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Hassan Shittu

Journalist

Hassan Shittu

Part of the Team Since

Jun 2023

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Hassan, a Cryptonews.com journalist with 6+ years of experience in Web3 journalism, brings deep knowledge across Crypto, Web3 Gaming, NFTs, and Play-to-Earn sectors. His work has appeared in...

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December 18, 2025

A U.S. federal judge has allowed new evidence to be added to a sprawling class-action lawsuit tied to Solana-based memecoin platform Pump.fun.

This happened after a whistleblower resurfaced with nearly 5,000 internal chat messages that plaintiffs say shed new light on alleged insider trading and transaction manipulation.

Pumpdotfun & Solana lawsuit update:

Leave to amend (file new complaint) GRANTED

“What appeared to be a fair, automated marketplace was, Plaintiffs say, structurally tilted to extract value from ordinary users while rewarding those with privileged access to Solana's… pic.twitter.com/mctvXdWScM

— Burwick Law (@BurwickLaw) December 15, 2025
In a December 9, 2025 order filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Colleen McMahon granted plaintiffs permission to amend and refile their complaint against Pump.fun, MEV infrastructure firm Jito Labs, the Solana Foundation, Solana Labs, and related executives.

Retail Losses, Insider Priority Alleged in Pump.fun MEV LawsuitThe decision clears the way for the case to proceed with expanded factual allegations centered on maximal extractable value, or MEV.

This controversial practice allows validators or sophisticated traders to profit by reordering transactions within a blockchain block.

The lawsuit was brought by Diego Aguilar, Kendall Carnahan, and lead plaintiff Michael Okafor on behalf of investors who purchased tokens launched on Pump.fun between March 1, 2024 and July 23, 2025 and later incurred losses.

Plaintiffs allege the defendants operated what they describe as a coordinated “Pump Enterprise” that secretly gave insiders priority access to newly launched tokens while marketing those launches to the public as fair and resistant to rug pulls.

According to the complaint, Solana Labs’ validator infrastructure allegedly enabled transaction ordering control, while tools developed by Jito Labs allowed certain participants to pay for priority execution.

Pump.fun is accused of acting as the public-facing venue that launched the tokens, collected fees on every trade, and promoted a fair-launch narrative despite allegedly knowing insiders had structural advantages.

Plaintiffs say insiders bought tokens at low prices before public trading, triggering rapid price increases through automated bonding curves and leaving retail buyers to absorb losses once insiders exited.

Judge McMahon said the new evidence, supplied by a confidential informant who reappeared in September 2025, was not previously available and that plaintiffs acted diligently in seeking to amend their filing.

She rejected, however, a request to submit additional material under seal and outside the defendants’ view, citing fairness and transparency concerns.

Under the court’s schedule, plaintiffs must file their second amended complaint by December 19, with motions to dismiss due by January 23, 2026.

After Ethereum, Now Solana: MEV Faces Growing Legal ReckoningThe case builds on earlier litigation filed in July accusing Pump.fun of operating an illegal “meme coin casino” that allegedly generated more than $722 million in revenue while inflicting between $4 billion and $5.5 billion in losses on retail traders.

Court filings claim the platform processes tens of billions of dollars in cumulative trading volume and launches tens of thousands of tokens daily, while the vast majority of user addresses fail to realize meaningful profits.

At the center of the dispute is MEV, a practice that has become increasingly prevalent across major blockchains.

MEV involves extracting profit by influencing the order in which transactions are processed, often through front-running or sandwich attacks.

Research cited in recent court filings and industry reports shows MEV bots now consume a substantial share of blockspace on Solana and Ethereum-based networks, contributing to higher fees and uneven execution outcomes for ordinary users.

The legal scrutiny around MEV has intensified following criminal cases tied to similar tactics.

In one closely watched matter, two MIT-educated brothers, Anton and James Peraire-Bueno, were charged with wire fraud and money laundering after allegedly exploiting Ethereum’s validator layer to extract $25 million in seconds.

Although a jury later failed to reach a verdict, prompting a mistrial, the case marked the first criminal prosecution centered on MEV manipulation and shows the difficulty courts face when applying traditional fraud statutes to blockchain mechanics.

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The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Danh C. Vo, founder and chief executive officer of defunct Bitcoin mining company VBit Technologies, with misappropriating $48.5 million from investors and using portions of the funds for gambling and family gifts.

The complaint was filed on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in the US District Court for the District of Delaware.

Vo reportedly raised over $95.6 million from roughly 6,400 investors between December 2018 and February 2022 before closing shop later that year.

The SEC alleges that Vo deceived investors by selling hosting agreements for substantially more mining rigs than VBit actually operated.

Why is VBit’s CEO facing SEC charges?
VBit marketed itself as offering investors “a turnkey solution for average people to start making a passive income stream through Bitcoin mining without all the headaches of operating the machines,” according to the SEC complaint.

It gave investors the options of purchasing mining rigs directly or entering into hosting agreements, with most opting for the latter arrangement that promised passive profits without having to physically deal with the technical complexities of operating a mining rig.

The hosting packages were Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Black Diamond tiers, with the top-tier package valued at $113,908, covering eight mining rigs.

The SEC has classified these hosting agreements as unregistered securities, adding that investors expected profits derived primarily from the efforts of third parties.

As founder and CEO, Vo “had ultimate authority over the entire company and directed the information posted on the company’s website, in promotional materials, and what was reflected in investors’ online accounts,” regulators said.

The classification brings VBit’s operations under securities law jurisdiction, exposing Vo to charges of violating provisions of both the Securities Act and Securities Exchange Act.

Where did all the money go?
Prior to federal action, multiple state regulators had taken enforcement measures against VBit. California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation issued a desist and refrain order in January 2024 after determining that the scheme affected at least 1,016 state residents.

Washington’s Department of Financial Institutions fined VBit $15,000 in July 2022 while also ordering it to pay back the $156,000 of Bitcoin mining packages it sold to approximately 82 residents of the state.

In September 2023, the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) “ordered VBit to cease offering or selling unregistered securities in the state and to pay a $180,000 fine and restitution to three known Montana victims.”

What will happen to VBit’s Vo now?
In January 2022, VBit announced that it had been acquired by Advanced Mining Group, an Asian-based company primarily focused on Bitcoin mining, in a deal worth $105 million.

However, according to the SEC, “Advanced Mining did not exist as a legitimate business prior to the ‘acquisition’ of VBit” and neither it nor VBit registered or attempted to register with the Commission on the offering of securities under the Securities Act.

Advanced Mining, which appeared to serve as a brief reboot of VBit’s operations under new branding, collapsed within weeks of the acquisition. The Bitcoin mining firm is now defunct, the SEC confirmed.

The SEC seeks permanent injunctions against Vo, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, civil monetary penalties, and a bar preventing him from serving as an officer or director of any public company.

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Key takeaways:

SOL lagged the altcoin market as falling fees and DApp revenues signaled weaker Solana network demand.

Growth shifted to Base, Arbitrum, Polygon and BNB Chain, reducing the odds of a near-term SOL rebound.

Solana’s native token, SOL (SOL), has fallen 32% since November, underperforming the broader altcoin market, which declined 21%. This gap has become a concern for bulls, especially given inflows into SOL exchange-traded funds and a growing number of companies adding the asset to their balance sheets as a reserve strategy. 

Traders are now questioning what would need to change for SOL price to reestablish a sustained bullish trend.

SOL/USD (blue) vs. Total crypto capitalization (red). Source: TradingViewThe Solana ETF industry in the US has accumulated $636 million in assets since the launch of the REX-Osprey SOL+Staking ETF in July. At the same time, companies such as Forward Industries (FORD US), Solana Company (HSDT US) and Sharps Technology (STSS US) have collectively added 20.35 million SOL to their balance sheets, valued at more than $2.5 billion.

Native staking on Solana has also helped limit the amount of SOL immediately available for sale. Nearly 68% of the circulating supply is currently delegated to the network’s proof-of-stake system, a share that has increased steadily over the past few months. Staking yields on Solana can exceed 6%, as SOL remains inflationary to offset the costs of operating validators.

Native staked SOL on Solana network. Source: StakingRewardsTotal staked SOL rose to 418 million from 410 million two months earlier, extending a trend that has been in place since March. As a result, SOL’s drop back toward the $120 level appears more closely tied to softer expectations for Solana network demand. Broader crypto adoption trends may have shifted toward competing platforms or alternative solutions that do not require direct blockchain settlement.

Solana network weekly chain fees vs. DApps revenue, USD. Source: DefiLlamaSolana onchain activity has been in steady decline since August, with weekly network fees falling to $4.5 million from $7 million just two months earlier. Decentralized applications (DApps) on Solana also experienced a 30% decline in revenue over the same period, dropping to $26 million per week. While Solana’s utility weakened, activity on other networks accelerated.

Solana onchain activity outpaced by Ethereum’s L2 ecosystem Top blockchains ranked by 30-day fees. Source: NansenMonthly transaction counts increased by just 4% on Solana and 6% on Ethereum. In contrast, activity surged 34% on Base, 21% on Arbitrum and 89% on Polygon. Even Tron, a direct competitor of Solana, recorded a 13% rise in 30-day transactions. The Ethereum layer-2 ecosystem continued to expand, offering low fees and collectively exceeding Solana’s $8.5 billion in total value locked (TVL).

SOL investors also grew more cautious following the relative success of BNB Chain DApps such as Aster decentralized exchange and Four-meme, a memecoin launch platform. Support from the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange gives these projects easier access to developers, marketing channels and a large user base. Binance’s recent move into prediction markets may further weaken the bullish case for SOL.

SOL is unlikely to close its performance gap versus the broader altcoin market without a clear reversal in Solana onchain activity. Whether competition comes from other blockchain networks or from traditional fintech players, such as Nasdaq’s plans for 23-hour trading, the prospects for sustained bullish momentum in SOL remain limited.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as, legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.

Despite retracing in a major drawdown in recent months, crypto asset manager Bitwise thinks Bitcoin (BTC) will hit fresh record highs again in 2026, bucking the traditional four-year market cycle.

The forecast comes as other pundits are divided on whether Bitcoin will stray from its historical pattern or follow the historic halving cycle and peak in the coming months.

Why Bitcoin Will Defy Its 4-Year Bull/Bear Market Cycle
Bitcoin has traditionally followed a pattern of three strong years followed by a brutal retreat, suggesting 2026 should be bearish. With the price of BTC down over 31% from its Oct. 6 all-time high of just above $126,000 and most altcoins faring much worse, that’s a view widely shared by the majority of market analysts.

Bitwise, however, noted that the long-watched four-year halving cycle is dead for several reasons, including the diminishing strength of previous cycle indicators, expectations for lowering interest rates in 2026, a reduction in leverage-driven crashes following historic liquidations in October, and an improving regulatory environment.

“In our view, the forces that previously drove four-year cycles — the Bitcoin halving, interest rate cycles, and crypto’s leverage-fueled booms and busts — are significantly weaker than they’ve been in past cycles,” Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan wrote in a recent blog post. 

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Most notably, Hougan believes that accelerating institutional adoption in 2026 following the pro-crypto regulatory shift under the Donald Trump administration will help Bitcoin find new highs next year instead of a classic post-halving bear market.

“We expect the combination of these factors will push Bitcoin to new all-time highs, relegating the four-year cycle to history’s dustbin,” Hougan postulated. 

Bitcoin More Likely To See “Strong Returns”
Notably, Bitcoin has dropped by over 17% over the past year despite its run to new record highs in 2025. On the contrary, stock indices such as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 are up 14.5% and 12%, respectively, over the same time frame. 

Bitwise’s Hougan expects the top crypto’s correlation with equities to fall further in 2026 owing to regulatory progress and institutional inflows. He also predicted that Bitcoin, infamous for its high volatility, will be less volatile than the leading chipmaker stock, Nvidia, next year.

Putting those predictions together with the end of the four-year cycle gives investors the “trifecta” of “strong returns, less volatility, and lower correlations,” in Hougan’s opinion. If these conditions play out, he expects tens of billions of dollars in fresh institutional capital to enter the market.

Altcoins plunge as bitcoin's $85,000 test triggers $550 million in liquidationsSolana tumbled below $120 to its weakest price since April, while SUI, DOGE and ADA also fell sharply. Dec 18, 2025, 9:46 p.m.

Crypto losses accelerated Thursday afternoon as bitcoin BTC$85,573.69 broke below the key $85,000 support level, dipping to $84,500 — its weakest price in nearly three weeks — before rebounding slightly.

The move erased BTC’s morning rally to $89,500 and dragged the broader crypto market lower. Ether ETH$2,827.78 fell under $2,800, down 1.1% in the past 24 hours, while Solana’s SOL dropped 4% to below $120, its lowest since April.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Altcoins led the rout, with ADA$0.3542, DOGE$0.1231, and SUI plunging more than 5%, outpacing bitcoin’s 1.6% daily drop.

The wild price swings across the board triggered $550 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours on derivatives markets, CoinGlass data shows, flushing out both short and long leveraged trading positions.

The $85,000 level had served as a key area of support in recent weeks, with BTC finding buyers there multiple times. Analysts at AmberData, a crypto analytics firm, described this level as "crucial," and BTC losing it decisively could open the door to a deeper correction toward $80,000, analysts at crypto analytics firm AmberData warned.

A check on perpetual swaps markets shows that funding rates for many altcoins' have turned negative, CoinGlass data shows, meaning that short positions, seeking to profit from lower prices, are paying long positions a fee to keep their positions open. That signals traders remain cautious and risk-off.

Perp funding rates (annualized) on major exchanges (CoinGlass)

Still, the absence of a spike in trading volume suggests the market is undergoing a "orderly deleveraging," rather than panic selling, AmberData analysts said.

"Lack of volume spike on selloff indicates sellers exhausted rather than fresh supply emerging," they said.

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PYMNTS
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 | 

PayPal is reportedly extending the role of its stablecoin into artificial intelligence finance.

That means linking the PYUSD coin to on-chain funding mechanisms from USD.AI, a stablecoin protocol offering credit to AI firms, CoinDesk reported Thursday (Dec. 18).

Loans issued by USD.AI to finance graphics processing units (GPUs), data centers and other AI infrastructures will be denominated in PYUSD, the report said. Borrowers will be able to have proceeds deposited directly into their PayPal accounts.

The approach is designed to mesh familiar payment workflows with programmable settlement aimed at long-term financing, rentals and emerging agent-driven transactions, according to the report. It also shows how stablecoins can be used as settlement instruments for capital-intensive industries outside of cryptocurrency.

Meanwhile, stablecoins on blockchain rails can help address payment frictions such as multiday settlement, foreign exchange slippage, float costs, limited transparency and reconciliation burden, PYMNTS reported in October.

“Because stablecoins are typically pegged to fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar, volatility is minimized,” the report said. “Settlement can become atomic and near instant. Token transfer and transaction metadata move together. Liquidity can be supplied just in time, so capital isn’t locked across multiple nostro accounts. Programmable rules can embed reconciliation, enforce compliance or trigger conditional transfers.”

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Stablecoins have emerged as connective settlement layers in B2B cross-border flows, allowing chief financial officers to manage liquidity more efficiently. When Coinbase reported its quarterly earnings in July, CEO and co-founder Brian Armstrong said cross-border stablecoin payments are likely a $40 trillion opportunity, with the B2B market accounting for 75% of that.

PayPal’s move comes amid a surge in demand for AI infrastructure, CoinDesk’s Thursday report said. Morgan Stanley has estimated that worldwide AI compute spending could hit $6.7 trillion by 2029, which puts pressure on traditional capital markets and payment systems. Capital expenditure for AI could reach $360 billion for the year.

By the end of next year, Citi expects capital expenditures among hyperscalers, or data center operators, to reach $490 billion, up from a prior estimate of $420 billion.

To encourage adoption, PayPal and the USD.AI Foundation plan to roll out a one-year customer-incentive program offering 4.5% on up to $1 billion in deposits starting next month, according to the report.

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Let's dive into why Shiba Inu is lapping the crypto market today in terms of its downside move.

It's been another down day in the cryptocurrency market, with the entire universe of digital assets sinking around 0.8% over the past 24 hours. However, as of 4:45 p.m. ET, Shiba Inu (SHIB 5.99%) is one of today's biggest decliners, sinking 5.7% since the same time yesterday.

Today's Change

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-5.99

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-0.00

Current Price

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This move comes amid strong headwinds for speculative assets as a whole, and Shiba Inu could be considered among the most speculative assets in an already risky sector. Thus, these types of intraday moves aren't uncommon, and investors in meme tokens such as this should be prepared for such volatility.

Of course, it's nice when risk-on sentiment drives highly volatile moves to the upside. However, lately, the mood has shifted, and bears appear to be in near complete control of the narrative in this sector.

As it happens, there are also some token-specific factors contributing to Shiba Inu's lower price today. Let's take a closer look at what investors in this community are watching closely.

Token supply continues to provide headaches for investors

Source: Getty Images.

With a circulating supply of 589.4 trillion tokens, Shiba Inu's immense token issuances in the past have led to downward inflationary pressures on its price. As more tokens have been issued, the network's overall market capitalization has been essentially divided into smaller slices, leaving existing investors with a smaller stake in this vibrant community.

Now, the Shiba Inu team has proposed several mechanisms to reduce the existing token count in the market, with token burns being the key mechanism that investors view as a potential catalyst for token price appreciation. The thing is, several notable experts have pointed out that (as of this morning), Shiba Inu's token burn count over the past day was precisely zero.

With more than 400 trillion tokens burned and permanently removed from circulation thus far, hopes that the burn ramp would continue appear to be dashed, at least in the near term. In combination with increasing liquidation activity and ongoing bearish market sentiment, Shiba Inu's near-term outlook appears to have deteriorated.

Chris MacDonald has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Bitcoin is trading around $85,000, with a muted response to softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data.

CryptocurrencyTickerPriceBitcoin(CRYPTO: BTC)$85,553Ethereum(CRYPTO: ETH)$2,825Solana(CRYPTO: SOL)$119.45XRP(CRYPTO: XRP)$1.82Dogecoin(CRYPTO: DOGE)$0.1207Shiba Inu(CRYPTO: SHIB)$0.057071Notable Statistics:

Coinglass data shows 154,181 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $504.89 million.       
In the past 24 hours, top losers include MYX Finance, Pump.fun and Aster.
Notable Developments:

Coinbase: Analyst Slashes Price Target, Says Investors ‘Miss The Big Picture’
Ethereum Bear Who Made $500,000 Shorting ETH Now Bets $1 Million Against It
SoFi Launches First ‘Bank-Issued’ Stablecoin
Bitcoin Adoption Slowing Due To ‘Perceived’ Quantum Risk? Popular Analyst Says What Matters Is If Investors Can Sniff The Peril
Trader Notes: Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez says Bitcoin remains boxed in on lower timeframes, facing resistance near $89,900 and support around $85,400. A breakout could revive upside momentum, while a breakdown risks deeper losses.

Daan Crypto Trades notes BTC has yet to sweep either its monthly high or low, a setup that typically resolves before month-end, making the current range increasingly tense.

Michael van de Poppe adds that despite bullish CPI data, Bitcoin failed to sustain gains. The $88,000 level remains the key hurdle; without a clean reclaim, downside pressure persists.

With the BOJ decision looming, risk assets are diverging, Nasdaq is pushing higher, gold is steady, but crypto continues to lag as traders brace for potential rate-hike volatility.

Read Next:

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana To Hit All-Time Highs In 2026, Bitwise Predicts
Image: Shutterstock

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© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

US inflation delivered its biggest downside surprise in months. Yet instead of a sustained rally, both Bitcoin and US equities sold off sharply during US trading hours. 

The price action puzzled many traders, but the charts point to a familiar explanation rooted in market structure, positioning, and liquidity rather than macro fundamentals.

What Happened After the US CPI ReleaseHeadline CPI slowed to 2.7% year over year in November, well below the 3.1% forecast. Core CPI also undershot expectations at 2.6%. 

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On paper, this was one of the most risk-positive inflation prints of 2025. Markets initially reacted as expected. Bitcoin jumped toward the $89,000 area, while the S&P 500 spiked higher shortly after the data hit.

That rally did not last.

Bitcoin Price Briefly Rallies and Dumps After US CPI Data. Source: CoinGeckoWithin roughly 30 minutes of the CPI print, Bitcoin reversed sharply. After tagging intraday highs near $89,200, BTC sold off aggressively, sliding toward the $85,000 area. 

The S&P 500 followed a similar path, with sharp intraday swings that erased much of the initial CPI-driven gains before stabilizing.

S&P 500 Sharply Drops and then Spikes After US CPI. Source: X/Kobeissi LetterThis synchronized reversal across crypto and equities matters. It signals that the move was not asset-specific or sentiment-driven. It was structural.

Bitcoin Taker Sell Volume Tells the StoryThe clearest clue comes from Bitcoin’s taker sell volume data.

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On the intraday chart, large spikes in taker sell volume appeared precisely as Bitcoin broke lower. Taker sells reflect market orders hitting the bid — aggressive selling, not passive profit-taking. 

These spikes clustered during US market hours and coincided with the fastest part of the decline.

Bitcoin Taker Volume Across All Exchanges On December 18. Source: CryptoQuantThe weekly view reinforces this pattern. Similar sell-side bursts appeared multiple times over the past week, often during high-liquidity windows, suggesting repeated episodes of forced or systematic selling rather than isolated retail exits.

This behavior is consistent with liquidation cascades, volatility-targeting strategies, and algorithmic de-risking — all of which accelerate once price starts moving against leveraged positions.

Bitcoin Taker Volume Across All Exchanges Over the Past Week. Source: CryptoQuantSponsored

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Why ‘Good News’ Became the TriggerThe CPI report did not cause the selloff because it was bad. It caused volatility because it was good.

Softer inflation briefly increased liquidity and tightened spreads. That environment allows large players to execute size efficiently. 

Bitcoin’s initial spike likely ran into a dense zone of resting orders, stop losses, and short-term leverage. Once upside momentum stalled, price reversed, triggering long liquidations and stop-outs.

As liquidations hit, forced market selling amplified the move. This is why the decline accelerated rather than unfolded gradually.

The S&P 500’s intraday whipsaw shows a similar dynamic. Rapid downside and recovery patterns during macro releases often reflect dealer hedging, options gamma effects, and systematic flows adjusting risk in real time.

🚨 This is insane level of manipulation.

8:30 a.m.

CPI came in lower than expected.

– On the bullish CPI news, Bitcoin pumped $2217, from $87,260 to $89,477 in just 60 minutes.
– $70B added to the crypto market.
– $94 million worth of shorts liquidated.

10:00 a.m.

The… pic.twitter.com/FmJqLDKbBw

— Bull Theory (@BullTheoryio) December 18, 2025
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Does This Look Like Manipulation?The charts do not prove manipulation. But they show patterns commonly associated with stop-runs and liquidity extraction:

Fast moves into obvious technical levels

Reversals immediately after liquidity improves

Large bursts of aggressive selling during breakdowns

Tight alignment with US trading hours
These behaviors are typical in highly leveraged markets. The most likely drivers are not individuals, but large funds, market makers, and systematic strategies operating across futures, options, and spot markets. Their goal is not narrative control, but execution efficiency and risk management.

In crypto, where leverage remains high and liquidity thins quickly outside key windows, these flows can look extreme.

🚨 THEY ARE MANIPULATING BITCOIN AGAIN AND I HAVE EVIDENCE!!!

Bitcoin dumped $4000 in minutes…

and almost no one actually understands what just took place.

It’s the same group of players manipulating the price… AGAIN.

Stop looking at charts, YOU NEED TO CHECK THE OUTFLOWS.… pic.twitter.com/ymU4kXdWvb

— NoLimit (@NoLimitGains) December 18, 2025
What This Means Going ForwardThe selloff does not invalidate the CPI signal. Inflation genuinely cooled, and that remains supportive for risk assets over time. What the market experienced was a short-term positioning reset, not a macro reversal.

In the near term, traders will watch whether Bitcoin can stabilize above recent support and whether sell-side pressure fades as liquidations clear. 

If taker sell volume subsides and price holds, the CPI data may still assert itself over the coming sessions.

Ethereum

Solana

XRP

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Last updated: 

December 18, 2025

Anthropic’s latest update to Claude AI, its rival to ChatGPT, has delivered fresh cryptocurrency price projections for XRP, Solana, and Ethereum as the month draws to a close. The AI model suggests that all three digital assets could experience heightened volatility in the next fortnight, with the potential for significant moves to the upside or downside.

Below is a breakdown of Claude’s two-track outlook, outlining both bullish and bearish price targets for each cryptocurrency through the end of December.

XRP (XRP): Claude AI Sees A Bullish Christmas Delivering $4.50 XRPIn its downside scenario, Claude AI forecasts that Ripple’s XRP ($XRP) could fall from its current level near $1.91 to as low as $1.80. That move would amount to a very slight dip of around 7% if markets remain bearish.

Source: ClaudeSuch an anticlimactic New Year would be at odds with XRP’s strong performance earlier in the year. In July, the token reached its first new all-time high (ATH) in seven years, climbing to $3.65 following Ripple’s decisive legal win against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Throughout much of 2025, XRP has largely traded between $2 and $3. Its relative strength index (RSI) now sits close to 39 and has begun trending higher, suggesting renewed buying interest as traders view current prices as a discount or strategic accumulation zone.

On the bullish side, Claude’s model predicts a decisive breakout, with XRP potentially gaining 136% to reach a new ATH of $4.50 before year-end.

The rollout of five spot XRP ETFs in the United States could provide a near-term catalyst, particularly if institutional inflows mirror the early adoption seen with Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. Further ETF approvals are widely expected in the months ahead, raising the odds that 2026 becomes a defining year for XRP. Investors accumulating at current levels could benefit if that narrative plays out.

Solana (SOL): Claude AI Predicts Two Rallies: +300% in a Bullish Christmas and +43% in Bearish OutcomeSolana ($SOL) enters 2025 as one of the most active and rapidly expanding blockchain ecosystems. The network currently supports nearly $9 billion in total value locked (TVL), while its market capitalization is sitting around $70 billion. Developer engagement and network adoption continue to accelerate.

Source: ClaudeRecently launched Solana ETFs from firms like Bitwise and Grayscale have reignited interest from investors, with many drawing comparisons to the early stages of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF demand.

Despite a modest pullback across the broader market, SOL has remained relatively resilient and is trading near $126. If bullish momentum builds, Claude AI estimates a potential rally of up to 300%, targeting prices around $500, nearly double its previous all-time high of $293 set in January.

On the bearish end of the spectrum, the model suggests SOL could still rally up to $180 within the next month, representing a more modest appreciation of about 43% from current levels.

Earlier this year, Solana surged to $250 before retreating to roughly $100 in April. While the token remains below recent highs, technical patterns indicate it may be emerging from a bullish flag formation. Growing institutional interest in real-world asset tokenization, driven by players such as BlackRock and Franklin Templeton building on Solana, adds weight to Claude’s more optimistic outlook.

Ethereum (ETH): Claude AI Targets a Potential 120% Growth Spurt Toward $6,500Ethereum ($ETH), the backbone of decentralized applications, smart contracts, and much of the DeFi ecosystem, continues to lead Web3 development. With a market capitalization exceeding $351 billion and more than $67 billion in TVL across DeFi protocols, Ethereum remains the dominant programmable blockchain.

Source: ClaudeAccording to Claude AI, ETH could decline by as much as 19% from its current price of $2,961, potentially falling to $2,400 by year-end if bearish conditions persist.

That said, Ethereum’s robust security, dependable settlement layer, and central role in stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization position it well for institutional adoption, especially if U.S. regulators finally introduce comprehensive crypto legislation.

ETH currently faces strong resistance in the upper $4,000 range. In Claude’s bullish scenario, a decisive break above this level could open the door to a new ATH, with price targets ranging from $5,000 to as high as $6,500 by Christmas. Ethereum’s last ATH was $4,946 set in late August this year.

XRP and SUBBD are widely viewed as strong contenders for the current altcoin cycle.As Bitcoin’s market dominance declines, capital is increasingly rotating into established and emerging altcoins. With a market capitalization of $171.7 billion, XRP stands as the largest altcoin globally, driven by its prominence in cross-border payment solutions.

Alongside established names, one emerging project gaining attention is SUBBD ($SUBBD), an AI-powered content platform designed to disrupt the $85 billion creator economy. SUBBD aims to give creators more control over monetization while delivering deeper engagement opportunities for fans.

Unlike traditional subscription platforms that can charge creators fees of up to 20% and restrict community ownership, SUBBD removes intermediaries through a decentralized model. The concept has already attracted significant interest, raising over $1 million during its presale phase.

Fans gain access to exclusive features such as token-gated content, early releases, and member-only discounts, fostering stronger creator–community relationships.

To stay updated, you can follow SUBBD across X, Telegram, and Instagram, or join the ongoing presale directly through their website.

Click Here to Participate in the Presale

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, /PRNewswire/ -- This press release provides shareholders of Cohen & Steers Closed-End Opportunity Fund, Inc. (NYSE: FOF) (the "Fund") with information regarding the sources of the distribution to be paid on December 31, 2025 and cumulative distributions paid fiscal year-to-date.

In December 2021, the Fund implemented a managed distribution policy in accordance with exemptive relief issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The managed distribution policy seeks to deliver the Fund's long-term total return potential through regular monthly distributions declared at a fixed rate per common share. The policy gives the Fund greater flexibility to realize long-term capital gains throughout the year and to distribute those gains on a regular monthly basis to shareholders. The Board of Directors of the Fund may amend, terminate or suspend the managed distribution policy at any time, which could have an adverse effect on the market price of the Fund's shares.

The Fund's monthly distributions may include long-term capital gains, short-term capital gains, net investment income and/or return of capital for federal income tax purposes. Return of capital includes distributions paid by the Fund in excess of its net investment income and net realized capital gains and such excess is distributed from the Fund's assets. A return of capital is not taxable; rather, it reduces a shareholder's tax basis in his or her shares of the Fund. The amount of monthly distributions may vary depending on a number of factors, including changes in portfolio and market conditions.

At the time of each monthly distribution, information will be posted to cohenandsteers.com and mailed to shareholders in a concurrent notice. However, this information may change at the end of the year because the final tax characteristics of the Fund's distributions cannot be determined with certainty until after the end of the calendar year. Final tax characteristics of all of the Fund's distributions will be provided on Form 1099-DIV, which is mailed after the close of the calendar year.

The following table sets forth the estimated amounts of the current distribution and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year-to-date from the sources indicated. All amounts are expressed per common share.

DISTRIBUTION ESTIMATES

December 2025

YEAR-TO-DATE (YTD) 
December 31, 2025*

Source

Per Share Amount

% of Current Distribution

Per Share Amount

% of 2025 Distributions

Net Investment Income

$0.0259

29.77 %

$0.3068

29.39 %

Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains

$0.0000

0.00 %

$0.0428

4.09 %

Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains

$0.0191

21.95 %

$0.6162

59.02 %

Return of Capital (or other Capital Source)

$0.0420

48.28 %

$0.0782

7.50 %

Total Current Distribution

$0.0870

100.00 %

$1.0440

100.00 %

You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution policy. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income'. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates, are likely to change over time, and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for accounting and tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The amounts and sources of distributions year-to-date may be subject to additional adjustments.

*THE FUND WILL SEND YOU A FORM 1099-DIV FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR THAT WILL TELL YOU HOW TO REPORT THESE DISTRIBUTIONS FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES

The Fund's Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return for fiscal year 2025 (January 1, 2025 through November 30, 2025) is set forth below. Shareholders should take note of the relationship between the Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return with the Fund's Cumulative Distribution Rate for 2025. In addition, the Fund's Average Annual Total Return for the five-year period ending November 30, 2025 is set forth below. Shareholders should note the relationship between the Average Annual Total Return with the Fund's Current Annualized Distribution Rate for 2025. The performance and distribution rate information disclosed in the table is based on the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV). The Fund's NAV is calculated as the total market value of all the securities and other assets held by the Fund minus the total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding. While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's individual investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market.

Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information:

Year-to-date January 1, 2025 to November 30, 2025

Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return1

17.83 %

Cumulative Distribution Rate2

7.99 %

Five-year period ending November 30, 2025

Average Annual Total Return3

10.36 %

Current Annualized Distribution Rate4

7.99 %

1.

Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return is the percentage change in the Fund's NAV over the year-to-date time period including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of those distributions.

2.

Cumulative Distribution Rate for the Fund's current fiscal period (January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025) measured on the dollar value of distributions in the year-to-date period as a percentage of the Fund's NAV as of November 30, 2025.

3.

Average Annual Total Return represents the compound average of the Annual NAV Total Returns of the Fund for
the five-year period ending November 30, 2025. Annual NAV Total Return is the percentage change in the Fund's NAV over a year including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of those distributions.

4.

The Current Annualized Distribution Rate is the current fiscal period's distribution rate annualized as a percentage of the Fund's NAV as of November 30, 2025.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expense of the Fund carefully before investing. You can obtain the Fund's most recent periodic reports, when available, and other regulatory filings by contacting your financial advisor or visiting cohenandsteers.com. These reports and other filings can be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission's EDGAR Database. You should read these reports and other filings carefully before investing.

Shareholders should not use the information provided here in preparing their tax returns. Shareholders will receive a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year indicating how to report Fund distributions for federal income tax purposes.

About Cohen & Steers. Cohen & Steers is a leading global investment manager specializing in real assets and alternative income, including listed and private real estate, preferred securities, infrastructure, resource equities, commodities, as well as multi-strategy solutions. Founded in 1986, the firm is headquartered in New York City, with offices in London, Dublin, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and other statements that Cohen & Steers may make may contain forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which reflect the company's current views with respect to, among other things, its operations and financial performance. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates," or the negative versions of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties.

Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Website: https://www.cohenandsteers.com
Symbol: (NYSE: CNS)

SOURCE Cohen & Steers, Inc.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 18, 2025) - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company") announced that it has granted an aggregate of 1,900,000 stock options to certain directors and consultants of the Company, to purchase common shares in the capital of the Company. These options are exercisable at a price of $1.50 per common share for a period of three (3) years. 131,347 stock options are also exercisable at a price of $2.58 per common share for a period of two (2) years to consultants of the Company. The common shares issuable upon exercise of the options cannot be transferred or sold prior to April 19, 2026.

ABOUT AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORP.

American Tungsten Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on high-potential tungsten and magnetite assets in North America. The Company is advancing the IMA Mine Project in Idaho to commercial production, addressing critical metal scarcity in North America. The Company's IMA Mine Project is a historic and high-quality underground tungsten past-producing property on private-patented land well above the water table with significant infrastructure. The Company holds an exclusive option to acquire full ownership (subject to a 2% royalty) and has expanded its land position with 113 additional federal claims covering nearly 2,000 acres.

For further updates, visit www.americantungstencorp.com or investor relations, Joanna Longo at [email protected].

Social media links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/americantungstencorp/ 
X: https://x.com/amtungsten
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americantungstencorp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americantungstencorp/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@americantungstencorp

For further information, please contact:
Ali Haji
Chief Executive Officer
Email: [email protected] 
Phone: +1 647 871 4571

(CSE: TUNG) 
(OTCQB: TUNGF) 
(FSE: RK90)

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

This news release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, statements relating to the exercise of options on the terms described herein or at all and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such events. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future events and that actual events or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Company undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278603

Source: American Tungsten Corp.

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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In addition to its regular monthly distribution, DWS Municipal Income Trust announced today a taxable short-term capital gain distribution per common share. The Fund has both common and preferred shares outstanding. In accordance with a position taken by the Internal Revenue Service, the Fund is required to allocate a proportionate share of distributions designated as taxable to both its common and preferred shares. Details are as follows: Declaration – 12/18/2025 Ex-.

The publishing house reported a profit of $55.9 million as growth in the children's book publishing and distribution segment buoyed revenue.

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, /PRNewswire/ -- Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) (the "Company" or "Charter") will host a webcast on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) to discuss financial and operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2025. A press release reporting such results will be issued at 7:00 a.m. ET on January 30.

The webcast can be accessed live via the Company's investor relations website at ir.charter.com. The webcast will be archived at ir.charter.com approximately two hours after completion of the webcast.

About Charter
Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is a leading broadband connectivity company with services available to 58 million homes and small to large businesses across 41 states through its Spectrum brand. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our 100% U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products.

More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.

SOURCE Charter Communications, Inc.

Also from this source

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of LUMN either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Alexandria To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired securities in Alexandria between January 27, 2025 and October 27, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - December 18, 2025) - Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ("Alexandria" or the "Company") (NYSE: ARE) and reminds investors of the January 26, 2026 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: Defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of its Long Island City (LIC) property; notably, the Company's claims and confidence about the leasing value of the LIC property as a life-science destination aligning with ARE's Megacampus™ strategy.

Alexandria issued a press release on October 27, 2025, reporting its financial results for the third quarter of 2025. Among other items, Alexandria reported third quarter earnings that fell short of analyst expectations, a 5% decline in revenue, and a 7% decline in adjusted funds from operation. Alexandria also reported a decline in its average occupancy rate from 94.8% in the prior year to 91.4%.

Following this news, Alexandria's stock price fell over 19% on October 28, 2025.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Alexandria's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the Alexandria Real Estate Equities class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/ARE or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278357

Source: Faruqi & Faruqi LLP

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Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.

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, /PRNewswire/ -- This press release provides shareholders of Cohen & Steers REIT and Preferred and Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE: RNP) (the "Fund") with information regarding the sources of the distribution to be paid on December 31, 2025 and cumulative distributions paid fiscal year-to-date.

In December 2017, the Fund implemented a managed distribution policy in accordance with exemptive relief issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The managed distribution policy seeks to deliver the Fund's long-term total return potential through regular monthly distributions declared at a fixed rate per common share. The policy gives the Fund greater flexibility to realize long-term capital gains throughout the year and to distribute those gains on a regular monthly basis to shareholders. The Board of Directors of the Fund may amend, terminate or suspend the managed distribution policy at any time, which could have an adverse effect on the market price of the Fund's shares.

The Fund's monthly distributions may include long-term capital gains, short-term capital gains, net investment income and/or return of capital for federal income tax purposes. Return of capital includes distributions paid by the Fund in excess of its net investment income and net realized capital gains and such excess is distributed from the Fund's assets. A return of capital is not taxable; rather, it reduces a shareholder's tax basis in his or her shares of the Fund. In addition, distributions from the Fund's investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) may later be characterized as capital gains and/or a return of capital, depending on the character of the dividends reported to the Fund after year-end by REITs held by the Fund. The amount of monthly distributions may vary depending on a number of factors, including changes in portfolio and market conditions.

At the time of each monthly distribution, information will be posted to cohenandsteers.com and mailed to shareholders in a concurrent notice. However, this information may change at the end of the year because the final tax characteristics of the Fund's distributions cannot be determined with certainty until after the end of the calendar year. Final tax characteristics of all of the Fund's distributions will be provided on Form 1099-DIV, which is mailed after the close of the calendar year.

The following table sets forth the estimated amounts of the current distribution and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year-to-date from the sources indicated. All amounts are expressed per common share.

DISTRIBUTION ESTIMATES

December 2025

YEAR-TO-DATE (YTD)

December 31, 2025*

Source

Per Share
Amount

% of Current
Distribution

Per Share
Amount

% of 2025
Distributions

Net Investment Income

$0.1339

98.46 %

$1.1314

69.33 %

Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gains

$0.0000

0.00 %

$0.0000

0.00 %

Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gains

$0.0000

0.00 %

$0.0000

0.00 %

Return of Capital (or other Capital Source)

$0.0021

1.54 %

$0.5006

30.67 %

Total Current Distribution

$0.1360

100.00 %

$1.6320

100.00 %

You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution policy. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income'. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates, are likely to change over time, and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for accounting and tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The amounts and sources of distributions year-to-date may be subject to additional adjustments.

*THE FUND WILL SEND YOU A FORM 1099-DIV FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR THAT WILL TELL YOU HOW TO REPORT THESE DISTRIBUTIONS FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES

The Fund's Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return for fiscal year 2025 (January 1, 2025 through November 30, 2025) is set forth below. Shareholders should take note of the relationship between the Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return with the Fund's Cumulative Distribution Rate for 2025. In addition, the Fund's Average Annual Total Return for the five-year period ending November 30, 2025 is set forth below. Shareholders should note the relationship between the Average Annual Total Return with the Fund's Current Annualized Distribution Rate for 2025. The performance and distribution rate information disclosed in the table is based on the Fund's net asset value per share (NAV). The Fund's NAV is calculated as the total market value of all the securities and other assets held by the Fund minus the total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding. While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's individual investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market.

Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information:

Year-to-date January 1, 2025 to November 30, 2025

Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return1

7.79 %

Cumulative Distribution Rate2

7.71 %

Five-year period ending November 30, 2025

Average Annual Total Return3

6.80 %

Current Annualized Distribution Rate4

7.71 %

1.

Year-to-date Cumulative Total Return is the percentage change in the Fund's NAV over the year-to-date time period including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of those distributions.

2.

Cumulative Distribution Rate for the Fund's current fiscal period (January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025) measured on the dollar value of distributions in the year-to-date period as a percentage of the Fund's NAV as of November 30, 2025.

3.

Average Annual Total Return represents the compound average of the Annual NAV Total Returns of the Fund for the five-year period ending November 30, 2025. Annual NAV Total Return is the percentage change in the Fund's NAV over a year including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of those distributions.

4.

The Current Annualized Distribution Rate is the current fiscal period's distribution rate annualized as a percentage of the Fund's NAV as of November 30, 2025.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expense of the Fund carefully before investing. You can obtain the Fund's most recent periodic reports, when available, and other regulatory filings by contacting your financial advisor or visiting cohenandsteers.com. These reports and other filings can be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission's EDGAR Database. You should read these reports and other filings carefully before investing.

Shareholders should not use the information provided here in preparing their tax returns. Shareholders will receive a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year indicating how to report Fund distributions for federal income tax purposes.

About Cohen & Steers. Cohen & Steers is a leading global investment manager specializing in real assets and alternative income, including listed and private real estate, preferred securities, infrastructure, resource equities, commodities, as well as multi-strategy solutions. Founded in 1986, the firm is headquartered in New York City, with offices in London, Dublin, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and other statements that Cohen & Steers may make may contain forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which reflect the company's current views with respect to, among other things, its operations and financial performance. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates," or the negative versions of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties.

Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Website: https://www.cohenandsteers.com/
Symbol: (NYSE: CNS)

SOURCE Cohen & Steers, Inc.

Nike Inc. reported fiscal second-quarter results that beat Wall Street's expectations, but its margins shrank, and management said the sneaker and athletic-gear giant was “in the middle innings” of its comeback plan.

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s third and final rate cut of the year may not have caught most of the capital markets off-guard. However, fixed income investors may be wondering how best to position their portfolios with 2026 just around the corner. Rather than ponder on what move to make next, investors can opt for an actively managed strategy.

Regardless if the Fed decides to cut, pause, or unexpectedly raise rates in the new year, actively managed funds like the MFS Active Core Plus Bond ETF (MFSB) and the MFS Active Intermediate Muni Bond ETF (MFSM) can tailor their holdings . Early prognostications show that the Fed will pause on rate cuts in the opening month with an over 70% chance, per the CME Group’s FedWatch indicator. Of course, a rate cut will be predicated on how the Fed assesses economic data from now until the new year.

Again, regardless of what the Fed ultimately decides to do, an actively managed strategy can adjust accordingly. An active strategy provides autonomy to the portfolio managers of MFSB and MFSM to adjust the holdings as necessary to suit current market conditions.

MFSB offers investors core bond exposure that could serve as an investor’s standalone fixed income allocation in a 60-40 portfolio. Or, it can be used as a complementary active fund to an existing fixed income portfolio that already has indexed fund exposure.

As indicated in the fund’s fact sheet, MFSB will invest in “investment-grade bond strategy that integrates macro, bottom-up, and technical perspectives in an effort to add value through sector and quality allocation, security selection, and also duration/yield curve decisions.” In addition to diversified, core bond exposure, MFSB’s portfolio managers will also look for opportunities that can maximize yield.

For those looking to add muni exposure for its yield, strong credit fundamentals, and tax-free income, MFSB is an ideal fund that’s worthy of consideration. Per the MFSM’s fact sheet, investors get a plethora of muni exposure across various industries, including student loan munis, general obligation bonds for financing local projects, and bonds supporting universities and colleges. This diversification mitigates concentration risk by avoiding only sector-specific bonds. Additionally, the fund mitigates credit risk by investing in mostly investment-grade (rated BBB or higher) munis.

Both funds tap into the MFS portfolio management team who carry years of industry knowledge and expertise. MFSB and MFSM offer cost-effective solutions with expense ratios of just 34 basis points, or $34 per every $10,000 invested.

For more news, information, and strategy, visit our Portfolio Construction Content Hub.

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Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In CarMax To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses in CarMax between June 20, 2025 and September 24, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

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New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - December 18, 2025) - Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against CarMax, Inc. ("CarMax" or the "Company") (NYSE: KMX) and reminds investors of the January 2, 2026 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) Defendants recklessly overstated CarMax's growth prospects when, in reality, its earlier growth in the 2026 fiscal year was a temporary benefit from customers buying cars due to speculation regarding tariffs; and (2) as a result, defendants statements about CarMax's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

On September 25, 2025, the Company released its second quarter fiscal 2026 financial results, disclosing that "[CarMax Auto Finance, or CAF] income decreased 11.2%" due to a $142.2 million provision for loan losses in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 compared to $112.6 million in the prior year's second quarter. Further, the Company stated that "[t]he provision for loan losses in the second quarter of 2026 included an increase of $71.3 million in our estimate of lifetime losses on existing loans, primarily due to worsening performance among the 2022 and 2023 vintages" and that "[t]he remaining $70.9 million reflected our estimate of lifetime losses on current quarter originations."

Following this news, the price of CarMax stock fell $11.45 per share, approximately 20%, to close at $45.60 per share on September 26, 2025.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding CarMax's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the CarMax class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/KMX or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

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Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278360

Source: Faruqi & Faruqi LLP

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SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eGain Corporation (NASDAQ: EGAN), the leading AI knowledge platform for customer experience, today announced that Achmea, one of Europe's largest cooperative insurance and financial services groups, has selected the eGain AI Knowledge Hub™ and AI Agent software to modernize knowledge management and accelerate its transformation into a Digital Insurer.

Headquartered in Zeist, Netherlands, with operations across Europe, Achmea is the parent company of leading insurance brands including Centraal Beheer, Interpolis, and Zilveren Kruis. The cooperative serves more than 10 million customers, offering comprehensive health, non-life (property & casualty), life/pensions and retirement services, plus banking (mortgages and savings) and asset management solutions.

Achmea is driving a strategic shift toward becoming a Digital Insurer, with customer experience and self-service adoption as core priorities. To support this transformation, the company recognized the need for a Knowledge-as-a-Service (KaaS) partner that could modernize knowledge management and enable consistent, high-quality answers across both assisted service and digital channels.

The Challenge

Achmea's long-term vision is to build a future-ready knowledge capability that delivers a single, trusted source of truth across all channels while scaling with evolving customer expectations and demand. The company needed a solution that would accelerate digital and self-service growth while keeping agents highly efficient, integrate seamlessly with the broader Achmea ecosystem—including CRM, agent desktops, AI (LLM/RAG), IVR, and virtual assistants—and use advanced analytics to optimize customer outcomes and performance tracking.

Comprehensive Enterprise Solution

Achmea selected eGain to empower 21,000 users across their organization, including 8,225 Contact Center Users and 12,750 Enterprise Users, with an AI Agent license for each user. This comprehensive deployment reflects Achmea's commitment to unifying knowledge access across both customer-facing and internal teams.

The solution will integrate more than 26,000 documents into a centralized knowledge base, creating a single source of trusted, compliant knowledge to handle customer inquiries across Achmea's diverse insurance, financial services, and banking operations.

Transformational Results

Achmea's integrated enterprise-wide Knowledge + AI approach will unify the company's knowledge ecosystem by enabling agentic AI experiences across contact centers and enterprise functions. This ensures consistent, trusted responses for frontline agents, staff, and enterprise teams while streamlining authoring, governance, compliance, and operational efficiency.

The implementation will empower Achmea to deliver seamless experiences across all customer touchpoints, accelerate self-service adoption, and provide agents with the contextual, role-relevant answers they need to serve customers efficiently and effectively.

"Our customers expect personalized, efficient service across every channel, and we are committed to delivering that experience as part of our Digital Insurer transformation," said Erwin Kersten, Achmea IT Director. "eGain's AI-powered solutions provide the unified knowledge foundation we need to empower our 21,000 users with trusted, contextual answers while maintaining the customer-centric approach that has defined Achmea for generations."

"Knowledge is the foundation of successful AI implementations and exceptional customer experience," said Ashu Roy, eGain CEO. "Achmea's vision to become a Digital Insurer requires enterprise-wide access to trusted, governed knowledge that can power both human agents and AI systems. Our unified AI Knowledge Hub with AI Agent delivers exactly what they need—a single source of truth that improves both employee productivity and customer experience. We are proud to partner with Achmea to support their digital transformation journey."

About eGain

eGain AI Knowledge Hub and AI Agent help improve experience and reduce cost by delivering trusted answers for customer service. Visit www.eGain.com for more info.

eGain Media Contact
[email protected]

eGain, the eGain logo, and all other eGain product names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of eGain Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. All other company names and products mentioned in this release may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies.

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XRP slumps as bitcoin once again falls back to $85,000 level after surgeCrypto markets swung sharply Thursday following a softer-than-expected U.S. CPI print, which briefly lifted bitcoin above $89,000 during U.S. hours. Updated Dec 18, 2025, 7:56 p.m. Published Dec 18, 2025, 7:56 p.m.

XRP edged lower during a volatile session, but the decline came alongside sharply elevated volume — a signal that large players were active even as price struggled to hold key technical levels.

News backgroundCrypto markets swung sharply Thursday following a softer-than-expected U.S. CPI print, which briefly lifted bitcoin above $89,000 during U.S. hours. That move faded quickly, however, with crypto once again lagging equities, which remained firmly positive on the day.The rapid reversal reinforced a pattern that has become familiar in recent weeks: macro-driven rallies in crypto struggling to sustain momentum as positioning thins and sellers reassert control. Within that backdrop, XRP remained under pressure after failing to reclaim the $2.00 area earlier this month — a level many analysts view as a structural inflection point.Technical analysisXRP continues to trade below its major moving averages, with the loss of the $1.93–$2.00 zone keeping the broader structure tilted to the downside. Former support near $1.93 has now flipped into resistance, aligning with key Fibonacci retracement levels and capping rebound attempts.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

While daily momentum indicators show early signs of stabilization — including a developing bullish RSI divergence flagged by several technicians — price has yet to confirm that signal. Until XRP can regain traction above short-term resistance, rallies remain vulnerable to renewed selling.

Price action summaryXRP fell 1.2% to $1.84 over the session, trading across a wide $0.10 range, or roughly 5.4%. Price initially recovered from support near $1.84 before surging to $1.93 on strong volume, only to reverse sharply as sell orders emerged at resistance.

Trading volume jumped as much as 147% above the 24-hour average during the afternoon selloff, peaking near 155 million tokens as XRP slid back toward session lows. The heaviest activity clustered near the highs and during the subsequent breakdown, suggesting distribution rather than panic-driven liquidation.

Late-session trading saw XRP stabilize just above $1.84, but bids remained thin, and follow-through buying was limited as the token closed beneath all major short- and medium-term trend markers.

What traders should knowSupport: $1.84 is the immediate level to watch, with deeper support near $1.73 and macro support around $1.64Resistance: $1.93 remains the first major ceiling, followed by $1.98 and the $2.00 psychological zoneVolume signal: Elevated activity without upside continuation points to positioning and distributionBias: Cautious while below $1.93; technical relief rallies need confirmationUntil XRP can reclaim former support with sustained acceptance, price action suggests consolidation or further downside remains more likely than a clean reversal — even as momentum indicators hint that selling pressure may be slowing.

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