballywire prospect, which was discovered in 2022.

Shares in Group Eleven gained this past week after an exploration announcement on Thursday.

The company reported assay results from four holes at Ballywire, with one highlighted copper and silver result recording grades of 1.46 percent copper and 356 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver over 19.9 meters.

It includes an intersection of 3.72 percent copper and 838 g/t silver over 6.4 meters.

It also reported an additional zinc, lead and silver hole with grades of 3.1 percent zinc, 1.4 percent lead and 22 g/t silver over 47.1 meters, which included an intersection of 7.7 percent zinc, 3.2 percent lead and 57 g/t silver over 12.9 meters.

2. Element 29 Resources (TSXV:ECU)

Weekly gain: 66.67 percent
Market cap: C$61.62 million
Share price: C$0.50

Element 29 Resources is an exploration company focused on advancing a portfolio of projects in Peru.

Its primary projects consist of the Elida copper-molybdenum-silver project in West-Central Peru and the Flor de Cobre project in the Southern Peruvian copper belt. The Elida site is composed of 29 concessions covering 19,749 hectares and hosts five distinct exploration targets within a 2.5 by 2.5 kilometer alteration system.

A September 2022 resource estimate shows an inferred resource of 321.7 million metric tons (MT) containing 2.24 billion pounds of copper at a grade of 0.32 percent, 205.7 million pounds of molybdenum at a grade of 0.03 percent and 27 million ounces of silver at 2.61 percent.

The company’s less explored Flor de Cobre project is composed of 11 mining concessions and one mining claim covering 3,135 hectares. The company announced in March that it received environmental permitting for the site and would be partnering with the GlobeTrotters Resource Group, which discovered Elida, on exploration at For de Cobre.

Shares of Element 29 posted gains this week, but the company did not share any news.

3. Giant Mining (CSE:BFG)

Weekly gain: 56.1 percent
Market cap: C$18.48 million
Share price: C$0.32

Giant Mining is an exploration company working to advance its Majuba Hill District copper, silver and gold project north of Reno, Nevada. The site consists of 403 federal lode mining claims and four private property parcels that cover an area of 3,919 hectares. Mining at the property took place between 1900 and 1950, resulting in the production of 2.8 million pounds of copper, 184,000 ounces of silver and 5,800 ounces of gold.

Extensive exploration work has been carried out at Majuba Hill, with 89,930 feet being drilled since 2007.

The most recent news from the project includes a pair of releases this week.

First, on Wednesday, the company announced that it has completed four of the five planned drill holes in its 2025 exploration program, with one of the samples sent to the lab for analysis.

The second release came on Thursday, when Giant announced that it has begun drilling the final hole of the program and expected to reach a depth of 1,000 feet. The company said the current program was designed with artificial intelligence to expand the known zones of copper mineralization and advance the project toward a mineral resource estimate.

4. PPX Mining (TSXV: PPX)

Weekly gain: 55.56 percent
Market cap: C$44.58 million
Share price: C$0.07

PPX Mining is a precious metals company that is focused on its Igor project, which contains the operating Callanquitas underground mine, located in the Otuzco province of Northern Peru.

An updated resource estimate for Callanquitas released by the company in January 2024 shows measured and indicated amounts as oxides of 81,090 ounces of gold and 2.9 million ounces of silver. The inferred resource as sulfides stands at 34,450 gold equivalent ounces at 4.63 g/t gold equivalent.

In a prefeasibility study for Igor, which was amended in January 2022, the company indicates that the 1,300 hectare site previously hosted small-scale mining operations and holds a 50 MT per day gold-processing plant from the 1980s. In November 2024, PPX announced that it had started construction of a 350 MT per day carbon-in-leach and flotation plant that will be used to process oxide and sulfide ore from Callanquitas.

The latest construction update came on March 26, when the company said major plant equipment was ready to ship from China. The equipment includes crushing plant units, metal detectors, ball mills and flotation cells. The company has not provided a further update on the timeline for when the shipments would arrive on site.

The most recent news from PPX came on Monday (May 5), when it announced that it had closed an oversubscribed non-brokered private placement. The terms of the funding will see the company issue 17.83 million shares for gross proceeds of C$802,303. Funding raised will be used for further exploration of Callanquitas and general working capital.

5. Triumph Gold (TSXV:TIG)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$11.97 million
Share price: C$0.03

Triumph Gold is an explorer and developer advancing projects in the Yukon and BC, Canada.

Its three properties in the Yukon are all within the Dawson Range and consist of its flagship Freegold Mountain project, which has 20 identified mineral resources hosting gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, lead and zinc deposits; the Tad/Toro copper, gold and molybdenum project; and the Big Creek copper and gold project.

Triumph’s property in Northern BC is called Andalusite Peak.

The most recent update from the company came on Wednesday, when it announced it has refined its exploration focus on geochemical surveys and detailed geological mapping at the Andalusite Peak project, as well as defining new targets at Freegold Mountain. Additionally, the company said it has engaged Independent Trading Group to provide market-making services and enhance the liquidity of common shares.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

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

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

As of February 2025, there were 1,572 companies listed on the TSXV, 905 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,859 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

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

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

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

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

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

How do you trade on the TSXV?

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

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

President Donald Trump and his administration inked a major trade deal with the U.K. Thursday, and closed the week gearing up for trade talks with China over the weekend. 

Details of the specific trade plan with the U.K. are sparse, but the deal keeps the existing 10% tariffs in place against U.K. goods while removing some import taxes on items like steel and cars. 

‘With this deal, the U.K. joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade,’ Trump said Thursday. ‘The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.’ 

The deal is the first historic trade negotiation signed following Liberation Day, when Trump announced widespread tariffs for multiple countries April 2 at a range of rates. 

The administration later adjusted its initial proposal and announced April 9 it would immediately impose a 145% tariff on Chinese goods, while reducing reciprocal tariffs on other countries for 90 days to a baseline of 10%. China responded by raising tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.

Trump also shed some insight into trade negotiations with China, given that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to kick off trade negotiations with China in Switzerland Saturday. 

‘Scott’s going to be going to Switzerland, meeting with China,’ Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House. ‘And you know, they very much want to make a deal. We can all play games. Who made the first call, who didn’t make them? It doesn’t matter. Only matters what happens in that room. But I will tell you that China very much wants to make a deal. We’ll see how that works out.’

Here’s what also happened this week: 

Meeting with Canada’s prime minister 

Trump also doubled down on his interest in expanding the U.S. during a Tuesday visit with Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney. 

Trump regularly has said he wants Canada to become a U.S. state, and has discussed acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal for security purposes. However, the matter of Canada isn’t open to negotiation, Carney said. 

‘Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it’s not for sale,’ Carney said at the White House Tuesday. ‘Won’t be for sale ever, but the opportunity is in the partnership and what we can build together. We have done that in the past, and part of that, as the president just said, is with respect to our security, and my government is committed for a step change in our investment in Canadian security and our partnership.’

While Trump acknowledged that Canada was stepping up its investment in military security, he said, ‘Never say never’ in response to Canada becoming another state. 

‘I’ve had many, many things that were not doable, and they ended up being doable,’ Trump said.

 

Meeting with ballet dancer freed from Russian prison 

Trump also met with Russian-American ballet dancer, Ksenia Karelina, at the White House Monday. Karelina faced a sentence of 12 years in a Russian penal colony for treason in 2024, but the Trump administration negotiated her return to the U.S. during a U.S.-Russian prisoner swap in April. 

‘Mr. Trump, I’m so, so grateful for you to bring me home and for (the) American government. And I never felt more blessed to be American, and I’m so, so happy to get home,’ Karelina said in a video posted by Trump deputy assistant Sebastian Gorka on April 11 upon her return to the U.S.

Karelina, a resident of Los Angeles who was born in Russia, was arrested in 2024 during a trip to visit family in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Russia Federal Security Service arrested her after inspecting her phone and finding a donation to a U.S.-based charity that supports Ukraine. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino shared a detailed update Saturday about the bureau’s operations, making clear the agency is focused on removing dangerous criminals and protecting children.

In a post on X, Bongino outlined several priorities and took aim at what he called misleading media coverage of the FBI’s work.

‘The workforce has been working overtime on task force operations to remove dangerous illegal aliens from the country. The work continues,’ Bongino wrote. ‘If you came here illegally to prey on our citizens, your days here are numbered.’

He said these operations are only getting started and will ramp up in the coming weeks.

‘These removal and incarceration operations will dramatically change the crime landscape in the country when combined with the administration’s laser-focus on sealing the border shut,’ he added.

Bongino also pointed to a new initiative focused on protecting children from predators.

‘Crimes against children are a priority for the workforce. Operation ‘Restoring Justice,’ where we locked up child predators and 764 subjects, in every part of the country, is just the beginning,’ he said. ‘We are going to take your freedom if you take away a child’s innocence.’

He promised more enforcement efforts to come and warned those targeting children to ‘think twice.’

Bongino addressed the FBI’s efforts to respond to Congress and the public about several high-profile cases. These include the attack on Rep. Steve Scalise, the Nashville school shooting, the Crossfire Hurricane investigation and the origins of COVID-19. He also mentioned the ongoing work with the Department of Justice in the Jeffrey Epstein case.

‘There are voluminous amounts of downloaded child sexual abuse material that we are dealing with,’ he wrote. ‘There are also victims’ statements that are entitled to specific protections. We need to do this correctly, but I do understand the public’s desire to get the information out there.’

He also responded to what he described as false stories being spread by some in the media and came to the defense of FBI Director Patel. 

‘He spends anywhere between 10 to 12 hours in the office attending meetings with everyone from foreign heads of law enforcement to our counter-terror teams,’ Bongino wrote. ‘Any assertion otherwise is a verifiable lie designed to stop our reforms and fracture your trust. I will die on this hill. You are being clearly lied to by people with an agenda, and it’s not your agenda.’

He closed by thanking the public for its attention and encouraged Americans to keep watching the FBI’s progress.

‘God bless America, and all those who defend Her,’ he wrote.

Dan Bongino began his law enforcement career with the New York Police Department in 1995. He joined the United States Secret Service in 1999 and later served on the elite Presidential Protective Division for presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

After leaving government service, Bongino ran for office as a Republican in Maryland and Florida. Bongino also hosted a Saturday night show on Fox News Channel from 2021 to 2023.

He is the author of several books, including ‘Life Inside the Bubble,’ a memoir about his time in the Secret Service.

The FBI did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Something extraordinary happened on Friday, but you likely didn’t see it in the headlines.

In Washington, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quietly approved a $2.3 billion bailout package for Pakistan. On the surface, it was just another financial deal. But beneath the surface, this vote tied together three of the most pressing foreign policy theaters in the world: India-Pakistan, Ukraine-Russia, and U.S.-China.

And the common thread?

President Trump’s return to ‘Art of the Deal’ diplomacy.

The $2.3 billion IMF package included a $1 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $1.3 billion under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). But many experts were surprised this vote even happened, let alone passed.

Just last year, Pakistan’s IMF bailout was contingent on its assistance in rearming NATO during the Ukraine war. The Biden administration leaned heavily on Pakistan to support weapons transfers, using routes like the Nur Khan Airbase to send munitions to Europe.

This time around, the vote looked shaky. The Trump administration has made it clear it wants to end the war in Ukraine—and all wars that bleed U.S. taxpayers without clear gain. Meanwhile, India was lobbying both the IMF and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to block funding to Pakistan, citing terrorism financing concerns.

And then came the vote.

India abstained. So did China and Russia. The ‘yes’ votes came from the United States and the United Kingdom.

If you’re wondering why the U.S.—under Trump’s second term—would back a loan to a terror-linked state in the middle of a war, here’s the answer: because the deal was far bigger than Pakistan.

Let’s unpack what likely happened.

India’s abstention puzzled many. It had taken a strong stand against the IMF loan, arguing that it violated basic principles of counter-terror financing. For India to let it slide signaled something else was in play.

Trump’s first major diplomatic focus post-inauguration was reworking America’s global trade deals, and India was high on the list. The president had long called India the ‘tariff king,’ and negotiations had been underway to reduce agricultural and industrial tariffs. In fact, Vice President JD Vance had been dispatched to New Delhi—not a low-level envoy.

There were signs a deal was close. But the momentum was disrupted by a major terrorist attack in Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistan-based groups. The India-U.S. trade deal went into a holding pattern.

Now, India’s IMF abstention appears less like inaction and more like a trade-off: a quiet concession, in return for favorable terms in the broader trade agreement with the U.S.

Pakistan, for its part, was running on empty. It reportedly had only four days of ammunition left and faced near-total economic collapse. Though some NATO members had sent emergency aid, the U.S. itself has been moving to reduce entanglements with NATO and phase out military support in Ukraine.

But here’s where it gets more interesting.

The United States has long had an internal debate over Pakistan. During the Cold War and the war on terror, some intelligence factions saw Pakistan as a necessary partner—even when it meant funding terror groups like the Mujahideen. In more recent years, others have shifted toward India as the natural counterweight to China.

This division within U.S. security circles matters, because it means that the fight over Pakistan is both internal and external.

And yet, the Trump administration pushed the vote through.

Why?

One likely condition: a ceasefire in the India-Pakistan conflict.

But there may have been another condition—one that had China’s fingerprints all over it.

If there’s one country that stands to gain from Pakistan’s financial boost, it’s China.

Pakistan is deeply indebted to China through Belt and Road infrastructure deals. And more to the point, most of its military imports come from Chinese manufacturers. Any fresh IMF cash would likely end up buying Chinese weapons.

So why did China abstain from voting on Pakistan’s loan?

Simple: Because Trump likely barred it.

Sources close to the matter suggest that strict terms were placed on the loan—stipulating that IMF funds cannot be spent on Chinese or Russian weapons systems, only American ones. That alone would have removed China’s incentive to back the package.

Add to that the increasing chatter over Chinese versus Western arms systems in the India-Pakistan conflict—and China’s abstention begins to make a lot of sense.

By pushing this IMF package forward under strict conditions, the Trump administration appears to have pulled off a remarkable maneuver:

  • Restarted the India-U.S. trade deal
  • Brokered a diplomatic win and ceasefire in South Asia
  • Weaned Pakistan off Chinese weapons dependency

All in one vote.

There were no headlines. No press briefings. No declarations of success.

But that’s often how real power operates.

Critics may scoff at the idea that Trump is capable of high-level diplomacy. But for those tracking the architecture of global influence—this vote was not noise. It was signal.

It was a reminder that American power, when wielded with strategic clarity, doesn’t need to announce itself loudly.

It just needs to move the board. Quietly. Completely. Effectively.

And if you were watching this one closely, you saw just that.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday promised to increase trade with India and Pakistan after the two nations agreed to a ceasefire to end the conflict with each other.

‘While not even discussed, I am going to increase trade, substantially, with both of these great Nations,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘Additionally, I will work with you both to see if, after a ‘thousand years,’ a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir. God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done!!!’

The fragile ceasefire was holding on Sunday after several days of intense fighting, with dozens killed as missiles and drones were fired at each other’s military bases. The deal was reached after diplomacy and pressure from the U.S., but artillery fire was witnessed in Indian Kashmir within hours of the agreement.

Attacks were witnessed in cities near the border under a blackout, as was the case in the previous two evenings.

The fighting began on Wednesday after 26 men were killed two weeks prior in an attack targeting Hindus in Pahalgam in Kashmir. Both countries rule part of Kashmir but claim full control.

Late on Saturday, India accused Pakistan of violating the agreement to stop firing and that the Indian armed forces had been told to ‘deal strongly’ with any continued firings.

Pakistan blamed India for violating the truce and said it was committed to the ceasefire.

The fighting and explosions reported overnight had quieted on both sides of the border by dawn on Sunday.

‘I am very proud of the strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership of India and Pakistan for having the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to fully know and understand that it was time to stop the current aggression that could have lead to to [sic] the death and destruction of so many, and so much,’ Trump said in his post.

‘Millions of good and innocent people could have died! Your legacy is greatly enhanced by your brave actions. I am proud that the USA was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision,’ he added.

In the Indian border city of Amritsar, a siren sounded Sunday morning to resume normal activities.

Officials in Pakistan said there was some firing in Bhimber in Pakistani Kashmir overnight, but there was no fighting anywhere else and no casualties were reported.

The two countries have gone to war three times, including twice over Kashmir.

Reuters contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

America’s supply chain is under attack.

From coast to coast, organized criminal groups are hitting trucks on the road, breaking into warehouses and pilfering expensive items from train cars, according to industry experts and law enforcement officials CNBC interviewed during a six-month investigation.

It’s all part of a record surge in cargo theft in which criminal networks in the U.S. and abroad exploit technology intended to improve supply chain efficiency and use it to steal truckloads of valuable products. Armed with doctored invoices, the fraudsters impersonate the staff of legitimate companies in order to divert cargo into the hands of criminals.

The widespread scheme is “low risk and a very high reward,” according to Keith Lewis, vice president of Verisk CargoNet, which tracks theft trends in the industry.

“The return on investment is almost 100%,” he said. “And if there’s no risk of getting caught, why not do it better and do it faster?”

In 2024, Verisk CargoNet recorded 3,798 incidents of cargo theft, representing a 26% increase over 2023.

Total reported losses topped nearly $455 million, according to Verisk CargoNet, but industry experts told CNBC that number is likely lower than the true toll because many cases go unreported. Numerous experts who spoke to CNBC estimate losses are close to $1 billion or more a year.

Train cargo thefts alone shot up about 40% in 2024, with more than 65,000 reported incidents, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Industry experts and law enforcement officials say a more sophisticated and insidious form of cargo theft called strategic theft is also on the rise.

The way the system is supposed to work is this: A shipper pays a broker, and the broker, after taking its fee, pays the carrier, the trucking company that moves the load.

In strategic theft, criminals use deceptive tactics to trick shippers, brokers or carriers into handing cargo or legitimate payments, sometimes both, over to them instead of the legitimate companies.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

In this insightful session, Grayson introduces the Traffic Light indicator, a unique tool available exclusively on the Advanced Charting Platform (ACP). Amidst the current volatility of the S&P 500, Grayson demonstrates how this indicator can help investors clarify trend directions and make more confident decisions.

This video originally premiered on May 9, 2025. Click on the above image to watch on our dedicated Grayson Roze page on StockCharts TV.

You can view previously recorded videos from Grayson at this link.

Last Friday, the S&P 500 finished the week just below 5700. The question going into this week was, “Will the S&P 500 get propelled above the 200-day?” And as I review the evidence after Friday’s close, I’m noting that the SPX is almost exactly where it was one week ago!

That’s right–after all the headlines, tariff tantrums, and earnings reports, the S&P 500 ended the week 0.4% below where it started. This “lack of conviction” week led me to post the following poll on X, asking followers to decide which they felt would happen first: a retest of the February 2025 high or a retest of the April 2025 low.

I was actually quite surprised that there wasn’t more optimism after April’s incredible rally phase, but you can see that 55% of respondents thought the February high around 6150 would be hit first. So unlike the AAII survey’s recent readings, there appear to be more bulls than bears out there.

Based on this week’s extended choppiness, I thought it might be good to revisit an approach called “probabilistic analysis” to consider four potential paths for the S&P 500 between now and late June 2025. Basically, I’ll share four different scenarios, describe the market conditions that would likely be involved, and also share my estimated probability for each scenario.

By the way, we last ran this analytical process on the S&P 500 back in January, and you need to see which scenario actually played out!

And remember, the point of this exercise is threefold:

  1. Consider all four potential future paths for the index, think about what would cause each scenario to unfold in terms of the macro drivers, and review what signals/patterns/indicators would confirm the scenario.
  2. Decide which scenario you feel is most likely, and why you think that’s the case. Don’t forget to drop me a comment and let me know your vote!
  3. Think about how each of the four scenarios would impact your current portfolio. How would you manage risk in each case? How and when would you take action to adapt to this new reality?

Let’s start with the most optimistic scenario, with the S&P 500 index continuing the recent uptrend phase to retest all-time highs by June.

Option 1: The Super Bullish Scenario

Our most bullish scenario would mean that the aggressive rally phase off the April low would essentially continue in its current form. After perhaps the briefest of pullbacks at the 200-day moving average, we continue to the upside. This scenario would most likely mean the Magnificent 7 stocks would have to really find their mojo, with names like GOOGL, AAPL, and AMZN finally breaking through their 200-day moving averages.

Dave’s Vote: 10%

Option 2: The Mildly Bullish Scenario

What if the S&P 500 stalls around the 200-day, with a pullback that inspires even more indecision among investors? Perhaps we are still in “wait and see” mode as some tariff negotiations prove fruitful, but empty shipping containers remind consumers of the prospects of chronic inflation.  By mid-June, we’re no closer to a real clear sense of direction than we are today.

Dave’s vote: 30%

Option 3: The Mildly Bearish Scenario

Because of the time frame I’ve selected, there won’t be another Fed meeting until after this period is over. So, what if inflation data starts to imply real price issues, consumer sentiment really starts to falter, and the Fed is unable to take any meaningful action to address mounting concerns? If we fail to push above the 200-day moving average soon, then 5500 would be a likely area of support on the way down.  This scenario brings us right back down to that level.

Dave’s vote: 40%

Option 4: The Very Bearish Scenario

You always need a bear case, and this one would entail a new distribution phase that takes the major benchmarks down to retest the April low. I’d say a reasonable downside objective would be 5100, and we’ll spend the month of June debating whether we’re forming a huge double bottom pattern or see another bounce higher. Defensive sectors shine as investors rotate big time to risk-off positions.

Dave’s vote: 20%

What probabilities would you assign to each of these four scenarios?  Check out the video below, and then drop a comment with which scenario you select and why!

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!


David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC


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.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.