Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

PANews reported on October 2 that SMBC Nikko Securities announced on October 2 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, "DeFi Gateway," for Japanese investors. Participants include blockchain development firm Nethermind, Uniswap Labs, the general incorporated association Nyx Foundation, and Coinbase Technologies, which operates the Ethereum Layer 2 network Base. The project will develop a liquidity provision protocol and proprietary liquidity pools while complying with Japanese laws and regulations, with the parties aiming to complete development by mid-2027.

The collaboration centers on three main development efforts: first, building "agentic vaults" using verifiable and reproducible AI, along with an intuitive user interface; second, leveraging Uniswap v4's Hooks feature to build an open framework for compliant liquidity pools with built-in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) and investor protection mechanisms; and third, developing asset management strategies covering digital assets such as stablecoins and real-world assets (RWA).

The project is jointly led by SMBC Nikko Securities and Nethermind. SMBC Nikko Securities leads communication with regulators and provides compliance, risk model, and portfolio management expertise; Nethermind is responsible for technical design and development, including AI strategy and integration, smart contract security, and automated market making and Uniswap v4 Hooks strategies.

Key Takeaways QGEN's new panel detects 13 gram-negative pathogens and 18 antimicrobial resistance markers.QIAGEN's two QIAstat-Dx panels cover 33 pathogen targets and 28 resistance markers in about one hour.QGEN also launched QIAmini, its third new sample preparation system introduced in 2026. QIAGEN N.V. (QGEN - Free Report) announced that U.S. laboratories now have access to its complete QIAstat-Dx bloodstream infection portfolio following FDA clearance of a new panel. The new QIAstat-Dx BCID GN Plus AMR Panel identifies gram-negative bacteria and antibiotic resistance markers in about one hour, complementing the recently FDA-cleared QIAstat-Dx panel for gram-positive bacteria and fungi.

The latest development expands the company’s QIAstat-Dx infectious disease testing menu in the United States, which already includes tests for respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, as well as meningitis and encephalitis.

Importance of QGEN’s New Bacteria Detection PanelBloodstream infections can progress rapidly and may lead to sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that can result in organ failure and death. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.7 million adults in the United States develop sepsis each year, with at least 350,000 dying during hospitalization or being discharged to hospice. Faster identification of the cause of an infection can give clinicians important information to help guide treatment decisions.

The new Panel identifies 13 gram-negative bacterial pathogen targets and 18 antimicrobial resistance markers. More recently, QIAGEN earned FDA clearance for the QIAstat-Dx BCID GPF Plus AMR Panel, which detects 20 gram-positive bacterial and fungal pathogen targets as well as a broad pan-gram-negative target together with 10 genetic antimicrobial resistance markers from positive blood culture samples.

Together, the two panels cover 33 pathogen targets and 28 antimicrobial resistance markers. The gram-negative panel covers 13 pathogen targets and 18 resistance markers, while the gram-positive and fungal panel covers 20 pathogen targets and 10 resistance markers. Both deliver results in about one hour.

More Developments Within QIAGENThis month, QIAGEN announced the launch of QIAmini, a compact automated sample preparation system that offers research laboratories a time-saving and cost-efficient alternative to manual sample processing. It is the third new QIAGEN sample preparation system launched in 2026, following QIAsprint Connect for high-throughput research sample processing and QIAsymphony Connect for medium-throughput sample processing.

QGEN’s Industry ProspectsAccording to Fortune Business Insights, the bloodstream infection testing market was valued at $801 million in 2025 and is projected to witness a CAGR of 4.6% through 2034. The market is heavily influenced by rapid molecular diagnostics, automation in clinical microbiology, AI-assisted pathogen detection technologies, as well as the rising adoption of syndromic testing panels and real-time antimicrobial resistance monitoring systems.

Updates From QGEN PeersApart from QIAGEN, several key players in the bloodstream infection testing industry have recently made notable advancements.

Bruker (BRKR - Free Report) has introduced new timsUltra AIP and timsOmni workflows for deeper protein-sequence coverage, targeted validation, mobility-resolved glycopeptide characterization, structural proteomics and oligonucleotide analysis. The company made the announcement at the Human Proteome Organization World Congress 2026. This month, Bruker also received a multi-system order from the University of California, Berkeley for high-field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (“NMR”) instrumentation at the Pines Magnetic Resonance Center, which exceeds $6 million. The investment will enhance access to next-generation NMR technologies, including 800 MHz–class instrumentation.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX - Free Report) , or BD, announced that Fairview Health Services has become the first health system in the United States to deploy the BD Vmax 160, a next-generation pharmacy automation robot. The system is designed to help manage the growing complexity of specialty therapies and refrigerated medicines in high-volume, centralized outpatient pharmacies. BD’s STANCE clinical trial evaluating GalaFLEX LITE Scaffold in breast revision surgery for capsular contracture reached its first enrollment milestone, with 274 patients treated across 33 active U.S. sites.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO - Free Report) recently launched the Gibco CHO-K1 Catalog Panel, a cGMP-ready portfolio of basal and feed media designed to support strong cell growth and protein production across CHO-K1 cell lines and is available in liquid and dry powder media formats. The company also introduced the Multiskan Ease Absorbance Microplate Reader to support protein quantification, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, cell viability studies, microbial growth monitoring and other routine laboratory applications with simplified operation and dependable performance. Thermo Fisher also announced the EMPAD G2 detector, designed to help researchers analyze materials in greater detail.

PancakeSwap Infinity has crossed $150 billion in cumulative trading volume. The milestone comes about a year and a half after the upgraded decentralized exchange went live in April 2025.

From $113 billion to $150 billion Infinity is the major upgrade of PancakeSwap’s exchange, previously known as v4. By April 2026, the platform had logged more than $113 billion in volume across over 250 million transactions.

As of October 2026, cumulative volume had pushed past $150 billion. Put simply, the platform added tens of billions of dollars in trading in roughly six months.

Daily volume in Infinity pools runs between $270 million and $290 million, with stablecoin pairs and meme and token pairs on BSC doing much of the heavy lifting.

Most of that trading flows through a CLAMM, or centralized liquidity automated market maker, design. An automated market maker is essentially a vending machine for tokens: instead of matching buyers with sellers, traders swap against a pool of assets that liquidity providers deposit, and a formula sets the price.

Hooks, gas savings, and a multichain map Infinity’s selling point is customization. The protocol supports “hooks,” which let developers attach their own logic to a liquidity pool.

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As of April 2026, Infinity hosted approximately 60,000 hooked liquidity pools.

The protocol also supports native token handling and lower gas costs for transactions.

Infinity started on BNB Chain, PancakeSwap’s longtime home base, and later expanded to Base. It then added Robinhood Chain in July 2026 and Arc in September 2026.

The 90/10 fee split The Robinhood Chain and Arc launches came with a change in economics. On those networks, fees from Infinity pools are split 90% to liquidity providers and 10% to the protocol.

Liquidity providers are the people who deposit tokens into pools so others can trade against them. They earn a cut of trading fees in exchange for taking on risk, and a 90% share is a clear pitch to attract them.

Background: how PancakeSwap got here PancakeSwap built its name on BNB Chain, where it became a go-to venue for swapping tokens. The Infinity upgrade, rolled out in April 2025, was designed to modernize that foundation with hooks, cheaper transactions, and native token support.

The April 2026 numbers served as a halfway marker of sorts. Hitting $113 billion and 250 million transactions in the first year showed real usage, and the climb past $150 billion suggests the pace did not fade after the launch glow wore off.

What this means for traders, LPs, and rival DEXs For liquidity providers, the 90/10 split on Robinhood Chain and Arc is the headline incentive.

For traders, the steady $270 million to $290 million in daily volume signals a venue with consistent activity, especially for the stablecoin and meme pairs where Infinity sees the most action.

For competing exchanges, the hooks model raises the stakes. With approximately 60,000 hooked pools already live, PancakeSwap is betting that flexibility, not just cheap swaps, is what keeps developers and liquidity loyal.

The next markers to track are straightforward: growth in hooked pool counts, daily volume trends outside BNB Chain, and whether the 90/10 model spreads to other networks.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Fiserv has officially launched its digital asset platform, with the introduction of Roughrider Coin on the Solana blockchain marking its first real-world application. The new tokenized solution is designed to streamline interbank settlements for over 90 banks and credit unions across North Dakota.

Platform structure and technical detailsRoughrider Coin utilizes a collaborative infrastructure involving three key institutions. VersaBank USA National Association serves as the issuer of the token, Fiserv operates the digital platform, and the Bank of North Dakota provides regulatory oversight. Fireblocks secures the digital asset infrastructure and manages wallet security for the participating financial institutions.

Each Roughrider Coin is fully backed by US dollars on a one-to-one basis. VersaBank manages the minting, burning, custody, and reserve functions. New tokens are only created after a bank deposits funds into a designated account, while received tokens are automatically burned via smart contracts once they reach the recipient’s wallet. This mechanism is intended to minimize circulating token supply and maintain tight control over settlement balances.

Dollar reserves remain within traditional bank accounts. Daily net settlement occurs across custody accounts managed by VersaBank and a concentration account under the Bank of North Dakota. The token itself operates as a permissioned asset on Solana’s public blockchain, restricted to use by authorized financial institutions and available on a voluntary basis. Extra functionalities like freeze and clawback are supported through Solana’s Token-2022 extensions, enhancing security and compliance.

Bank of North Dakota CEO Don Morgan has highlighted that Roughrider Coin provides community banks and credit unions, “a new tool to move money more efficiently across North Dakota’s interbank network.”

Bank integration and use casesParticipating banks and credit unions access Roughrider Coin through Fiserv’s Commercial Center digital banking system. This platform is already widely used for standard transfers such as ACH and wire payments. The Bank of North Dakota confirmed that staff will initiate and settle transactions via the same channels currently used for existing payment methods.

Key use cases include treasury transfers and loan payoffs, with near-instant settlement capabilities around-the-clock and the promise of reduced costs compared to traditional wire transfers. While launch communications outline anticipated savings, specific figures on realized savings and payment volumes remain undisclosed.

Fiserv reported that its platform can extend beyond domestic interbank payments. Additional features in development include stablecoin-powered card issuance, cross-border payment support, and tokenized deposit offerings.

Innovations in digital assets and the meme token landscapeThe initiative forms part of a broader trend in digital assets, where banks and fintech firms experiment with blockchain-based solutions for efficiency and transparency. Meanwhile, other sectors of the crypto ecosystem, such as meme tokens, have shown that timing and token selection can lead to remarkable trading outcomes. For example, technical monitoring by Fomo App illustrated how a $99 investment in the “Niu Lai” meme token generated nearly $370,000, underscoring rapid capital flows driven by internet trends. In these markets, closely tracking investor decisions and timing is critical. Fomo App has responded by combining token discovery, social feeds, investor rankings, and trade alerts on a single platform, further expanding opportunities for users engaged in the meme token sector.

At press time, Solana traded at $122.10, reflecting a 3.7% increase over the previous 24 hours.

Fiserv describes Roughrider Coin as a stablecoin, while the Bank of North Dakota refers to it as a dollar-backed token deposit. Both stress that the dollars backing every token remain in bank accounts and the token system enhances the speed of interbank settlements.

BNB Chain has become the first blockchain to surpass $1 billion in tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds, securing a leading position in this rapidly growing sector.

The market capitalization for tokenized stocks and ETFs climbed to $3.35 billion in September, up 17% from $2.87 billion in August, based on Token Terminal figures.

At the time of reporting, BNB Chain represented a $1.1 billion market cap, making up nearly 30% of the sector’s $3.7 billion valuation. Ethereum ranked next with $828 million, amounting to 22%, while Solana recorded $738 million, equivalent to 20% of the total market cap.

BlockchainMarket Cap (USD)Market Share (%)BNB Chain$1.1 billion30%Ethereum$828 million22%Solana$738 million20%Token Terminal’s data shows the sector has expanded rapidly since January, surging from $719 million to the current multibillion-dollar level. During the start of the year, Ethereum held about 48% of the market share, Solana 31%, and BNB Chain just 13%.

Dominance in user baseBNB Chain also leads in user adoption, with 1.8 million unique addresses holding tokenized stocks. This represents 45% of the total users active within the sector, according to Binance Research. The BNB Chain network is home to products such as Binance bStocks and Ondo Global Markets tokenized securities, which contribute to its user base and liquidity.

Mini dictionary: BNB Chain, formerly Binance Smart Chain, is a blockchain platform focused on decentralized applications, token issuance, and high-speed transactions, developed by Binance, a major global cryptocurrency exchange.

BNB Chain boasts 1.8 million addresses holding tokenized stocks, accounting for 45% of all participants in this market, as stated by Binance Research.

Sustained sector expansionThe overall market for tokenized assets has grown more than fivefold since January. Analysts note that this sector’s rapid expansion signals increased integration of traditional financial instruments, such as stocks and ETFs, onto blockchain networks. Tokenization allows for greater accessibility, enabling users to buy and sell fragments of real-world assets on decentralized platforms.

By September, despite shifts in market share, the sector maintained strong momentum as BNB Chain’s share continued to rise alongside investor and product interest.

Tokenized stocks and ETFs have grown from $719 million in January, highlighting accelerated adoption of real-world assets in decentralized markets.

Key Takeaways DuPont launched a digital tool to help sugar and sweetener makers evaluate chromatographic separation options.The Sugar Separation Advisor predicts chromatograms and suggests AmberLite resins for further testing.DuPont raised its 2026 guidance after Q2 outperformance, citing stronger EBITDA and adjusted earnings. DuPont de Nemours, Inc.(DD - Free Report) is strengthening its position in the specialty chemicals market with the launch of the DuPont Sugar Separation Advisor, an interactive digital tool designed to help sugar and sweetener manufacturers evaluate chromatographic separation opportunities and identify suitable DuPont AmberLite resins for further testing. 

DuPont, which is among the prominent players in the chemical space alongside Dow Inc. (DOW - Free Report) , Eastman Chemical Company (EMN - Free Report) and Celanese Corporation (CE - Free Report) , is focusing on innovation, productivity and growth across healthcare, water and industrial markets. The company's latest digital initiative expands access to its chromatography expertise and experimental separation data, while its broader portfolio includes solutions for healthcare, industrial water, food and beverage and other industrial applications. 

The DuPont Sugar Separation Advisor builds on decades of chromatography application expertise and years of experimental separation data. The tool enables users to select a target sugar or sweetener, add up to four additional sugars or impurities to represent their feed stream and generate a predicted chromatogram based on experimental separation data. It then provides a qualitative separation assessment and suggests candidate DuPont AmberLite chromatography resins for further evaluation. 

According to DuPont, the platform is designed to simplify the early stages of separation evaluation by helping customers identify promising resin options and focus laboratory testing. This could support manufacturers evaluating applications ranging from high-fructose corn syrup and beet sugar processing to rare sugars, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides and sugar alcohols. 

DuPont developed the tool in response to recurring customer questions involving sugars and sweeteners such as allulose, tagatose, sorbitol, oligosaccharides, xylose and inositol. The resource displays laboratory-generated separation data for relevant sugar and resin combinations, helping users assess resin performance in application-relevant scenarios. 

DuPont, in August, raised the midpoint of its full-year 2026 operating EBITDA and adjusted earnings guidance following its second-quarter outperformance. The company now expects net sales of $7.16-$7.19 billion, operating EBITDA of $1.75-$1.77 billion and adjusted earnings of $7.17-$7.32 per share. For the second half of 2026, DD projects net sales of $3.66-$3.69 billion, operating EBITDA of $890-$910 million and adjusted earnings of $3.65-$3.80 per share. 

Dow expects approximately $200 million in additional benefits from its Transform to Outperform program in 2026, taking total in-year benefits from self-help initiatives to more than $1.3 billion. In the second half, the company plans to focus on growth and innovation in attractive end markets, portfolio investments and balanced capital allocation. DOW expects productivity and growth benefits from the program to accelerate through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027. 

EastmanChemical expects 2026 earnings to improve significantly from 2025. Operating cash flow is projected to approach $900 million. For the third quarter, adjusted earnings are expected to be near the second-quarter level of $1.97 per share. Advanced Materials is expected to benefit from improved price-cost dynamics and asset utilization, while Fibers should gain from higher acetate tow purchases. 

Celanese expects third-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.35-$1.75 per share and continues to project 2026 adjusted earnings of approximately $6 per share. The company maintained its full-year free cash flow guidance of $700-$800 million. Growth initiatives, productivity measures and portfolio and footprint actions are expected to support 2026 performance and strengthen cash generation. 

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Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison announced Friday that upon closing his company's merger with Warner Bros. Discovery next week, the combined entity will be named Skydance.

It's a full-circle moment for a company that has undergone two major acquisitions within the last 18 months.

"Paramount and Warner Bros. shaped over a century of culture," Ellison wrote in social media post Friday. "By combining them, we aren't rewriting history — we're equipping these iconic studios with a more powerful engine. Together, we are Skydance: a creative-first home for bold, quality storytelling."

Ellison noted the new name allows the company to preserve Paramount and Warner Bros. as distinct studios. The merged company will trade under the new ticker "SKYD."

"We never wanted a new corporate identity to diminish, alter or overshadow either one," he said. "Instead, we wanted a name that would give the combined company an identity of its own while allowing Paramount and Warner Bros. — and all our extraordinary brands — to remain in the spotlight."

The Paramount and Warner Bros. studios together are set to release 35 films next year, according to data from Rentrak.

In August 2025, Ellison's Skydance — the production company behind "Mission Impossible" movies and "Top Gun: Maverick" — closed its acquisition of Paramount. Weeks later, the CEO set his sights on Warner Bros. Discovery in a takeover effort that would ultimately launch a bidding war.

In February, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery struck an agreement worth roughly $110 billion on an enterprise basis.

After settling a legal challenge brought by a group of state attorneys general, Paramount Skydance said this week the deal is expected to close on Tuesday.

Upon closing, Ellison and outgoing Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz will serve as co-CEOs.

Image Credits:Rivian

Rivian has issued a recall for its R2 SUV after the company discovered that fasteners on its high-voltage battery pack might not be properly tightened, which can cause a loss of power while driving.

The company says only around 14 vehicles may have been affected, and that it will repair or replace damaged components on customer vehicles as needed.

This is the second recall Rivian has issued for the R2, which started shipping to customers this year. It’s an all-important vehicle for the company, as it’s the first Rivian EV meant for a mass market and is supposed to help it reach profitability for the first time. The first R2 recall, issued last month, had to do with the visibility of the backup camera and was addressed with a software update.

In a filing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Rivian first spotted the defect on September 17. A “manufacturing operator” at the company’s Normal, Illinois factory noticed one of the fasteners had been “under torqued” by an “automated station” on the assembly line. The company investigated and reprogrammed the station to reject “improperly torqued fasteners.”

Rivian told the safety regulator that it “is not aware of any customer reports, accidents, injuries, or fatalities
related to this issue.” Some Reddit users, along with RivianTrackr, a blog that follows the company closely, reported about the issue late last month. One owner said Rivian’s service department told them to stop driving immediately, and the company towed the vehicle.

Rivian has set an aggressive goal for the launch of the R2. The company has said it plans to ship between 20,000 and 25,000 of them by the end of this year. With deliveries starting in June, that would make it one of the fastest launches of a new EV in the U.S. market if Rivian pulls it off. The company is supposed to be adding a second production shift to hit those numbers, and has said early demand is strong for the new, more affordable SUV.

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Sean O’Kane is a reporter who has spent a decade covering the rapidly-evolving business and technology of the transportation industry, including Tesla and the many startups chasing Elon Musk. Most recently, he was a reporter at Bloomberg News where he helped break stories about some of the most notorious EV SPAC flops. He previously worked at The Verge, where he also covered consumer technology, hosted many short- and long-form videos, performed product and editorial photography, and once nearly passed out in a Red Bull Air Race plane.

You can contact or verify outreach from Sean by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at okane.01 on Signal.

Tesla and Rivian both released their third-quarter delivery numbers this week, and the market is treating the two reports as if they came from different planets. Here is why one stock is surging while the other quietly sinks.

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Two electric vehicle makers released third-quarter 2026 delivery reports, and the market is sending Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA | TSLA Price Prediction) and Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN) in opposite directions. Tesla stock is up 5% to $372.64 after the company exceeded a delivery consensus it compiled and published itself. Meanwhile, Rivian stock is slipping 3% to $14.28, even though the company called its quarter in line with management’s outlook.

For sector context, the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (NASDAQ:DRIV) is up 2% to $33.73, a much smaller advance than the one in Tesla stock. Meanwhile, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is also up less than 1.1% to $772.43, a solid but comparatively modest gain for the broad market. That gap places the strength in Tesla stock specifically, while electric vehicle makers as a group are moving up far less.

Tesla Tops Its Own Delivery Consensus Tesla reported delivering 486,532 vehicles in the third quarter, the headline number behind the rally. The consensus estimate Tesla compiled internally and released earlier in the week stood at 461,974 vehicles. Clearing a figure the company assembled itself carries weight, since that internal consensus is the bar this particular release is usually measured against.

One problem sits in Tesla’s year-ago comparison, which limits how much the beat says about demand. In the same quarter a year earlier, Tesla delivered 497,099 vehicles. The figures show Tesla clearing expectations. Its deliveries still trailed the prior-year total, so Tesla’s growth question stays open even after a clean beat.

Rivian Slips as the Sector Fund Lags Tesla Separately, Rivian reported its own third-quarter production and delivery totals, and the company stated that those results were in line with its outlook. An in-line report removes one source of uncertainty for Rivian, though it offers none of the upside surprise that Tesla posted, and Rivian stock is still lower, which shows how little credit an in-line quarter is earning when a larger rival posts a beat.

The Global X DRIV fund spreads its assets across automakers, chipmakers, battery suppliers and autonomous driving companies, with Tesla among its holdings. That breadth helps explain why the fund is rising far less than Tesla stock, because one name’s gain gets diluted across many other positions, and a rally concentrated in Tesla stock produces exactly that pattern, with the sector fund edging higher as Tesla shares surge.

A range of other electric vehicle makers sit inside the same Global X DRIV ETF, giving the basket exposure well beyond Tesla.

What to Watch Next Tesla will report later this month. It will release its full third-quarter financial results after trading ends for the day, with a management question-and-answer webcast to follow. Shareholders can stay tuned for that report, which may show whether the delivery beat carries through to Tesla’s revenue and margins. Any sign that the beat lifted Tesla’s profitability could matter as much as the delivery count itself.

Tesla’s quarter exceeded the company’s own consensus but trailed the prior-year total, leaving both the bull case and the bear case intact. Investors considering their exposure should size their positions with care, as Tesla’s growth question stays open and Rivian stock is lower even after an in-line quarter. Keeping one’s position sizes moderate leaves room to respond once Tesla reports its full financial results.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Bitget’s attacker has moved much of the exchange’s $387.5 million theft toward Bitcoin through cross-chain services, while only around $840,000 had been publicly frozen five days after the Sept. 24 breach.

Summary

Bitget says attackers moved $387.5 million from hot and warm wallets across blockchains in September. BlockSec estimates attackers still controlled roughly $342 million five days after the Bitget theft began. Tether, Circle and NEAR Intents froze roughly $840,000, equal to only 0.2% of stolen funds. THORChain handled about $269 million in pass-through value, while Bitcoin became the main consolidation asset. North Korea remains suspected, but BlockSec says current onchain evidence does not establish attacker identity. BlockSec reported that the stolen funds followed three main paths: quickly converting assets that issuers could freeze, consolidating value from several chains into Bitcoin and gradually sending BTC into CoinJoin transactions.

The security firm based its analysis on addresses published through Bitget’s tracking dashboard and a Sept. 29 snapshot, meaning the balances and laundering totals can continue changing as funds move.

How did the Bitget hacker move the stolen money? Bitget said the breach began at 18:31 UTC on Sept. 24 with unauthorized transfers from portions of its hot and warm wallet infrastructure.

BlockSec found that the first transactions involved tiny test transfers of 0.84 ETH and 93 TRX. Larger withdrawals started at 18:58 UTC, while Bitget’s reconciliation system detected a discrepancy seven minutes later and blocked ordinary customer withdrawals.

The attackers were not relying on the normal customer withdrawal process, according to Bitget. The exchange said a vulnerability in a third-party security product gave the attackers high-level internal credentials, which were then used to submit forged withdrawal commands directly into its wallet system.

Private keys were not compromised, Bitget said, while its cold wallets remained unaffected. Independent investigations by Mandiant and SlowMist later confirmed that compromised third-party security software enabled unauthorized access to the exchange’s wallet environment.

The loss was initially estimated at $351.6 million before Bitget expanded the figure to roughly $387.5 million after accounting for Zcash and Tron transfers. BlockSec counted 13 stolen assets across 12 chains, with XRP representing the largest single-chain loss.

Assets that could be frozen were moved first. BlockSec found roughly $75.48 million in USDT, USDC and USDT0, plus 3,000 XAUt tokens, were converted into ETH or AVAX within 41 minutes of their theft.

Uniswap, UniswapX, 1inch and MetaMask’s built-in swap service appeared among the routes used. BlockSec said all those conversions were completed before Bitget CEO Gracy Chen publicly disclosed the breach.

Why has only $840K of Bitget’s $387M been frozen? Once the assets had been converted, the attacker began moving value between chains and toward Bitcoin.

BlockSec estimated that around $269 million in pass-through value moved through THORChain across 7,804 transactions by its Sept. 29 snapshot. Chainflip handled roughly $37.27 million, while USDT0/LayerZero, Circle’s CCTP, Across and Stargate appeared in other routes.

Those figures cannot be added together as separate stolen amounts. BlockSec cautioned that the same funds can move through more than one protocol while traveling between chains.

Nearly five days into the laundering process, BlockSec estimated attacker-controlled wallets still held approximately $342 million, equal to 88.3% of the original stolen amount. Bitcoin accounted for around 83.7% of that balance, or roughly 3,386 BTC.

Publicly visible freezes were much smaller.

Tether and Circle had immobilized around $340,000 in stablecoins. Much of that money became vulnerable to freezing because it remained at addresses long enough for the issuers to respond.

NEAR Intents separately said its SHIELD risk system caught attempts to route more than $50 million through the service. BlockSec’s review of the disclosure found roughly $503,000 was stopped during execution, while around $166,000 passed through.

The NEAR Intents figures carry an estimated error margin of up to 10%, according to the service’s own disclosure.

Earlier coverage of NEAR Intents blocking Bitget-linked transfers found that some funds were left in pending transactions after being flagged during the swap process.

Combined, the Tether, Circle and NEAR Intents actions put publicly visible frozen funds near $840,000, just 0.2% of the amount stolen.

Why did so much Bitget crypto move through THORChain? THORChain became the largest cross-chain route identified by BlockSec, drawing criticism from Bitget as stolen ETH continued to be converted into BTC.

Chen publicly asked THORChain to reject known attacker addresses, arguing that “decentralization is a design principle, not a shield” for stolen funds.

THORChain rejected the request and said its emergency halt functions are designed to protect the protocol as a whole, not selectively censor individual transactions.

The network said an emergency halt “is not a selective freeze” of a specific transaction or user.

A Bitget-linked wallet later swapped about $6.3 million of ETH into Bitcoin through THORChain, completing 27 swaps that produced approximately 75.2 BTC.

Other stolen funds reached Bitcoin mixers. BlockSec counted about $3.94 million entering CoinJoin transactions by Sept. 29.

One Sept. 27 CoinJoin transaction contained 356 inputs and 401 outputs. Four inputs, each containing 2.5 BTC, came from addresses Bitget’s tracker identified as belonging to the attacker.

Separate tracking of Bitget funds entering Wasabi CoinJoin previously found a route starting on Tron, passing through Ethereum and THORChain, then reaching Bitcoin before mixing.

Did North Korea carry out the Bitget hack? North Korean involvement remains an assessment, not a confirmed attribution by law enforcement.

Chen has said IP behavior and onchain patterns were “consistent with techniques used by DPRK-linked hacker groups.” Bitget said some IP addresses matched VPN infrastructure previously associated with a North Korean group, but the technical evidence behind that comparison has not been made public.

BlockSec found other possible links, including overlap with laundering methods used in attacks attributed to TraderTraitor and the use of THORChain to convert assets into Bitcoin.

Researcher ZachXBT identified several Chinese-speaking underground money launderers that he said were handling funds for the attacker. One had reportedly appeared in laundering activity connected with an earlier exploit.

Arkham separately pointed to the use of a peel-chain technique frequently associated with North Korean-linked operations.

BlockSec cautioned against treating those similarities as proof of attacker identity. Money-laundering services can work for different clients, while protocols such as THORChain and CoinJoin are available to unrelated users.

The security firm said the evidence points more directly to possible reuse of laundering groups than proof that the same hackers carried out earlier North Korean-linked attacks.

The comparison has centered partly on the 2025 Bybit theft. U.S. authorities formally attributed that $1.5 billion attack to North Korea’s TraderTraitor operation, while THORChain was heavily used to move the stolen Bybit funds.

No law-enforcement agency has publicly attributed the Bitget breach to North Korea as of the latest verified updates.

What happens next for Bitget and the stolen funds? Bitget continues to trace wallets and is offering a bounty for recoveries. The exchange offers qualifying participants 5% of funds they directly help freeze and another 5% for funds successfully recovered.

The Bitget recovery bounty was launched while Mandiant, SlowMist, exchanges and blockchain investigators continued tracking attacker addresses.

Bitget has already restored Bitcoin, Ether and USDT withdrawals in phases. Its published schedule places other tokens, fiat withdrawals and P2P services at 08:00 UTC on Oct. 2, although the exchange’s official incident page had not yet posted a separate confirmation of that final reopening when checked.

Bitget says the exploited vulnerability has been fixed and user balances remain unaffected. Its forensic investigation, law-enforcement work, fund tracing and recovery effort remain open, while the exchange says further material findings will be published through its official security updates.

 | Source: CRISPR Therapeutics AG

ZUG, Switzerland and BOSTON, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP), today announced that a poster presentation highlighting the Company’s Phase 1 clinical data of its investigational CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited allogeneic CAR T cell therapy, zugocabtagene geleucel (zugo-cel) targeting CD19 for autoimmune disease, will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2026.

Title: Safety and Efficacy of Anti-CD19 Allogeneic Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cell Therapy Zugocabtagene Geleucel (zugo-cel) in Patients with Refractory Systemic Sclerosis
Session Type: Poster Presentation
Abstract Number: 0225
Session Name: Poster Session A
Date and Time: Sunday, November 8, 2026, 10:30 a.m. ET

Zugo-cel is being evaluated in Phase 1 trials across autoimmune diseases, including rheumatologic, hematologic and neurologic indications.

A copy of the presentation will be available at www.crisprtx.com once the presentation concludes.

About CRISPR Therapeutics
CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious human diseases. Founded over a decade ago as an early pioneer in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, the Company has evolved from a pioneering research-stage organization into an industry leader, marking a historic milestone with the approval of CASGEVY® (exagamglogene autotemcel [exa-cel]), the world’s first CRISPR-based therapy, for eligible patients with sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. Today, CRISPR Therapeutics is advancing a broad, diversified pipeline spanning hemoglobinopathies, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. The Company is also expanding its gene editing toolkit through SyNTase™ editing, its novel, proprietary platform designed to enable precise, efficient, and scalable gene correction. To accelerate its impact, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic collaborations with leading biopharmaceutical partners, including Vertex Pharmaceuticals. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Boston, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California. To learn more, visit www.crisprtx.com.

CRISPR THERAPEUTICS® standard character mark and design logo and SyNTase™ are trademarks and registered trademarks of CRISPR Therapeutics AG. CASGEVY® and the CASGEVY logo are registered trademarks of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

CRISPR Therapeutics Forward-Looking Statement
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding any or all of the following: (i) CRISPR Therapeutics preclinical studies, clinical trials and pipeline products and programs, including, without limitation, manufacturing capabilities, status of such studies and trials and expectations regarding data, safety and efficacy generally; (ii) data included in the above-described poster presentation and any associated abstract; and (iii) the therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of gene editing technologies and therapies, including CRISPR/Cas9, as well as other technologies. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in CRISPR Therapeutics most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in any other subsequent filings made by CRISPR Therapeutics with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.

Investor Contact: 
+1-617-307-7503 
[email protected]

Media Contact: 
 +1-617-315-4493 
[email protected]

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Key Takeaways WTRG's Aqua Pennsylvania bought Ulster's water system assets for $0.5M, adding 180 customers.Aqua Pennsylvania plans $2M of upgrades over five years to modernize facilities and replace aging lines.Essential Utilities has signed deals covering over 200,000 customers and an active 400,000-customer pipeli Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG - Free Report) announced that its subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania, acquired the water system assets of the Ulster Municipal Authority in Bradford County for $0.5 million.  This new acquisition will increase the existing water customer base by 180 customers.

Aqua Pennsylvania plans to invest $2 million in upgrades to the acquired water system assets of the Ulster Municipal Authority in Bradford County over the next five years and provide quality services to the customers in the region.

These infrastructure upgrades aim to modernize facilities, replace aging lines and provide safe, high-quality water for all residents of Ulster.

Fragmented Water Utilities Offer Acquisition OpportunitiesEssential Utilities is quite active in expanding its operations through acquisition. Since 2015, the company has added more than 138,000 customers or equivalent dwelling units and about $570 million of rate base through acquisitions. In May 2026, Essential Utilities acquired Integra Water Texas for $4.9 million, adding about 1,100 wastewater customers after closing Greenville earlier in the year. Signed purchase agreements represent more than 200,000 customers and about $282 million in purchase price, while the active municipal acquisition pipeline is about 400,000 customers. Essential Utilities’ proposed American Water Works (AWK - Free Report) merger remains targeted for the first quarter of 2027.

American Water Works is expanding its customer base through regulated acquisitions as well as organic growth. Through June 30, 2026, the company added about 52,000 customer connections from acquisitions, including roughly 47,000 connections from the Nexus systems acquired on June 1. The Nexus transaction expanded operations across eight states and was completed ahead of the company’s initial timeline.

Another water utility, California Water Service Group (CWT - Free Report) , stated that it has agreed to acquire Nexus Water Group’s Nevada and Oregon water and wastewater systems for $218 million. The company completed the acquisition of Palm Mutual Water Company in July 2026, which added more than 300 customers.

Recently, Select Water Solutions (WTTR - Free Report) agreed to acquire Pilot Water Solutions for $700 million, plus up to $15 million in contingent consideration. Pilot Water Solutions adds extensive Delaware Basin infrastructure, long-term contracted revenues and significant disposal capacity. The combination will expand Select Solutions’ water midstream platform, pipeline network, recycling capacity and produced-water storage footprint

Published in utilities

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Key Takeaways EMCOR's Q2 revenues rose 19.8% to a record $5.15 billion, while EPS surged 34.8% to $9.06.EME's record $17.14 billion RPOs reflect strong demand across data centers and other key markets.Five electrical acquisitions add about $625 million in revenues and expand EMCOR's market capabilities. EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME - Free Report) is proving that being everywhere infrastructure dollars are flowing can be a powerful growth strategy. From AI data centers and high-tech manufacturing to water, healthcare and institutional projects, EMCOR’s broad end-market exposure is helping it capture multiple growth waves rather than rely on a single infrastructure cycle.

The momentum was evident in the second quarter of 2026, wherein revenues jumped 19.8% year over year to a record $5.15 billion, while operating income surged 31.8% to $547.3 million. Operating margin expanded 100 basis points to 10.6% and EPS (earnings per share) soared 34.8% to $9.06. Remaining Performance Obligations, or RPOs, reached a record $17.14 billion, up 43.9% year over year and 29% from December 2025. Network & Communications, Water & Wastewater, and Institutional and Healthcare were among the biggest contributors.

AI infrastructure remains a major engine. Customer spending on data centers and digital transformation is driving unprecedented activity in Network & Communications. But EMCOR’s growth story goes well beyond data centers. Water and wastewater, healthcare, institutional and manufacturing markets are also generating robust demand. EME is also using M&A to widen its reach. Five recently announced electrical acquisitions bring roughly $625 million in trailing-12-month revenues, $105 million in EBITDA and about 1,500 employees. The deals strengthen its presence across key markets while adding capabilities in data centers, manufacturing, healthcare and institutional projects.

Labor shortages, tariffs, supply-chain volatility and project-mix shifts remain risks. Still, EMCOR’s diversified demand base, technical expertise and acquisition strategy could make its broad market footprint a meaningful competitive advantage.

EMCOR, MasTec & Quanta: The Great Infrastructure Growth ShowdownEMCOR is positioned to benefit from sustained U.S. public infrastructure spending, alongside close market peers, including MasTec, Inc. (MTZ - Free Report) and Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR - Free Report) . But their exposure differs.

EME’s broad mix across electrical and mechanical construction, data centers, healthcare, water and wastewater, institutional and manufacturing markets provides multiple growth avenues. Meanwhile, MasTec’s $21.4 billion backlog reflects momentum across clean energy, power delivery, pipelines and communications, while Quanta’s broader utility and power infrastructure footprint targets grid modernization, transmission, generation and AI-driven electricity demand.

Quanta and MasTec offer deeper exposure to power infrastructure tied to AI, while EMCOR has a wider building-services and end-market mix. EME’s competitive edge is diversification, customer breadth and cross-trade capabilities, potentially reducing reliance on any single infrastructure cycle and supporting resilience across demand cycles.

Published in construction

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cable One, Inc. (NYSE: CABO) (“Cable One” or the “Company”) today announced it is in advanced discussions with GTCR LLC (“GTCR”), certain of its existing lenders and a consortium of leading private lending institutions regarding financing transactions to address certain of the Company’s forthcoming capital needs. Cable One is working towards enhancing its capital structure to position the company to drive growth in shareholder value.

“We are pleased at the momentum and interest from existing stakeholders and new investors, who are collaborating with us to formulate a solution that supports the future of Cable One. The contemplated financings are intended to strengthen Cable One’s overall financial position,” said Jim Holanda, Chief Executive Officer of Cable One.

“GTCR has been working closely with Cable One to facilitate a potential transaction that would bring new capital into the business and highlight its unrealized potential. Our close work together underscores our conviction in the business as an enduring leader in its industry,” said Stephen J. Jeschke, Managing Director at GTCR. “Throughout this process, our focus has been on developing a solution that supports a sustainable path forward for the business and we look forward to the opportunity to participate in Cable One’s next phase of growth in close partnership.”

While all parties are working diligently on the financing transactions, no definitive agreements have been entered into thus far, and there can be no guarantee that any transaction will materialize.

Separately, Cable One and GTCR have agreed to an extension of the deadline for the completion of Cable One’s purchase of the 55% remaining stake that Cable One does not already own in Mega Broadband Investments Holdings LLC to October 9, 2026.

About Cable One
Cable One, Inc. (NYSE:CABO) is a leading broadband communications provider delivering exceptional service and enabling approximately 1 million residential and business customers across 24 states to thrive and stay connected to what matters most. Through Sparklight®, the brand our customers know and trust, we’re not just shaping the future of connectivity – we’re transforming it with a commitment to innovation, reliability, and customer experience at our core.

Our robust infrastructure and cutting-edge technology don’t just keep our customers connected; they help drive progress in education, business, and everyday life. We’re dedicated to bridging the digital divide, empowering our communities, and fostering a more connected world. When our customers choose Cable One, they are choosing a team that is always working for them–one that believes in the relentless pursuit of reliability, because being a trusted neighbor isn’t just what we do – it’s who we are.

About GTCR
Founded in 1980, GTCR is a leading private equity firm that invests behind The Leaders Strategy™ – finding and partnering with management leaders in core domains to identify, acquire and build market-leading companies through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. GTCR is focused on investing in transformative growth in companies in the Business & Consumer Services, Financial Services & Technology, Healthcare and Technology, Media & Telecommunications sectors. Since its inception, GTCR has invested more than $35 billion in over 300 companies, and the firm currently manages $45 billion in equity capital. GTCR is based in Chicago with offices in New York and West Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.gtcr.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements
This communication may contain “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections about the Company’s industry, business, strategy, technologies, acquisitions and strategic investments, market expansion plans, dividend policy, capital allocation, financing strategy, the put option associated with the remaining equity interests in Mega Broadband Investments Holdings LLC (“MBI”), which was exercised on January 2, 2026 (the “Put Option”), the purchase price payable pursuant to the Put Option (such purchase price, the “Put Price”), the anticipated timeline to consummate such transaction, the Company’s ability and sources of capital to fund the Put Price, MBI’s future indebtedness and the Company’s financial results and financial condition. Forward-looking statements often include words such as “will,” “should,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes” and words and terms of similar substance in connection with discussions of future operating or financial performance. As with any projection or forecast, forward-looking statements are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. The Company’s actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in its forward-looking statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statement made by the Company or on its behalf. Important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those in its forward-looking statements include government regulation, economic, strategic, political and social conditions and the following factors, which are discussed in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including its latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q:

rising levels of competition from historical and new entrants in the Company’s markets; recent and future changes in technology, and the Company’s ability to develop, deploy and operate new technologies, service offerings and customer service platforms; risks associated with the Company’s use of artificial intelligence; the Company’s ability to grow its residential data and business data revenues and customer base; increases in programming costs and retransmission fees; the Company’s ability to obtain hardware, software and operational support from vendors, including the potential impacts of changes in trade policy and tariffs; risks relating to existing or future acquisitions and strategic investments by the Company, including risks associated with the exercise of the Put Option associated with the remaining equity interests in MBI and the acquisition and integration of MBI; the integrity and security of the Company’s network and information systems; the impact of possible security breaches and other disruptions, including cyber-attacks; the Company’s failure to obtain necessary intellectual and proprietary rights to operate its business and the risk of intellectual property claims and litigation against the Company; the Company’s ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures; impairments of intangible assets and goodwill; legislative or regulatory efforts to impose new requirements on the Company’s data services; additional regulation of the Company’s video and voice services or changes to government subsidy programs; the Company’s ability to renew cable system franchises; increases in pole attachment costs; changes in local governmental franchising authority and broadcast carriage regulations; the potential adverse effect of the Company’s level of indebtedness on its business, financial condition or results of operations and cash flows; the restrictions the terms of the Company’s indebtedness place on its business and corporate actions; the possibility that interest rates will rise, causing the Company’s obligations to service its variable rate indebtedness to increase significantly; risks associated with the Company’s indebtedness, including the Company’s ability to pay dividends on, make distributions in respect of, repurchase or redeem, capital stock; provisions in the Company’s charter, by-laws and Delaware law that could discourage takeovers and limit the judicial forum for certain disputes; adverse economic conditions, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, changes in rates of inflation and the level of move activity in the housing sector; pandemics, epidemics or disease outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have, and may in the future, disrupt the Company’s business and operations, which could materially affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows; lower demand for the Company’s residential data and business data products; fluctuations and/or declines in the Company’s stock price; dilution from equity awards, convertible indebtedness and potential future convertible debt and stock issuances; damage to the Company’s reputation or brand image; the Company’s ability to retain key employees (whom the Company refers to as associates); the Company’s ability to incur future indebtedness; provisions in the Company’s charter that could limit the liabilities for directors; and the other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including but not limited to those described under “Risk Factors” in its latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, its latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements made by the Company in this communication speak only as of the date on which they are made. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise.

Key Takeaways CDW expects operating leverage and expense efficiency to improve sequentially through the second half.Gross margin fell 70 basis points as hardware infrastructure and enterprise orders gained mix.CDW expects services demand to strengthen as infrastructure projects move into implementation. CDW Corporation (CDW - Free Report) has entered the second half of 2026 with a focus on improving operating leverage and expense efficiency after delivering solid second-quarter results. The company reported second-quarter net sales of $6.6 billion, up 10% year over year, while gross profit increased 6% to $1.3 billion. Non-GAAP operating income rose 7% to $556 million, and non-GAAP earnings per share increased 12% to $2.91. However, gross margin declined 70 basis points (bps) year over year to 20.1%, reflecting a greater contribution from large hardware infrastructure opportunities related to modernization and AI readiness, particularly among enterprise customers, along with a lower relative contribution from services.

On the last earnings call, management highlighted that the gross-margin pressure was primarily a function of business mix rather than like-for-like pricing pressure. CDW maintained pricing discipline and continued to pass through price increases, while the growing mix of infrastructure products, larger-dollar orders and enterprise customers carried relatively lower margins. At the same time, netted-down revenue streams increased 16.1% and accounted for 35.9% of gross profit, up 300 bps year over year. Services grew only 1% as customers prioritized hardware and cloud investments and deployment timing affected demand, although CDW expects life-cycle and professional services activity to increase as customers move from procurement toward implementation and management.

The second half is expected to bring greater benefits from CDW’s Geared for Growth initiatives. Second-quarter non-GAAP SG&A represented 57.9% of gross profit, down 20 bps year over year and 410 bps sequentially. Management said the second-quarter improvement in operating leverage largely reflected expense discipline and broader efficiency measures, while the more significant benefits from Geared for Growth are expected to emerge in the back half. The company expects both operating leverage and its expense ratio to improve sequentially through the second half and into 2027.

For 2026, CDW expects gross profit to grow in the mid-single digits, although second-half gross margins are projected to remain below year-ago levels because of product and end-market mix. Third-quarter non-GAAP SG&A is expected to decline sequentially, helping reduce operating expenses as a percentage of gross profit both year over year and sequentially. Management also expects services demand to strengthen as current infrastructure projects progress into implementation, supporting its expectation for improving operating leverage during the second half.

Taking a Look at CDW’s CompetitorsServiceNow, Inc.’s (NOW - Free Report) margins remain under pressure as rising AI adoption and greater reliance on hyperscaler infrastructure increase costs. In the second quarter of 2026, non-GAAP total gross margin declined to 78% from 81% a year earlier, while subscription gross margin fell 250 bps to 80.5%. Despite the pressure, non-GAAP operating margin remained stable at 29.5%, supported by revenue outperformance and disciplined spending. For 2026, ServiceNow continues to target an 81% non-GAAP subscription gross margin and 31.5% operating margin. Management expects AI-driven efficiencies, including roughly $500 million in internal savings, to help offset infrastructure and integration-related margin pressures.

Accenture plc’s (ACN - Free Report) margins remained relatively stable in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, despite ongoing investments in AI, talent and acquisitions. Gross margin was 32.8%, slightly below 32.9% in the year-ago quarter, reflecting continued cost pressures from its labor-intensive delivery model and evolving AI-led services. However, operating income increased 6% year over year to $3.18 billion, while operating margin expanded 20 bps to 17% from 16.8%. SG&A expenses declined to 15.8% of revenues from 16%. Strong Managed Services growth and disciplined cost management supported profitability, although AI-driven delivery changes and higher acquisition spending could influence margins going forward.

Avnet, Inc.’s (AVT - Free Report) margin profile is improving as higher volumes, favorable mix and operating leverage support profitability. Adjusted operating margin expanded to 3.8% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, up 73 bps sequentially and 129 bps year over year. Electronic Components margin reached 4.1%, while Farnell’s margin rose to 9% from 4.3% a year earlier, supported by a higher mix of on-board components. Management expects Farnell to reach double-digit margins before the end of fiscal 2027 and consolidated SG&A as a percentage of gross profit to fall below 60%. However, gross margin remains sensitive to regional mix and pricing dynamics.

Baby boomers are turning 80 in waves while new senior housing construction has nearly stopped, and that collision of demographics and supply is reshaping how much income four REITs can realistically promise their investors.

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The leading edge of the “nearly 70 million baby boomers has just begun turning 80 this year”, according to the Ventas (NYSE:VTR) chief executive, and new construction is close to a halt. Ventas executives noted “a little over a thousand starts this quarter and there’s two million people turning 80 just in 2026.” When demand rises and supply doesn’t, landlords gain pricing power, and that is the background for this edition of REIT Rent Check on senior housing and skilled nursing. September was a rough month for the group anyway. Over the past month, Ventas fell 8.5% and CareTrust REIT (NYSE:CTRE) fell 9.11%. That decline raised yields across the roster. All four names below are equity REITs that own buildings. Their dividends come from rent and operating income.

Two Ways a Senior Housing REIT Gets Paid The operator structure determines how much risk sits in each rent check. In a triple-net lease, an operator pays the REIT a fixed rent, usually with annual increases, and covers taxes, insurance and maintenance. The REIT’s risk is whether the operator can keep paying, so the number to track is rent coverage (operator EBITDAR divided by rent). In a SHOP (senior housing operating portfolio, sometimes called RIDEA) structure, the REIT owns the building and keeps the operating profit, while a manager runs the community for a fee.

That arrangement gives the REIT the full upside when occupancy and rates rise, and the full downside when costs jump. Welltower (NYSE:WELL) and Ventas lean mostly on SHOP. Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE:OHI) and CareTrust lean mostly on triple-net. Dividend safety below is measured on FFO, AFFO or FAD (cash flow measures REITs use in place of net income), and each section names the metric it uses.

REIT Price (Oct. 1 Close) Forward Annual Dividend Forward Yield Coverage Read Welltower $226.94 $3.40 1.50% 53% of normalized FFO guidance midpoint Ventas $83.73 $2.08 2.48% 54% of normalized FFO guidance midpoint Omega Healthcare $45.23 $2.72 6.01% 84% of AFFO guidance midpoint CareTrust REIT $35.91 $1.56 4.34% approximately 76% of normalized FAD (company disclosed) Welltower Trades Yield for the Fastest Growth in Senior Housing Welltower is the largest pure-play senior housing REIT. It owns communities across the U.S., the U.K. and Canada, plus outpatient medical and post-acute assets. The SHOP segment generated $3.03B of second-quarter revenue, so Welltower gets operating profit directly. Most of that revenue comes from wealthy residents: private pay makes up 93.0% of SHOP revenue, which limits exposure to Medicaid budget fights.

SHOP same-store NOI rose 20.5% year over year, same-store occupancy climbed to 89.4% from 86.1%, and RevPOR (revenue per occupied room) grew 5.2%. SHOP expense growth was only about 0.7%, which is why flow-through margins reached the mid-60% range.

Yield and coverage: Welltower raised its quarterly dividend 15% to $0.85, its 221st consecutive quarterly dividend. At the October 1 close, that works out to a forward yield of 1.50%, the lowest on this list. On normalized FFO, the payout is very safe. Full-year guidance was raised to $6.36 to $6.44 per diluted share, and the $3.40 annualized dividend uses about 53% of the midpoint. Leverage finished the quarter at 2.99 times net debt to adjusted EBITDA.

Bull case: Welltower closed $15.5B of gross investments through the first half, including the C$4.1B Amica Senior Lifestyles deal. Much of the newly acquired product was bought at roughly 75% occupancy and about a 20% discount to replacement cost, which leaves room for occupancy gains. As management put it, “Closing an acquisition is not the culmination of the work. It is the moment the work begins.”

Risk: Growth this fast depends on outside capital. Welltower raised $3.9 billion in a single quarter through share issue, OP units and capital recycling. The stock is down 5.61% over the past month, though it is still up 23.57% year to date.

Ventas Pairs Double-Digit SHOP Growth With a Shrinking Debt Load Ventas is steering its portfolio toward SHOP. That segment produced $1.36B of second-quarter revenue, compared with $229M from outpatient medical and research and $125M from triple-net leases. Management expects SHOP to reach 60% of a $60 billion enterprise by year-end.

SHOP same-store cash NOI rose 16.3% year over year, and the U.S. portfolio grew 18%. Average occupancy gained 300 bps (U.S. SHOP gained 360 bps), RevPOR grew 5%, and cash NOI margin expanded 210 bps. Chief Executive Debra A. Cafaro framed the setup directly: “Demographic demand is strong and getting stronger as the baby boomers begin turning 80 this year. Meanwhile, new supply remains at historic lows, setting up a compelling multiyear runway for growth and value creation.”

Yield and coverage: The quarterly dividend is $0.52, up from $0.48 through 2025, and the next payment is due October 15, 2026. The forward yield is 2.48%. Normalized FFO guidance was raised to $3.85 to $3.90 per share, and the $2.08 annualized dividend takes about 54% of the $3.88 midpoint. That is a well-covered payout with room to grow.

Bull case: Net debt to further adjusted EBITDA has fallen to 4.7x from 5.6x a year earlier. Ventas also raised its 2026 investment target to $4.5B from $3B. Its U.S. senior housing portfolio stands at 87% occupied, compared with Welltower’s same-store pool near 89.4%, so Ventas has more occupancy path left before pricing power fully kicks in.

Risk: Ventas is buying at an average expected year-one yield of 6.6%. Funding those deals with stock pays off only while the share price remains strong. The stock has fallen 8.5% in a month, which makes each new share issued more dilutive.

Omega Healthcare Clears the Ultra-High-Yield Bar, With a Bankruptcy Attached Omega is mainly a skilled nursing landlord. Triple-net investments generated $324M of second-quarter revenue, while a new operating portfolio added $5.4M. Omega also makes real estate loans to operators. It is still an equity REIT whose income comes mostly from property leases. Because skilled nursing relies heavily on Medicaid and Medicare, the key number here is operator rent coverage. Trailing 12-month EBITDAR coverage improved to 1.65x from 1.55x, and operator occupancy held at 82.6%.

Yield and coverage: The quarterly dividend rose a cent to $0.68, the highest amount in the company’s recorded dividend history. The payout had been stuck at $0.67 since early 2020. The forward yield is 6.01%, just above the 6% line. Second-quarter AFFO came in at $0.83 per diluted share and FAD at $0.78, both above the quarterly dividend. Full-year AFFO guidance was raised to $3.22 to $3.26 per share, so the annualized dividend uses about 84% of the midpoint. That coverage is adequate, but the buffer is the smallest in this group.

Bull case: Taylor Pickett, the chief executive, who has announced his retirement, said “the long anticipated baby boomer aging is here and is showing up in demand for both SNFs and senior housing.” Leverage is at 3.3 times. Management also said “6-7% annualized FAD growth is eminently achievable.”

Risk: Genesis Healthcare is still in Chapter 11, with $148.5M of Omega loans outstanding. Omega’s guidance assumes Genesis keeps paying $13.3M per quarter in contractual rent. Management expects the buyer to assume the master lease on the same terms, with a closing expected by the end of 2026. If that deal changes, the 84% coverage buffer gets thin quickly.

CareTrust REIT Brings the Strongest Coverage and the Lowest Leverage CareTrust owns 628 properties with 58,775 beds/units. Most are leased triple-net. Skilled nursing rent totaled $81.2M in the second quarter and senior housing triple-net $37.1M, alongside a small SHOP book and $26.8M of interest income from loans. Leases carry 2.5% inflation-based increases. Stabilized EBITDARM coverage stands at 3.21x for skilled nursing and 2.16x for senior housing, with 100% rent and interest collection. Stabilized occupancy is 83.9%.

Yield and coverage: The $0.39 quarterly dividend, paid next on October 15, 2026, yields 4.34%. CareTrust says the dividend represents approximately 76% of normalized FAD. Guidance calls for normalized FAD of $2.01 to $2.04 per share, up 15.1% at the midpoint. The dividend has increased from $0.29 in 2024 to $0.335 in 2025 and to its current level.

Bull case: CareTrust closed $899.6M of investments in the second quarter at an 8.9% combined stabilized yield, its biggest quarter outside M&A. Net debt to run-rate EBITDA was just 1.0 times, the company has no debt due dates before 2028, and Moody’s upgraded it to investment grade. CEO Dave Sedgwick said “there has simply never been a more exciting time for CareTrust.”

Risk: The loan book is growing, and it already produced a cost. CareTrust recorded a $4.67M provision for loan losses in the quarter. Loans carry operator credit risk that a deed to a building does not, so watch reserve levels as the company deploys more capital this way.

Where the Rent Checks Look Safest CareTrust offers the best balance in this group: a 4.34% yield, a payout of roughly 76% of FAD, and the strongest coverage. Welltower and Ventas pay smaller yields but cover their dividends about twice over on FFO, and their SHOP growth is where future increases will come from. Omega pays the most, and the Genesis bankruptcy outcome will determine whether that 6% yield holds.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Nike is cratering on earnings while rivals Lululemon and On Holding barely flinch, raising a pointed question about whether the sportswear giant is fighting a problem unique to itself or simply the first to feel an industry-wide reckoning.

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Nike (NYSE:NKE | NKE Price Prediction) is taking a company-specific hit to its turnaround story, while the rest of athletic apparel holds largely steady. Shares of Nike are down 8% to $32.34 in morning trading after fiscal 2027 first-quarter results showed a revenue miss, a weak outlook and job cuts. Nike stock was already trading near its 52-week low.

Meanwhile, shares of Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU) are nearly unchanged at $95.85. On Holding (NYSE:ONON) stock trades at $30.18, also practically unchanged and showing no signs of contagion.

The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA:XLY) is unchanged at $108.81, showing the damage is confined to Nike. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE ARCA:SPY) is up 1% to $771.34, so the broad equities market is holding up well.

Nike carries a weight of just 1.2% in the XLY sector fund, so the drop barely moves it.

Revenue Miss and Job Cuts Drive Nike Lower Nike’s quarterly revenue came in at $11.21 billion, missing the $11.32 billion consensus and falling 4.3% year over year. Diluted earnings came in at $0.48 per share, ahead of expectations, on a wider gross margin.

The heavier blow came from Nike’s fiscal 2027 outlook, which calls for revenue to decline by a high-single-digit percentage.

Nike also unveiled Pace, an overhaul targeting $2.5 billion in cumulative savings through fiscal 2031 at a cost of $1 billion in pre-tax charges, mostly employee-related. Chief Executive Officer Elliott Hill wrote in a letter to employees: “This work will result in fewer roles across Nike, and I want to acknowledge that news like this creates uncertainty. I don’t take that lightly.” Decisions on affected roles are expected to begin next calendar year and beyond.

Lululemon and On Holding Hold Their Ground Lululemon stock is down 54% year to date, a slide that deepened after the company cut its full-year guidance in September. During the earnings call, Lululemon executives traced the company’s weakness to brand sentiment and traffic, stating, “We’re not pointing to macro specifically as a key issue.” That framing helps explain why Nike’s warning leaves Lululemon steady.

On Holding stock is down 35% year to date, yet its recent results look far healthier than Nike’s. Net sales rose 13.5% in the latest quarter, while gross margin expanded to 65.4%, moving management to lift its full-year floor to at least 65%. That momentum gives it little reason to track Nike lower.

Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) offers a retail-channel read. In August, the retailer’s chief executive cited “growing pressure across portions of the athletic footwear and apparel marketplace,” while Dick’s executives described running and performance product as healthy. Nike’s call reflected that split, with its performance business growing at a high-single-digit pace as Nike Sportswear declined by a low-double-digit percentage.

Nike’s Investor Day Shapes the Next Move Nike stock is now down 48% year to date. Hill stated that Nike has “more work to do in NIKE Sportswear, Jordan Brand and Greater China,” and management expects pressure there could remain into fiscal 2028. More detail on Pace and longer-term targets is due at its investor day in November.

Nike still has supports, including its performance business, wider gross margin and quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, though the dividend offers limited buffer in a multiyear turnaround. Investors should size holdings carefully given falling revenue guidance and Pace savings that mostly arrive in fiscal 2029 and 2030.

Lululemon shareholders should weigh the company’s lowered full-year outlook, which calls for revenue to fall 5% to 7%. On Holding looks stronger, though Section 301 tariffs imposed in July could lift costs, so stakes there may warrant moderation. Dick’s remains a useful channel check on how quickly Nike’s lifestyle inventory sells.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Paychex beat earnings estimates for the fourth straight quarter, then watched its stock crater anyway as investors zeroed in on a single line item that raised uncomfortable questions about what it actually costs to keep shareholders happy.

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Paychex (NASDAQ: PAYX | PAYX Price Prediction) beat on the top and bottom lines on Wednesday, Sept. 23, but the stock had its worst session in more than a year. Shares fell 7.18% intraday to $106.31, and investors are focused less on the beat and more on the check that got written to shareholders.

More than a week later, that loss has increased to 5%, dragging the stock’s year-to-date loss down to 7.71%, and its one-year loss to nearly 21%. Why? Paychex sent $424.1 million out the door in dividends against $429.7 million of net income. That is almost the entire quarter.

A Beat With a Very Expensive Payout Adjusted EPS came in at $1.34 versus $1.32 consensus, the fourth consecutive quarter of beating EPS estimates. Revenue of $1.63 billion grew 5.9% year over year. GAAP operating margin expanded to 38.0% from 35.2% as Paycor integration costs faded.

PEO and Insurance Solutions was the standout, up 12% on strong worksite employee growth. Management raised full-year PEO growth guidance to 7% to 8% and interest on client funds to $200 million to $210 million.

Cash Line That Spooked Investors Operating cash flow was $413.5 million, down 42.44% year over year, which management attributed to the timing of client and corporate tax payments. Cash and equivalents fell to $600.9 million, down 25.7% year over year. Cash used in financing was $906.6 million. Fair caveat: fiscal Q1 is Paychex’s seasonally lightest quarter, and float-driven working capital swings are normal at a payroll processor. You’ll want to see full-year coverage in the 10-Q before drawing hard conclusions about sustainability.

Key Figures Adjusted EPS: $1.34 vs. $1.32 expected Revenue: $1.63 billion, up 5.9% Operating margin (GAAP): 38%, up from 35.2% Net income: $429.7 million, up 11.96% Operating cash flow: $413.5 million, down 42.44% Dividends paid: $1.19 per share, $424.1 million total The dividend was raised roughly 10% to $1.19 earlier this year. The stock’s forward yield sits above 4%. That is the number income investors are buying (the whole point of a dividend ladder is never having to sell a share to pay the bills, and we walked through how to build one in a free guide here).

Gibson Points to AI and Advisory CEO John Gibson said Paychex “delivered a solid start to total revenue growth in fiscal 2027, with double-digit PEO and Insurance Solutions revenue and EPS growth underscoring the strength of our advisory solutions.” On AI, he pointed to “compelling early adopter results from our award-winning WISE engine and the introduction of WISE Hire, our agentic recruiting solution.” CFO Bob Schrader added, “This quarter we returned $424 million to shareholders through cash dividends.”

What Income Investors Should Watch Next Full-year adjusted EPS growth guidance held at 7% to 9%, so the annual math still works on paper. I’d keep an eye on Q2 revenue growth, which management pegged at approximately 4% against a tough compare, and on operating cash flow trends once the 10-Q lands. Jim Cramer previewed the quarter saying Paychex had a “full head of steam.” PAYX’s performance over the past week disagrees.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Quant Network, a leading enterprise blockchain company and the developer of the Overledger platform, has introduced its QNT token on the Solana blockchain. This launch marks a significant cross-chain expansion, positioning QNT within one of the most active layer-1 ecosystems in the crypto space.

QNT debuts on Solana through Sunrise and RaydiumThe integration is powered by Sunrise, an interoperability provider focused on facilitating asset transfers between blockchains. As part of the launch, QNT can now be traded on Solana’s leading decentralized exchange, Raydium, giving users access to high-speed trading and low fees offered by the Solana network. The move extends QNT beyond its original Ethereum ERC-20 deployment, where liquidity has so far been concentrated among centralized pools.

Raydium is known as an automated market maker and liquidity provider within the Solana ecosystem, allowing tokens to be traded with minimal slippage and near-instant settlement.

Mini dictionary: Raydium is a decentralized exchange on Solana, offering automated liquidity for token trading with a focus on speed and efficiency compared to traditional blockchain DEXs.

In a post on X, Sunrise confirmed the availability of QNT for spot trading on Raydium, highlighting the ease with which holders can now access the Solana ecosystem. Solana’s high-throughput design and low transaction costs make it attractive for both token holders and developers interested in experimenting with multi-chain strategies.

Institutional momentum and the role of The Clearing HouseQuant’s expansion onto Solana comes at a time when the company has gained traction in traditional finance circles. On September 24, 2026, The Clearing House, a central operator of US payment infrastructure including CHIPS and RTP, entered into a partnership with Quant to explore the use of tokenized commercial bank money via their On-Chain Money Initiative.

The Clearing House is responsible for facilitating payment systems that process trillions of dollars annually, making its alliances crucial for the ongoing convergence between traditional finance and digital assets. This collaboration aims to develop regulatory-compliant settlement methods for tokenized bank deposits in the US.

Although the On-Chain Money Initiative is unrelated to Solana specifically, Quant’s dual effort in institutional and public blockchain integration illustrates the company’s two-pronged approach. Details about participating banks, the value of contracts involved, and the potential impact on QNT demand remain undisclosed. The initiative is scheduled to conclude by 2027, with further updates expected as development progresses.

Trading opportunities and ecosystem impactIn late September, Solana DEX volumes reached over $2 billion per day, according to DeFiLlama, making it a prime venue for active trading. The launch opens doors for QNT holders to new trading routes, especially between Ethereum and Solana, potentially presenting arbitrage opportunities for traders and multichain flexibility for institutions managing regulated digital assets custody.

For Solana, the addition of QNT as an enterprise-linked asset introduces a novel dimension to its network, which has been widely associated with retail activity and memecoin interest. It highlights an industry trend towards integrating regulated institutions with permissionless blockchain technology.

“Bridge exploits cost the crypto industry more than $2.8 billion last cycle, underlining the importance of robust security and interoperability as more assets cross between networks,” Sunrise stated.

With QNT opening above $400 before retreating to $250 in late September, price action around the launch reflected heightened attention and a surge in market activity. Strategic focus now shifts to how Raydium’s liquidity, bulk orders via Jupiter, and ongoing collaborations such as Exinity’s with Binance will influence the Solana-based QNT market.

As the technical framework for the institutional side emerges over the coming months, developers and investors alike are watching how QNT’s growing multi-chain strategy might shape its relevance within the broader industry.

Key Highlights ADA maintains trading levels above $0.254, securing its position over the 200-day EMA at $0.240. A strategic partnership between Cardano Foundation and Pacific Meta aims to accelerate blockchain adoption across Japanese enterprises. Network engagement surged dramatically, with daily active addresses climbing from 15,588 to more than 27,500 within seven days. Positive funding rates emerge, while futures market data reveals potential overheating and cautious bearish sentiment. Market analyst Crypto Patel forecasts potential price objectives of $1, $3, and $5 contingent on sustained support levels. Cardano’s price action on Friday shows strength above the $0.254 mark. The cryptocurrency has successfully recovered ground above a critical support threshold following challenging conditions experienced during the earlier months of 2025.

Cardano (ADA) Price The resurgence in market attention stems partly from a significant corporate development. On Thursday, the Cardano Foundation unveiled a strategic collaboration with Pacific Meta.

Cardano is deepening its enterprise presence in Japan. 🇯🇵

We’re partnering with @PacificMeta to combine Cardano infrastructure with local market expertise and enterprise integration, helping Japanese companies bring real-world blockchain use cases to life.

Less talk about… pic.twitter.com/mEypDVTHx3

— Cardano Foundation (@Cardano_CF) October 1, 2026

This alliance focuses on accelerating enterprise-level blockchain integration throughout Japan. The Cardano Foundation outlined its objectives through an official statement on X.

“Through our collaboration with Pacific Meta, we’re merging Cardano’s robust infrastructure with specialized local market knowledge and enterprise-grade integration capabilities, enabling Japanese corporations to implement practical blockchain applications,” the Foundation stated.

Network Engagement Shows Strong Growth The metric of daily active addresses provides insight into actual blockchain utilization. Cardano’s figures in this category demonstrate notable expansion.

Data from Santiment indicates daily active addresses reached 27,548 on Thursday. This represents a significant increase from the 15,588 recorded one week prior. Friday’s figures maintained levels close to 26,800.

An increase in active addresses typically indicates expanding network utilization. This metric is commonly interpreted as a favorable indicator for token valuation prospects.

Funding rates have also shifted into positive territory this week, registering 0.0037% on Friday. This indicates that traders holding long positions are compensating short position holders, reflecting optimistic market sentiment.

However, not all indicators suggest upward momentum. Analysis from CryptoQuant reveals substantial whale activity within ADA’s futures markets, though with predominant selling pressure. Spot market conditions also display characteristics of overextension, suggesting traders should exercise prudence.

Technical Analysts Outline Ambitious Price Objectives Cryptocurrency analyst Sssebi posted technical analysis on X highlighting ADA’s consolidation pattern above a previously breached resistance zone. “This pattern typically demonstrates strong bullish characteristics and could lead to a significant upward movement,” Sssebi noted, suggesting the next leg could drive ADA beyond $0.30.

$ADA keeps consolidating above the resistance area it broke out of and is now using it as support.

This is usually very bullish and we could see a nice pump from here.

Hopefully the next move is above $0.30 pic.twitter.com/H5z5qygxBP

— Sssebi🦁 (@Sssebi) October 2, 2026

Meanwhile, analyst Crypto Patel presented an extended outlook for ADA through X. Patel characterizes ADA as currently residing in an accumulation phase, citing three technical indicators: sustained weekly support levels, preservation of the Fibonacci “golden pocket” zone, and successful reclamation of the $0.235 threshold.

Everyone Sold $ADA At -94%. Smart Money Bought It.

The Weekly Order Block Is Defended, The Golden Pocket Held, And $0.235 Is Reclaimed. The Same Demand Zone Sat Under The 2021 Run.

Targets: $1 → $3 → $5 🚀
Invalidation: Weekly Close Below $0.137 @Cardano pic.twitter.com/eXQjdqzy6Z

— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) September 30, 2026

“The weekly order block remains defended, the golden pocket zone held firm, and the $0.235 level has been reclaimed,” Patel explained.

Patel’s technical analysis identifies a support corridor spanning $0.14 to $0.20, which the analyst designates as a “bullish order block.” Historical data within the chart demonstrates ADA previously rallied over 87% after rebounding from this identical zone during the June through September timeframe.

The analyst’s price objectives include $1, $3, and $5 levels. Achieving the $1 milestone would represent approximately a 292% appreciation from present values. The chart additionally features an extended projection approaching $10, though this extends beyond Patel’s primary targets.

Patel identified a critical invalidation threshold: any weekly close beneath $0.137 would nullify the bullish scenario.

From a technical perspective, Cardano maintains its position above the 50-day EMA at $0.220, the 100-day EMA at $0.212, and the 200-day EMA at $0.240. The Relative Strength Index registers approximately 63, positioned slightly above neutral range.

Near-term support is established at $0.245 and the 200-day EMA at $0.240. The subsequent resistance barrier stands at $0.299, where a daily close above this threshold would be necessary to sustain the ongoing recovery trajectory.

PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: IART), a leading global medical technology company, today announced the launch of a proposed $600 million seven-year Senior Secured Term Loan B as part of a broader refinancing transaction.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Term Loan B, together with other sources of financing, to refinance certain of its existing indebtedness and pay associated fees and expenses.

“This transaction allows us to refinance our existing debt, extend maturities and maintain financial flexibility. It positions us well as we continue to focus on disciplined capital allocation and deleveraging,” said Lea Knight, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

The proposed financing is expected to be completed in conjunction with a refinancing of the Company’s existing capital structure, subject to market and other customary conditions. There can be no assurance as to whether or when the financing will be completed, or as to the final size, terms, or pricing of the transaction.

About Integra LifeSciences

Integra LifeSciences (Nasdaq: IART) is a global medical technology leader dedicated to restoring lives. We are advancing transformational care through impactful innovation in neurosurgery and tissue reconstruction, specialized fields that demand exceptional expertise and precision. Our portfolio of highly differentiated, gold-standard technologies is trusted by healthcare professionals to deliver transformative care. For the latest news and information about Integra LifeSciences and its products, please visit www.integralife.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the proposed financing transaction, expected use of proceeds, capital structure, liquidity, leverage and financial flexibility. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described. Integra undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Investor Relations:

Chris Ward

(609) 772-7736

[email protected]   

Media Contact:

Laurene Isip

(609) 208-8121

[email protected]

Panmure Liberum has maintained its 'buy' rating on Land Securities Group PLC (LSE:LAND), the property investment company, with a target price of 710p, after the company agreed to acquire the Metrocentre shopping centre in Gateshead.

Landsec has exchanged contracts to buy 100% of Metrocentre for £516 million in net cash consideration, funded through a roughly £500 million equity raise and existing debt facilities.

The equity raise will also partly fund a further £100 million acquisition of interests in Landsec's existing retail portfolio.

Metrocentre generates £41 million of in-place net rental income, implying a net initial yield of 7.9%, with Landsec expecting a low double-digit unlevered internal rate of return.

The broker said it saw around 40 basis points of near-term yield upside from efficiencies across Landsec's wider property platform.

Metrocentre ranks among the UK's ten largest shopping centres, spanning 1.86 million square feet of retail space plus a further 200,000 square feet of retail park, with 282 stores and 95% occupancy.

The centre attracts more than 16 million visitors a year and generates around £650 million in annual retail sales, with tenants including Apple, Zara, Marks & Spencer and Primark.

Completion is expected by the end of October, subject to the dissolution of a legacy Intu entity and bondholder consent, with more than 80% of bondholders already indicating support.

Panmure Liberum said the acquisition and equity raise were expected to be broadly neutral to earnings per share for the remainder of the current financial year, before becoming accretive from the 2028 financial year.

The broker said Landsec now had increased visibility on reaching EPRA earnings per share of around 62p by the 2030 financial year.

Completion of three additional 25 MW data halls brings fully operational capacity at Polaris Forge 1 to 250 MW  | Source: Applied Digital Corporation

DALLAS, Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Digital (NASDAQ: APLD), a U.S. based designer, developer, owner and operator of large-scale, purpose-built data centers engineered to support high-performance computing (“HPC”) workloads, including artificial intelligence (“AI”), machine learning, and other accelerated-compute applications, today announced it has achieved Ready for Service for the second phase of Building 2 at its Polaris Forge 1 campus, delivering an additional 75 MW of critical IT load across three 25 MW data halls.

The milestone completes Building 2’s full 150 MW of critical IT load and brings fully operational critical IT load at Polaris Forge 1 to 250 MW. The fully leased AI Factory Campus is contracted to deliver 400 MW of critical IT load at full buildout.

“Bringing another 75 MW of AI infrastructure online at Polaris Forge 1 further demonstrates our ability to turn large-scale power into operational AI infrastructure,” said Wes Cummins, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Digital. “Securing power is only the starting point. The real work is designing, building, commissioning, and operating the infrastructure that transforms those megawatts into usable capacity for customers. That is the capability we continue to scale across our platform.”

The latest delivery follows the first 100 MW building at Polaris Forge 1 and the initial 75 MW phase of Building 2. With 250 MW now operational, Polaris Forge 1 reflects Applied Digital’s repeatable approach to developing and operating large-scale infrastructure purpose-built for advanced AI and high-performance computing workloads.

Polaris Forge 1 is located in Ellendale, North Dakota, where Applied Digital has operated since 2021 and built long-standing relationships with local leaders, partners, and community stakeholders. As the campus continues to expand, the Company remains focused on responsible development, local partnership, and creating long-term value in the communities where it builds.

About Applied Digital

Applied Digital (Nasdaq: APLD) — named Best Data Center in the Americas 2025 by Datacloud — designs, builds, and operates high-performance, sustainably engineered data centers and colocation services for artificial intelligence, cloud, networking, and blockchain workloads. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, and founded in 2021, the company combines hyperscale expertise, closed-loop cooling, and rapid deployment capabilities to deliver secure, scalable compute at industry-leading speed and efficiency, while creating economic opportunities in underserved communities through its AI Factory franchise model.

Learn more at applieddigital.com or follow @APLDdigital on X and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, future operating and financial performance, product development, market position, business strategy and objectives, and future financing plans. These statements use words, and variations of words, such as “will,” “continue,” “build,” “future,” “increase,” “drive,” “believe,” “look,” “ahead,” “confident,” “proven,” “deliver,” “outlook,” “expect,” “project” and “predict.” Other examples of forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, (i) statements that reflect perspectives and expectations regarding lease agreements and any current or prospective data center campus development; (ii) statements about the high-performance computing (HPC) industry; (iii) statements of company plans and objectives, including the company’s evolving business model, or estimates or predictions of actions by suppliers; (iv) statements of future economic performance; and (v) statements of assumptions underlying other statements and statements about the company or its business. You are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events and thus are inherently subject to uncertainty. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the company’s expectations and projections. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, among others: whether or not our customers exercise the renewal options under their leases with us (if not, we will not recognize further revenue from such customer under its respective lease); our ability to complete construction of our data center campuses as planned; the lead time of customer acquisition and leasing decisions and related internal approval processes; changes to artificial intelligence and HPC infrastructure needs and their impact on future plans; costs related to the HPC operations and strategy; our ability to timely deliver any services required in connection with completion of installation under lease agreements; our ability to raise additional capital to fund the ongoing datacenter construction and operations; our ability to obtain financing of datacenter leases and more broadly for our development and general corporate activities; our dependence on principal customers, including our ability to execute and perform our obligations under our leases with key customers; our ability to timely and successfully build new hosting facilities with the appropriate contractual margins and efficiencies; power or other supply disruptions and equipment failures; the inability to comply with regulations, developments and changes in regulations; cash flow and access to capital; availability of financing to continue to grow our business; decline in demand for our products and services; maintenance of third party relationships; and conditions in the debt and equity capital markets. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties, and other factors can be found in the company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections captioned “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors,” and in the company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, on the company’s website (www.applieddigital.com) under “Investors,” or on request from the company. Information in this press release is as of the dates and time periods indicated herein, and the company does not undertake to update any of the information contained in these materials, except as required by law.

Media Contact
JSA (Jaymie Scotto & Associates)
(856) 264-7827
[email protected]

Investor Relations Contacts
Matt Glover or Ralf Esper
Gateway Group, Inc.
(949) 574-3860
[email protected]

A single capacity announcement from Toshiba sent two of this year's hottest storage stocks into freefall while the rest of the memory sector shrugged it off, and the reason behind that split tells you everything about where the HDD trade…

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One capacity announcement from Toshiba is splitting the storage trade in two, hitting the hard disk drive (HDD) makers heavily while the broader memory group barely moves. Seagate Technology Holdings (NASDAQ:STX | STX Price Prediction) stock is down 10% to $849.79 in morning trading, the sharpest decline among the storage names. Meanwhile, Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) shares are slipping 7% to $429.45 as the pure-play HDD company takes a similar hit.

The Roundhill Memory ETF (CBOE:DRAM) is up 0.82% to $62.54, even though Seagate and Western Digital sit among its holdings. Meanwhile, the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ) is up 1.17% to $750.73, so large-cap technology stocks are trading stronger overall. The Roundhill fund would have dropped alongside the two drive makers in a broad memory selloff, so the damage looks confined to one product line.

Demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers turned Seagate and Western Digital into two of the year’s standout technology stocks, and Toshiba wants a bigger share of it. Both Seagate and Western Digital beat earnings estimates in every quarter of fiscal 2026, which puts the focus of the selloff directly on future supply.

Toshiba Plans to Double Its Hard Drive Output Toshiba plans to double its HDD production capacity, with the expansion centered on its manufacturing facility in the Philippines. The Japanese company is aiming the added output at storage demand from AI data centers, the same customers that have fueled surging results at Seagate and Western Digital.

Toshiba, the smallest of the three companies that control HDD manufacturing, has set a medium-term target of 30% of the market measured by storage capacity. Reaching that goal would mean taking market share from Seagate and Western Digital in an industry where tight supply has supported rising prices.

Hard Drive Makers Slide While Memory Stocks Hold Firm What Seagate and Western Digital share, and what separates both from the rest of the storage group, is concentrated exposure to the exact product Toshiba plans to build more of. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU), SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) and SK Hynix (NASDAQ:SKHY) benefit from the same AI infrastructure boom through memory chips and flash storage without that HDD concentration. That likely explains why the Roundhill fund is holding steady.

Both stocks’ big runs this year leave them sensitive to news suggesting the industry’s supply and demand balance could loosen. Before the drop, Seagate shares were up 210% year to date (YTD), and Western Digital stock was up 150% YTD.

Western Digital CEO Irving Tan linked pricing directly to scarcity on the company’s August 5 earnings call, stating, “In the very tight supply environment that we’re in, that provides us an opportunity for increased pricing leverage as well.” Seagate has leaned on the same discipline, with chief executive Dave Mosley asserting on the company’s April 28 call, “The total number of units is not really increasing.” Toshiba’s plan to double its output works directly against that approach.

What to Watch Next Long-term contracts give Seagate and Western Digital some protection against Toshiba’s added supply. Nearline capacity at Seagate (the high-capacity drives sold to data centers) was almost fully allocated through calendar 2027, the company stated in April. Guidance from Western Digital calls for the company’s fiscal Q1 2027 revenue to reach $4.1 billion, plus or minus $100 million.

What remains unknown is how quickly Toshiba’s new capacity reaches cloud buyers. Any slide in the Roundhill Memory ETF to match the two stocks would suggest the worry is spreading beyond HDDs.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Coca-Cola just cut another quarterly check to shareholders, but the real story is what the payout reveals about the company's financial strength, its ongoing IRS battle, and whether 64 consecutive years of dividend raises are in jeopardy.

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Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO | KO Price Prediction) shareholders received $0.53 per share on October 1, 2026. The board declared the dividend on July 15, 2026, and the ex-dividend date was September 15, 2026. Shares held before that date earned the dividend. Buyers from that date forward must wait for the next quarter.

The payout for this quarter is the same as the prior quarter’s. The annual raise came earlier in the year, so this check adds one more quarter to one of the longest dividend records on the market.

Dividend Scorecard: Payment, Pace, and Price Metric Figure Quarterly dividend paid October 1, 2026 $0.53 Same-quarter payment a year earlier (October 1, 2025) $0.51 Trailing 12-month dividends per share $2.10 Annualized forward dividend rate $2.12 Share price (close, October 1, 2026) $86.10 Trailing dividend yield 2.5% The forward rate of $2.12 runs ahead of the trailing total of $2.10, because the higher quarterly rate has not yet been in place for a full four quarters.

The yield is moderate. The stock has gained 24.6% year to date and 30.3% over the past year, and that rally has pulled the yield lower even as the payout grew. Shares trade at about 26 times trailing earnings and 25 times forward earnings. They trade between a 52-week low of $65.84 and a high of $92.49.

Safety Check: Earnings and Cash Flow Cover the Payout Coverage matters more than yield here, and the coverage numbers hold up. Trailing diluted EPS is $3.33, well above the $2.10 in dividends paid per share over the same stretch. In the quarter ended June 30, 2026, Coca-Cola earned $4.43 billion in net income and paid $2.28 billion in common dividends.

Furthermore, operating cash flow reached $5.52 billion in the second quarter against capital spending of $418 million. Management reported first-half free cash flow of “approximately $6.9 billion,” up from the prior year. Full-year free cash flow guidance is about $12.4 billion, raised from $12.2 billion. For scale, the company paid $8.78 billion in dividends during all of 2025.

There is a caveat. Reported operating cash flow for 2025 was $7.41 billion, below the dividend outlay. The shortfall came from a one-time item: the Fairlife contingent consideration payment made in the first quarter of 2025, which drove operating cash flow in that quarter to negative $5.20 billion. Cash generation in the four quarters since then points to a business that funds its dividend from ongoing operations.

Balance Sheet Leaves Room to Spare As of June 30, 2026, Coca-Cola held $12.91 billion in cash and equivalents against $43.54 billion in total debt. Shareholder equity rose to $36.15 billion at the end of 2025 from $32.17 billion in the prior year. Management put the leverage figure in context during the July earnings call:

Our balance sheet remains strong with our net debt leverage of 1.4 times EBITDA, which is below our target range of 2 to 2.5 times. Given the momentum of our business and the strength of our balance sheet, we have increased flexibility and optionality to continue to both reinvest in our business and return capital to share owners.

63 Straight Years of Raises Behind This Payment Coca-Cola had raised its dividend for 63 consecutive years through 2025. The move from $0.51 to $0.53 per quarter shows the 2026 increase went through on schedule. That record puts Coca-Cola well past the 50-year mark that defines a Dividend King.

Total cash paid to shareholders has risen steadily, from $7.25 billion in 2021 to $7.62 billion in 2022, $7.95 billion in 2023, $8.36 billion in 2024, and $8.78 billion in 2025. Over the same period, the share count edged down from 4.34 billion to 4.31 billion, so each remaining share captures a slightly larger portion of the payout.

Operating Momentum Supports the Next Raise The dividend is backed by a growing business. Second-quarter EPS of $0.97 beat the $0.9323 consensus estimate. Revenue of $13.38 billion rose 6.7% year over year. Operating margin expanded to 34.9% from 34.1%, and global unit case volume grew 5%, with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar up 16%.

The company raised its 2026 outlook and now expects comparable EPS growth of “9 to 10% versus $3 in 2025,” along with organic revenue growth of “approximately 5%.” Chief Executive Henrique Braun said, “I’m confident we are well positioned to deliver on our raised 2026 guidance.” Some institutional investors see value at current levels. A Fidelity fund manager recently told Barron’s that Coca-Cola shares look like bargains.

What Income Holders Should Track Next IRS tax dispute: Coca-Cola presented oral arguments before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in June, and management said, “the timing of a decision from the appellate court is unknown at this stage.” A win would give the company access to funds already deposited with the IRS. A loss is laid out in its financial statements. Third-quarter earnings report: Management expects concentrate shipments to lag unit case volume by a point in the third quarter, which could make reported growth look softer than underlying demand. Free cash flow delivery: Hitting the $12.4 billion target would leave dividend coverage comfortable going into the next annual increase decision. Consumer pressure: Management noted that lower-income consumers remain under pressure in North America and globally, a factor that bears on volume. Income investors can take comfort knowing that earnings cover the dividend with room to spare, 2026 free cash flow is on track to exceed the full annual payout, leverage remains below management’s own target, and more than six decades of continuous increases stand behind each quarterly check. Also, the yield is moderate after a strong run in the stock.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.