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 (OTC:AHLAS) Stock, Option Chain

Xerox Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XRX#NASDAQ">XRX</a>) today announced it has agreed to acquire Lexmark International, Inc., from Ninestar Corporation, PAG Asia Capital, and Shanghai Shouda Investment Centre in a deal valued at $1.5 billion, inclusive of assumed liabilities. This acquisition will strengthen the Xerox core print portfolio and build a broader global print and managed print services business better suited to meet the evolving needs of clients in the hybrid workplace.

News

Xerox to Acquire Lexmark in $1.5B Deal to Expand Print Services

On December 20, 2024, Strawberry Fields REIT, Inc. (the "Company") entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with an unaffiliated seller with respect to six Healthcare Facilities located in Kansas (the "Facilities").
On December 20, 2024, Strawberry Fields REIT, Inc. (the "Company") entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with an unaffiliated seller with respect to six Healthcare Facilities located in Kansas (the "Facilities"). The purchase price for the Facilities is $24,000,000, payable at the closing.
The six facilities are comprised of five skilled nursing facilities and one assisted living facility with 354 licensed beds.
The facilities will be leased to Advena Living led by its founder Willie Novotny. The lease is for an initial 10-year period and includes two 5-year tenant options on a triple-net basis. Additionally, the lease will increase the Company's annual rents by $2.4 million and is subject to 3% annual increases.
The Company plans to purchase the facilities utilizing the Company's current working capital.

STRW

Strawberry Fields REIT To Acquire Six Kansas Healthcare Facilities for $24M

Zomedica Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZOM#NYSE">ZOM</a>) ("Zomedica" or the "Company"), a veterinary health company offering point-of-care diagnostics and therapeutic products for equine and companion animals, today announced the launch of two new canine assays for the TRUFORMA In-Clinic Biosensor Testing Platform.
Zomedica's canine NT-poBNP test is used for the quantitative detection of NT-proBNP in canine EDTA plasma or serum. Elevated NT-proBNP can be indicative of conditions such as congestive heart failure, assisting in the diagnosis and management of cardiac conditions in dogs. This test distinguishes cardiac from respiratory disease, identifies dogs at high risk of congestive heart failure, aids with chronic monitoring of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve degeneration all with reference lab accuracy.
"It is estimated that 1 in 10 dogs will experience heart disease in their life and unfortunately, most go undetected," said Dr. Kelli Puccio, a Professional Services Veterinarian for Zomedica. "Diagnosing and evaluating cardiac disease in our canine patients can be challenging. The TRUFORMA canine NT-proBNP assay facilitates the early detection of canine heart disease with the convenience of results in just a few minutes. This provides veterinarians with the ability to start treatments and schedule advanced diagnostic tests more quickly. Increasing our patients' quality of life earlier in the disease process." Additionally, this assay runs on either plasma or serum allowing more flexibility within a clinic's natural workflow.
 &nbsp;

Zomedica Launches New Canine Tests for Faster Heart Disease Detection

HC Wainwright &amp; Co. analyst Scott Buck maintains SoundHound AI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $8 to $26.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

SOUN

HC Wainwright & Co. Maintains Buy on SoundHound AI, Raises Price Target to $26

<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=EvK5qYIL7c_16K93ZBIV_UFtMgPcLGgkcD7IshY3PCtSMlupDBlYnqtVSWF1N4Gw2XKatFqrvbqOxjYWR9wI5K4prfcV9UU3A5dR9pU3RKI=">Hyperscale Data, Inc.</a>&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPUS#NYSE">GPUS</a>), a diversified holding company ("Hyperscale Data" or the "Company"), announced today that it has entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") providing for up to $25 million of financing (the "Financing") from Ault &amp; Company, Inc., a related party ("A&amp;C"). Pursuant to the Agreement, Hyperscale Data has agreed to issue and sell to A&amp;C up to $25 million in shares of Series G Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Shares"). The Preferred Shares will be senior to all other classes of preferred stock the Company has outstanding except with respect to the Series C Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Series C Preferred Stock"), with which it ranks in parity, as well as senior to the Company's Class A common stock ("Common Stock").
Each Preferred Share shall have a stated value of $1,000.00 per share and, upon stockholder approval, shall be convertible at the holder's option into shares of Common Stock at a conversion price equal to the greater of (i) $0.10 per share (the "Floor Price"), which Floor Price shall not, except for voting rights purposes, be adjusted for stock dividends, stock splits, stock combinations and other similar transactions and (ii) the lesser of (A) $6.74, or (B) a 5% premium to the closing sale price of the Common stock on the day immediately prior to the date of conversion (the "Conversion Price"). The Conversion Price will be subject to standard anti-dilution provisions in connection with any stock split, stock dividend, subdivision or similar reclassification of the Common Stock. The Preferred Stock also has "full ratchet" price protection in the event the Company should issue securities at a lower price than the Conversion Price. The Preferred Stock shall pay a dividend at an annual rate of 9.5%, which the Company may, during the first two years, pay in shares of Common Stock.
Further, A&amp;C will receive warrants ("Warrants") to purchase up to approximately 4.25 million shares of Common Stock, presuming that the full amount of the Preferred Shares is sold, exercisable for five years at $5.92 per share, subject to adjustment.
The proceeds from the Financing will be used for expansion of the MI data center to support infrastructure upgrades necessary to support the growing demands of high-performance computing services powering Artificial Intelligence solutions, repayment of outstanding indebtedness and general working capital purposes.

GPUS

Hyperscale Data Secures $25M Financing to Boost AI Infrastructure Expansion

HC Wainwright &amp; Co. analyst Scott Buck maintains Draganfly (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPRO#NASDAQ">DPRO</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $5 to $7.

DPRO

HC Wainwright & Co. Maintains Buy on Draganfly, Raises Price Target to $7

U.S. stock futures advanced on Monday following a tumultuous week which included the Federal Reserve&#8217;s hawkish rate cut on Wednesday and a &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/travel/24/12/42627563/wall-street-rallies-as-soft-inflation-data-fuels-dip-buying-bonds-rebound-travel-stocks-soar-whats-driving-markets-friday">Triple Witching</a>&#8221; hour session on Friday. Two out of the four major index futures were trading higher in premarket trade.
The 10-year and two-year Treasury yields stood at 4.53% and 4.32%, respectively. The probability of having no change in the interest rates for the upcoming Jan. 31, 2025 decision was at 91.4%, according <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">to</a> CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch Tool.
Trading schedules will be adjusted for the Christmas holiday week. All markets will be closed on Wednesday. Trading hours will be shortened on Christmas Eve.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Change (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>0.23%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.07%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>-0.06%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>-0.15%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
In premarket trading on Monday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was up 0.09% to $591.73 and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.23% to $519.04, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Cues From The Last Session
Risk appetite returned to Wall Street on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/travel/24/12/42627563/wall-street-rallies-as-soft-inflation-data-fuels-dip-buying-bonds-rebound-travel-stocks-soar-whats-driving-markets-friday">Friday</a>, giving investors some relief. November&#8217;s inflation data came in softer than expected, offering a glimmer of hope that the Federal Reserve may ease its aggressive monetary tightening.
The Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index, the Fed&#8217;s preferred inflation gauge, rose 2.4% year-over-year, below the anticipated 2.5%. Core PCE, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also undershot expectations, climbing 2.8% instead of the projected 2.9%.
This unexpected cooling of inflation sparked a jubilant rally across all major indices. The S&amp;P 500 surged 1.09%, with every sector contributing to the gains. Investors cheered the reprieve from persistent inflationary pressures.
The real estate sector led the charge, experiencing a sharp rebound after being particularly hard-hit by the Fed&#8217;s recent hawkish stance. Small-cap stocks, represented by the Russell 2000, also posted strong gains of 0.94%, buoyed by a significant recovery in regional banks. 
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>1.03%</td>
<td>19,572.60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>1.09%</td>
<td>5,930.85</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>1.18%</td>
<td>42,840.26</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>0.94%</td>
<td>2,242.37</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts
The number of advancers surpassed the decliners among the S&amp;P 500 index constituents on Friday after a 14-day streak of negative market breadth. Ryan Detrick, the global market strategist at Carson Research highlighted how the markets have performed after previous long streaks ended.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Record 14 days in a row of more declining stocks than advancing stocks for the S&amp;P 500 ended on Friday. Here&#39;s what happened after previous long streaks ended. &#x1f4aa; <a href="https://t.co/WV6PU7juQF">pic.twitter.com/WV6PU7juQF</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871010953510142270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
According to the data shared by him, over the past four decades, there have been only five other instances where the S&amp;P 500 experienced a period of ten or more consecutive days of negative breadth. Additionally, the index was higher by an average of 17.9% a year later after all five times.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Going back 40 years, there have been five other times the S&amp;P 500 had more decliners than advancers for 10 consecutive days or more. A year later? Higher all five times and up 17.9% on avg. <a href="https://t.co/eYCUpiz4PU">pic.twitter.com/eYCUpiz4PU</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871016225993601258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Along with this, the market breadth turned positive with 89% of the stocks rising on Friday as compared to only 4% on Wednesday. This divergence also led the index to be higher a year later by at least 92.3% of the time since 1985.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Less than 4% advancers on the S&amp;P 500 on Wednesday, but 89% on Friday. Previous times saw a flush and then major buying two days later? Negative 1 and 3 mos later on avg, but higher a year later 12 out of 13 times (92.3%). <a href="https://t.co/yqfV0tBFUV">pic.twitter.com/yqfV0tBFUV</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871023980074963222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
According to Gary Alexander at Navellier &amp; Associates, &#8220;The S&amp;P 500 delivers an average of zero gains in the first half of December (and 0.3% through December 15 this year) but averages 1.35% in the second half, the best half-month of the 24 half-months each year.&#8221;
&#8220;Core PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditure, excluding food and energy), the key inflation metric for the Fed, came in at 0.1% for November, below forecast and the lowest since June. This caught the market off guard, in a good way, as the rhetoric from Jerome Powell regarding sticky inflation had led the market to expect a surprise in the other direction,&#8221; said Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates.
&#8220;The traditional Santa Rally is the last 5 trading days of the year and the first 2 of the New Year. It may still be in the cards,&#8221; he added.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How To Trade Futures</a>
Upcoming Economic Data
A few important data points are slated to be released in this truncated week that will help investors determine the future course of action.
<ul>
<li>On Monday, consumer confidence for December will be released at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Tuesday, November&#8217;s data for durable goods orders and durable goods minus transportation will be released at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>New home sales for November will be released at 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Wednesday, there will be a day&#8217;s break for Christmas.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims data till Dec. 21 will announced at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Friday, November&#8217;s data for the advanced U.S. trade balance in goods, advanced retail inventories, and advanced wholesale inventories will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) was up 3.02% in premarket after it bagged a key win in its legal battle against semiconductor design company Arm Holdings Plc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>), which was down 3.52%.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Anavex Life Sciences Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVXL#NASDAQ">AVXL</a>) was up 0.23% as analysts expect it to post a quarterly loss at 16 cents per share before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Brenmiller Energy Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BNRG#NASDAQ">BNRG</a>) was up 32.75% after the company on Friday said that it was awarded ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sealsq Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LAES#NASDAQ">LAES</a>) was up 31.27% after it announced the offering of 13,157,896 common stock at $1.90 per share.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>MicroStrategy Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) fell 1.69%, and Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) was up 1.42% in premarket trade.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRNA#NASDAQ">MRNA</a>) rose by 0.74% and Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) was up by 1.20% in premarket.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were lower in the early New York session by 0.32% to hover around $69.24 per barrel.
The gold spot index was down by 0.41% to $2,634.16 per ounce. The Dollar Index was up 0.42% to 108.073 level.
Asian markets advanced on Friday, as Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng, South Korea&#8217;s Kospi, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225, India&#8217;s S&amp;P BSE Sensex, China&#8217;s CSI 300 and Australia&#8217;s ASX 200 index rose. European markets were mixed.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42640010/palantir-and-anduril-reportedly-lead-consortium-partner-with-spacex-and-openai-to-compete-against-traditional-defense-contractors-in-850-billion-us-military-market">Palantir And Anduril Reportedly Lead Consortium, Partner With SpaceX And OpenAI To Compete Against Traditional Defense Contractors In $850 Billion US Military Market</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia

Earnings

Equities

Futures

Economics

Federal Reserve

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Movers

Trading Ideas

AVXL

BNRG

LAES

MRNA

MSTR

PLTR

QCOM

SMCI

US Stocks To Open Higher As Wall Street Expects 'Santa Rally' In Shortened Trading Week: MicroStrategy, Palantir, Qualcomm Among Stocks In Focus

Offerings

Inspire Veterinary Partners Filed For Offering Of Up To $25M Of Common Stock

On Friday, December 20, U.S. markets closed in green, recovering from midweek losses as softer inflation data and dovish Federal Reserve comments eased concerns over interest rates. All major indexes advanced, led by real estate and small-cap stocks. However, markets ended the week lower, snapping a multi-week streak of gains amid lingering economic uncertainties.
In economic data, the U.S. PCE price index rose 0.1% in November, below expectations of 0.2%. Michigan consumer sentiment climbed to 74 in December, its highest since April, up from 71.8 in November.
All sectors of the S&amp;P 500 ended positively, led by notable gains in utilities, real estate, and information technology.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.18% and closed at 42,840.26, the S&amp;P 500 closed higher by 1.09% at 5,930.85, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.03% to finish at 19,572.60.
Asia Markets Today
<ul>
<li>On Monday, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 gained 1.16% and ended the session at 39,172.50, led by gains in the Glass, Chemical, Petroleum &amp; Plastic and Real Estate sectors.</li>
<li>Australia&#8217;s S&amp;P/ASX 200 rose 1.67% and ended the day at 8,201.60, led by gains in the Financials, Consumer Discretionary, and A-REITs sectors.</li>
<li>India&#8217;s Nifty 50 rose 0.66% to 23,743.90, and Nifty 500 was up 0.37%, closing at 22,412.30, led by gains in the Real Estate, Banking, and Oil &amp; Gas sectors.</li>
<li>China&#8217;s Shanghai Composite fell 0.50% to close at 3,351.26, and the Shenzhen CSI 300 gained 0.15%, finishing the day at 3,933.57.</li>
<li>Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng was up 0.82% and closed the session at 19,883.13.</li>
</ul>
Eurozone at 06:00 AM ET
<ul>
<li>The European STOXX 50 index was down 0.19%.</li>
<li>Germany&#8217;s DAX slid 0.21%.</li>
<li>France&#8217;s CAC fell 0.02%.</li>
<li>U.K.&#8217;s FTSE 100 index traded higher by 0.09%.</li>
</ul>
Commodities at 06:00 AM ET
<ul>
<li>Crude Oil WTI was trading lower by 0.30% at $69.25/bbl, and Brent was down 0.32% at $72.31/bbl.</li>
<li>Natural Gas rose 1.64% to $3.466.</li>
<li>Gold was trading lower by 0.41% at $2,633.99, Silver was up 0.62% to $30.135 and rose 0.50% to $4.1250.</li>
</ul>
U.S. Futures at 06:00 AM ET
Dow futures were down 0.05%, S&amp;P 500 futures were up 0.10%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.26%.
Forex at 06:00 AM ET
<ul>
<li>The U.S. dollar index gained 0.45% to 108.10, the USD/JPY rose 0.26% to 156.82, and the USD/AUD was up 0.11% to 1.5999.</li>
<li>The U.S. dollar hovered near a two-year high, boosted by modest inflation data and Federal Reserve projections signaling a measured pace of rate cuts.</li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

Asia

Emerging Markets

Eurozone

Commodities

Forex

ADIV

AGOV

ASHR

BBEU

BOIL

CQQQ

PowerShares DBmmodity Index Optimum Yield Diversified Fund

EEMA

FLAX

CurrencyShares British Pound Sterling Trust

IEMG

IEUR

KraneShares Trust KraneShares S&P Pan Asia Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF

KDIV

SPEM

USDU

PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund

Dollar's Strength Continues, Asia Ex-China Up, Europe Edges Lower - Global Markets Today While US Slept

- Ann Chaplin, General Counsel &amp; Corporate Secretary, Qualcomm Inc.

Legal

Qualcomm Told Benzinga, "The Jury Has Vindicated Qualcomm's Right To Innovate And Affirmed That All The Qualcomm Products At Issue In The Case Are Protected By Qualcomm's Contract With ARM. We Will Continue To Develop Performance-Leading, World Class Products That Benefit Consumers Worldwide, With Our Incredible Oryon ARM-Compliant Custom CPUs."

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (the "Company" or "Hyatt") (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/H#NYSE">H</a>) today disclosed it has executed an exclusivity agreement with Playa Hotels &amp; Resorts N.V. ("Playa") (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLYA#NASDAQ">PLYA</a>) under which Playa has agreed to negotiate exclusively with Hyatt regarding potential strategic alternatives, which may include the acquisition of Playa by Hyatt.
Mark S. Hoplamazian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt, said, "Playa has been a valuable partner for many years, is one of the world's strongest operators of all-inclusive resorts, and owns a premier portfolio of high-quality, high-end all-inclusive resorts in iconic locations and key markets across the Caribbean and Mexico. Strategic alternatives under consideration could have compelling strategic merit to add new incremental durable fee streams for Hyatt. We remain steadfastly committed to our asset-light business model and if this process continues, we will continue to map out a clear path for an asset-light outcome for any strategic alternatives we undertake."
There can be no assurances that any transaction will result from Hyatt's exclusive discussions with Playa, or on what terms. Hyatt does not intend to comment further on these discussions unless and until a definitive agreement has been fully executed.
As required by federal securities laws, Hyatt, which is the beneficial owner of 9.99% of Playa's outstanding shares, has filed an amendment to its Schedule 13D with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to disclose these discussions.

PLYA

Hyatt Enters Exclusive Talks to Explore Acquisition of Playa Resorts

Rectitude Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RECT#NASDAQ">RECT</a>, the &amp;amp, ldquo, Company&amp;amp, rdquo, or &amp;amp, ldquo, Rectitude&amp;amp, rdquo, ))), a Singapore-based provider of safety equipment and related industrial products, today announced that it has secured its first sales contracts for its new product, the All-in-One Intelligence Micro-grid System ("AIMS"). These contracts are expected to generate approximately USD 1 million in revenue. With the launch of AIMS and Rectitude's expansion into Thailand, the Company is well-positioned to further growth across Southeast Asia.
The achievement follows Rectitude's recent announcement of a strategic supply relationship with Nanjing Starship Intelligent Storage Technology Co. to deliver innovative new energy solutions in Southeast Asia. The successful sale of AIMS and entering a new country represent a key step in the Company's strategy to penetrate a forecasted multi-billion-dollar Southeast Asian new energy solutions market and further strengthen Rectitude's strategic expansion across the region.
"We have been actively executing our strategy to enter the green energy market by offering our all-in-one energy storage solution, targeting industries such as construction, mining, and rural electrification," said Jian Zhang, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director at Rectitude. "The initial sale of our AIMS product underscores our ability to deliver high-value, adaptable energy storage solutions while driving revenue growth and increasing profit margins, showcasing our success in penetrating new markets and rapidly expanding our presence and product offerings.
The AIMS is designed to provide scalable, flexible, and integrated energy storage and management solutions tailored to the specific needs of diverse industries. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, Rectitude continues to strengthen its position as a leading provider of safety equipment, related industrial products, and energy solutions in Southeast Asia.
&nbsp;

RECT

Rectitude Secures First $1M Contracts for New Energy Storage System, Expands into Thailand with Launch of AIMS Energy Solution

BEAT

Heartbeam Filed For Common Stock Offering Of Up To $10M

Jianpu Technology Inc. ("Jianpu," or the "Company") (OTCQB:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIJTY#OTCQB">AIJTY</a>), a leading open financial technology platform in China, today announced that its board of directors (the "Board") has approved an extension of its existing share repurchase program, which was originally set to expire in January 2025, for an additional 12 months, demonstrating the Company's continued&nbsp;commitment to enhance&nbsp;shareholder value.
On January 31, 2024, the Board approved the existing share repurchase program, under which the Company is authorized to repurchase up to US$3&nbsp;million of its&nbsp;American depositary shares ("ADSs") or Class A ordinary shares over a period of 12 months.&nbsp;Under the&nbsp;extended share repurchase program, the Company may repurchase up to US$3&nbsp;million of its ADSs or Class A ordinary shares during the 24 months from January 31, 2024.
The Company plans to continue funding the repurchases under the&nbsp;extended&nbsp;share repurchase program&nbsp;with its existing cash balance.

Buybacks

AIJTY

JTCHY

Jianpu Technology Board Approved Share Buyback Of Up To $3M ADSs During The 24 Months (Prior 12 Months) From January 31, 2024

Emeren Group Ltd ("Emeren" or the "Company") (<a href="https://www.emeren.com/">www.emeren.com</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOL#NYSE">SOL</a>), a leading global solar project developer, owner, and operator, today announced the closing of the second round of its Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) portfolio under the Development Service Agreement (DSA) with Arpinge, a permanent capital vehicle focused on sustainable infrastructure in Italy. This round includes two standalone BESS projects located in Sicily, Italy, with a total capacity of 162 MW or approximately 1.4 GWh.
With this addition, the portfolio now totals 462 MW, combining the newly announced 162 MW with the 300 MW tranche initially announced in November 2024. These projects collectively complete the portfolio under the DSA framework.
These projects are part of Emeren's DSA portfolio, a cornerstone of the Company's growth strategy. The DSA structure enables Emeren to monetize its development expertise through partnerships with top-tier investors. As of September 30, Emeren has secured DSA contracts with nine partners, encompassing 28 projects totaling over 2.1 GW—84% BESS and 16% PV. These agreements are projected to generate contracted revenue exceeding $69 million within the next 2-3 years, with an additional 2.0 GW of projects currently under negotiatio

Emeren Expands Battery Storage Portfolio in Italy with New 162 MW Projects, Storage Portfolio Hits 462 MW

<a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.beigene.com%2F&amp;esheet=54170287&amp;newsitemid=20241223168194&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=BeiGene&amp;index=1&amp;md5=7a7ba2e89608bb25a23fb84e5c3ba5aa">BeiGene</a>, Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BGNE#NASDAQ">BGNE</a>, HKEX: 06160, SSE: 688235))), a global oncology company that intends to change its name to BeOne Medicines Ltd., announced it will change its Nasdaq ticker symbol to "ONC" on January 2, 2025, reflecting its long-standing commitment to delivering innovative oncology medicines globally.
"As we enter our 15th year, changing our ticker to ONC reflects our unwavering commitment to leadership in oncology and mission to deliver transformative medicines to cancer patients worldwide," said John V. Oyler, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at BeiGene. "This milestone inspires pride in all we have accomplished and fuels our excitement for the future as we advance our innovative hematology franchise and solid tumor pipeline, driving meaningful impact for patients everywhere."
The Company's CUSIP number will remain unchanged. In addition, the Company stock codes and stock names for The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and the STAR Market of the Shanghai Stock Exchange will not change. No action by the Company's shareholders is required to implement the Nasdaq ticker symbol change.

BGNE

BeiGene to Rebrand as BeOne Medicines with Oncology-Focused New Nasdaq Ticker "ONC"

<ul>
<li>The Board approved a special dividend of $2.50 per share paid November 8, 2024 to stockholders of record at the close of business on October 11, 2024.</li>
</ul>
 &nbsp;

Dividends

Ennis Board Approved A Special Dividend Of $2.50/Share

Earnings Beats

Earnings Misses

Ennis Q3 2024 GAAP EPS $0.39 Misses $0.42 Estimate, Sales $99.771M Beat $98.300M Estimate

The number of stocks advancing surpassed those declining among the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/s-p-500">S&amp;P 500 index</a> constituents on Friday after a 14-session streak of negative market breadth. Now, Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Global, has predicted gains ahead, citing historical market data.
What Happened: Risk appetite returned to Wall Street on Friday, leading to a sigh of relief from investors. Detrick highlighted how the markets have performed after previous such streaks ended.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Record 14 days in a row of more declining stocks than advancing stocks for the S&amp;P 500 ended on Friday. Here&#39;s what happened after previous long streaks ended. &#x1f4aa; <a href="https://t.co/WV6PU7juQF">pic.twitter.com/WV6PU7juQF</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871010953510142270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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According to the data shared by him, over the past four decades, there have been only five other instances where the S&amp;P 500 experienced a period of ten or more consecutive days of negative breadth. Additionally, the index was higher by an average of 17.9% a year later after all five times.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Going back 40 years, there have been five other times the S&amp;P 500 had more decliners than advancers for 10 consecutive days or more. A year later? Higher all five times and up 17.9% on avg. <a href="https://t.co/eYCUpiz4PU">pic.twitter.com/eYCUpiz4PU</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871016225993601258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The market breadth turned positive with 89% of the stocks rising on Friday as compared to only 4% on Wednesday. This divergence also led the index to be higher a year later by at least 92.3% of the time since 1985.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Less than 4% advancers on the S&amp;P 500 on Wednesday, but 89% on Friday. Previous times saw a flush and then major buying two days later? Negative 1 and 3 mos later on avg, but higher a year later 12 out of 13 times (92.3%). <a href="https://t.co/yqfV0tBFUV">pic.twitter.com/yqfV0tBFUV</a>
&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871023980074963222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42638575/microstrategy-stock-declines-over-14-amid-heightened-volatility-over-sp-500-inclusion-concerns-heres-what-is-happening">MicroStrategy Stock Declines Over 14% Amid Heightened Volatility Over S&amp;P 500 Inclusion Concerns: Here&#8217;s What Is Happening</a>
Why It Matters: The Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index, the Fed&#8217;s preferred inflation gauge, rose 2.4% year-over-year, below the anticipated 2.5%. Core PCE, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also undershot expectations, climbing 2.8% instead of the projected 2.9%.
This unexpected cooling of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/travel/24/12/42627563/wall-street-rallies-as-soft-inflation-data-fuels-dip-buying-bonds-rebound-travel-stocks-soar-whats-driving-markets-friday">inflation </a>sparked a jubilant rally across all major indices on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 surged 1.09%, with every sector contributing to the gains. Investors cheered the reprieve from persistent inflationary pressures.
The real estate sector led the charge, experiencing a sharp rebound after being particularly hard-hit by the Fed&#8217;s recent hawkish stance. Small-cap stocks, represented by the Russell 2000, also posted strong gains of 0.94%, buoyed by a significant recovery in regional banks.
Price Action: The 14-day long streak entailing the trading days spanning from market close on Nov. 29 to Dec. 19, saw the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) down by 2.07% and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) up by 0.65%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data. On Friday, SPY advanced 1.20% and QQQ ended 0.87% higher.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23020121/SPY-QQQ-CHART-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703419" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23020121/SPY-QQQ-CHART-1024x576.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23020121/SPY-QQQ-CHART-300x169.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23020121/SPY-QQQ-CHART-768x432.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23020121/SPY-QQQ-CHART-1536x864.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23020121/SPY-QQQ-CHART.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Over the last month, the S&amp;P 500 index is down by 0.94%, but year-to-date, it is up 25.05%.
The Nasdaq 100 index, on the other hand, is 2.33% over the last month and 28.68% year-to-date.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42610441/nikes-new-ceo-says-we-lost-our-obsession-with-sport-as-he-rebukes-old-strategies-on-performance-marketing-isolation-of-wholesalers-aims-to-create-demand">Nike&#8217;s New CEO Blames Promotions For Declining Profits, Says Turnaround Efforts May Hurt As Company Moves To Clear Excess Inventory: &#8216;We Lost Our Obsession With Sport&#8217;</a></li>
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Image generated using Midjourney

Analyst Color

Market Breadth Rebounds As Risk Appetite Makes A Comeback: This Analyst Predicts Gains Ahead After S&P 500's Record Negative Streak

America&#8217;s increasing reliance on government debt has been labeled a &#8220;fatal flaw&#8221; by&nbsp;Ruchir Sharma, chair of&nbsp;Rockefeller International. He warns that this dependency is creating a massive economic bubble that is on the verge of bursting. 
What Happened: The &#8220;mother of all bubbles&#8221; in the U.S. economy, driven by excessive debt, is on the verge of bursting, according to&nbsp;Ruchir Sharma, chair of&nbsp;Rockefeller International. In a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9a0da0d6-92b4-4034-ac25-7b4abcbb0bbe">column</a>&nbsp;in the Financial Times, Sharma highlighted America&#8217;s growing dependency on government debt as a critical weakness. He noted that attempts to control this addiction could hinder economic growth and corporate earnings.
Sharma emphasized that while Wall Street celebrates strong earnings, these figures are less impressive when adjusted&nbsp;for government spending and the&nbsp;influence of major tech companies. He pointed out that &#8220;supernormal profits&#8221; often normalize due to competition. The current economic boost is partly due to unprecedented deficit spending, which inflates growth and profits artificially.
&#8220;But every hero has a fatal flaw. America's is its sharply increasing addiction to government debt,&#8221; he wrote.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42619049/celebrities-like-ellen-degeneres-david-beckham-and-simon-cowell-have-turned-englands-idyllic-cotswolds-into-a-list-mecca?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Celebrities Like Ellen DeGeneres, David Beckham And Simon Cowell Have Turned England&#8217;s Idyllic Cotswolds</a>
According to Sharma, U.S. public debt is nearing 100% of GDP, a level not seen since World War II. The cost of servicing this debt has surged, with interest expenses now reaching $1 trillion annually, surpassing defense spending. Despite the federal deficit, U.S. households and businesses maintain strong financial health, supporting the economy.
Sharma warned that next year, investors might demand higher interest rates or fiscal discipline, potentially reducing reliance on government spending and affecting growth. He also noted that other global economies could challenge America&#8217;s economic dominance, signaling an end to the current bubble.
Why It Matters: The warning from Sharma&nbsp;aligns with concerns raised by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/10/41495286/deficit-strain-in-washington-will-get-worse-imf-warns-national-debt-projections-rev">International Monetary Fund (IMF)</a>&nbsp;about the U.S. fiscal outlook. In October, the IMF projected a persistently high budget deficit and a national debt unlikely to stabilize by 2029. The Washington-based institution highlighted that both U.S. and Chinese debts have a low probability of stabilizing, underscoring the global implications of America&#8217;s fiscal policies. 
Meanwhile, SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) which tracks the S&amp;P 500, has increased 25.07% in terms of year-to-date (YTD) returns while that of Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose by 28.83%, as of Monday pre-market hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42635671/analyst-bullish-on-shiba-inu-sees-235-surge-despite-recent-fall?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Analyst Bullish on Shiba Inu, Sees 235% Surge Despite Recent Fall</a></li>
</ul>
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General

America's 'Fatal Flaw' Is Its 'Sharply Increasing Addiction' To Government Debt, Says Expert And The 'Mother Of All Bubbles' Is Ready To Pop

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