South Harz Potash Limited (SHP:AU) has announced A$1.25 Million Placement to Advance Copper-Gold Exploration
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CALGARY, AB / ACCESS Newswire / March 9, 2026 / Valeura Energy Inc. (TSX:VLE,OTC:VLERF)(OTCQX:VLERF) (‘Valeura’ or the ‘Company’) announces completion of a successful infill drilling campaign at its Gulf of Thailand Manora field (Block G1/48, 70% operated working interest).
Dr. Sean Guest, President and CEO commented:
‘Our Manora drilling campaign illustrates that we can continue adding to the ultimate production potential of our Gulf of Thailand fields. Our approach is to take every opportunity to appraise potential future development locations while developing known reservoir intervals. We have once again delivered new production from the field and also laid the basis for further development in the future.’
Valeura successfully drilled a campaign comprised of two infill development targets and one appraisal well from the Manora A platform. All wells were successful, and notably the appraisal well was found to be optimally positioned for use as a production well. As a result, all three wells have been completed as oil producers and are now on stream. Manora’s oil production has increased from an average of 1,950 bbls/d prior to the first new well coming onstream, to a more recent average of 2,626 bbls/d (working interest share oil production before royalites)(1).
Valeura’s management expects that the newly encountered reservoir intervals will be considered in the next evaluation of reserves and could therefore be additive to the ultimate potential and economic life of the asset.
MNA-41 was drilled as a deviated appraisal well to evaluate the potential of two reservoir intervals. The well encountered oil pay in the 300-series sand reservoir, which will be analysed to identify future prospects in this zone. In addition, the well encountered five oil pay zones in the 400/500-series reservoir. It has been completed as a comingled oil producer and is now on production. Results have exceeded management’s expectations, which sought only to assess the potential for future development of these intervals.
MNA-35ST1 was drilled as a sidetrack to the pre-exisitng MNA-35 well, with the objective of developing the same two reservoir intervals access in MNA-41. Two pay zones were encountered in the 300 sands, which will be completed for production in the future. In the meantime, the well has been completed as a producer of five oil pay zones within the 400/500 reservoir sands and is now on production.
MNA-42H was geo-steered as a horizontal development well within the 300 series sand reservoir. The well’s 1,046 ft lateral section encountered 556′ of net oil pay, which has exceeded management’s expectations. The well has been completed and is now online as a horizontal oil producer.
The Manora drilling campaign was completed safely, on time, and on budget. Valeura’s contracted drilling rig has now been mobilised to the Nong Yao field on block G11/48 (90% operated working interest) where the Company is planning to drill a production-oriented campaign from the Nong Yao A and Nong Yao B wellhead facilities.
(1) 15-24 February 2026 vs 03-12 February 2026.
Future Disclosure
Valeura intends to release its audited financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025, along with its annual information form for 2025 and its estimates of reserves and resources in accordance with the requirements of National instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities on 18 March 2026.
For further information, please contact:
|
Valeura Energy Inc. (General Corporate Enquiries) |
+65 6373 6940 |
|
Valeura Energy Inc. (Investor and Media Enquiries) |
+1 403 975 6752 / +44 7392 940495 |
Contact details for the Company’s advisors, covering research analysts and joint brokers, including Auctus Advisors LLP, Beacon Securities Limited, Canaccord Genuity Ltd (UK), Cormark Securities Inc., Research Capital Corporation, Roth Canada Inc., and Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited, are listed on the Company’s website at www.valeuraenergy.com/investor-information/analysts/.
About the Company
Valeura Energy Inc. is a Canadian public company engaged in the exploration, development and production of petroleum and natural gas in Thailand and in Türkiye. The Company is pursuing a growth-oriented strategy and intends to re-invest into its producing asset portfolio and to deploy resources toward further organic and inorganic growth in Southeast Asia. Valeura aspires toward value accretive growth for stakeholders while adhering to high standards of environmental, social and governance responsibility.
Additional information relating to Valeura is also available on SEDAR+ at http://www.sedarplus.ca.
Advisory and Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain information included in this news release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking information is for the purpose of explaining management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘expect’, ‘plan’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘propose’, ‘project’, ‘target’ or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook.
Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Manora drilling results laying the basis for further development work in the future; and management’s expectation that the newly encountered reservoir intervals will be considered in the next evaluation of reserves and could therefore be additive to the ultimate potential and economic life of the asset.
Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and assumptions regarding, among other things: political stability of the areas in which the Company is operating; continued safety of operations and ability to proceed in a timely manner; continued operations of and approvals forthcoming from governments and regulators in a manner consistent with past conduct; future drilling activity on the required/expected timelines; the prospectivity of the Company’s lands; the continued favourable pricing and operating netbacks across its business; future production rates and associated operating netbacks and cash flow; decline rates; future sources of funding; future economic conditions; the impact of inflation of future costs; future currency exchange rates; interest rates; the ability to meet drilling deadlines and fulfil commitments under licences and leases; future commodity prices; the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine; royalty rates and taxes; future capital and other expenditures; the success obtained in drilling new wells and working over existing wellbores; the performance of wells and facilities; the availability of the required capital to funds its exploration, development and other operations, and the ability of the Company to meet its commitments and financial obligations; the ability of the Company to secure adequate processing, transportation, fractionation and storage capacity on acceptable terms; the capacity and reliability of facilities; the application of regulatory requirements respecting abandonment and reclamation; the recoverability of the Company’s reserves and contingent resources; future growth; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities; the impact of increasing competition; the ability to efficiently integrate assets and employees acquired through acquisitions; global energy policies going forward; future debt levels; and the Company’s continued ability to obtain and retain qualified staff and equipment in a timely and cost efficient manner. In addition, the Company’s work programmes and budgets are in part based upon expected agreement among joint venture partners and associated exploration, development and marketing plans and anticipated costs and sales prices, which are subject to change based on, among other things, the actual results of drilling and related activity, availability of drilling, offshore storage and offloading facilities and other specialised oilfield equipment and service providers, changes in partners’ plans and unexpected delays and changes in market conditions. Although the Company believes the expectations and assumptions reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect.
Forward-looking information involves significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Exploration, appraisal, and development of oil and natural gas reserves and resources are speculative activities and involve a degree of risk. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company including, but not limited to: the ability of management to execute its business plan or realise anticipated benefits from acquisitions; the risk of disruptions from public health emergencies and/or pandemics; competition for specialised equipment and human resources; the Company’s ability to manage growth; the Company’s ability to manage the costs related to inflation; disruption in supply chains; the risk of currency fluctuations; changes in interest rates, oil and gas prices and netbacks; potential changes in joint venture partner strategies and participation in work programmes; uncertainty regarding the contemplated timelines and costs for work programme execution; the risks of disruption to operations and access to worksites; potential changes in laws and regulations, the uncertainty regarding government and other approvals; counterparty risk; the risk that financing may not be available; risks associated with weather delays and natural disasters; and the risk associated with international activity. See the most recent annual information form and management’s discussion and analysis of the Company for a detailed discussion of the risk factors.
The forward-looking information contained in this new release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained in this new release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, including where such offer would be unlawful. This news release is not for distribution or release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Ireland, the Republic of South Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which its publication or distribution would be unlawful.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
SOURCE: Valeura Energy Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
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Vital Metals Limited (ASX: VML) (“Vital Metals” or “the Company”) is pleased to report final overlimit assay results from grab samples collected at Nechalacho, confirming exceptional rare earth grades of up to 292,145ppm TREO.
Highlights:
- F009416 (target 1029A) returned the highest TREO value recorded at Nechalacho to date (based on Company data) as follows:
- 29.2% TREO (292,145 ppm), including:
- 7.0% Nd₂O₃ (70,333 ppm); and
- 1.7% Pr₆O₁₁ (17,398 ppm).
- NdPr oxides totalled 8.7% (87,731 ppm), representing 29.8% of TREO, highly significant as NdPr is typically the highest-value payable component within the light rare earth elements.
- 29.2% TREO (292,145 ppm), including:
- F009445 (R Zone target) returned 12.5% TREO (125,920 ppm), including 1.5% Dy₂O₃ (15,609 ppm) and 1.0% Gd₂O₃ (10,719 ppm), representing the highest dysprosium result at the project reported to date.
- The excellent assays from the completed regional grab sample exploration program have identified 6 targets located outside of the current resource and demonstrates the significant potential at the Nechalacho Rare Earths and Niobium Project for more discoveries.
- A 1000m exploration drill program is now underway at R Zone, S Zone and Cressy Ridge and is expected to be completed by mid-April 2026.
The results demonstrate significant potential to support the district scale of mineralisation across its Nechalacho Rare Earths and Niobium Project (Upper Zone, top 150m RL) located 100km southeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada.
Managing Director and CEO Lisa Riley said:
“These results demonstrate that Nechalacho is a large, dynamic rare earth system rather than a single deposit. Mineralisation has been identified outside the defined US$445m Tardiff Deposit underscoring a broad district-scale multi-target opportunity and supporting our strategy of expanding the resource base beyond Tardiff and North T while advancing Tardiff toward development.”
“We are executing a three-pronged approach:
1. Exploration work on the new targets, expanding the broader Nechalacho footprint.
2. Pre-Feasibility Study of the Tardiff deposit toward completion by February 2027.
3. Preparing to process stockpiles at North T to generate cash as soon as possible.”
Overview of Work Recently Conducted
As announced to the ASX on 23 February 2026, analyses from three grab samples, F009416, F009445 and F009446, were reported with overlimit values (i.e. Nd > 50,000 ppm, Dy >5,000ppm). These samples have since undergone a third round of analysis at ALS Canada, with final certified assay results reported outlined below.
Click here for the full ASX Release
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Nuvau Minerals Inc. (TSXV: NMC,OTC:NMCPF) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Nuvau’) is pleased to announce that it has closed the second and final tranche of its previously announced brokered private placement pursuant to which the Company issued (i) an aggregate of 7,928,523 common shares of the Company (each, a ‘FT Share’) that qualify as ‘flow-through shares’ within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the ‘Tax Act’), at an issue price of $0.90 per FT Share, for gross proceeds of $7,135,670.70, and (ii) an aggregate of 320,000 units of the Company (each, a ‘Unit’), at a price of $0.80 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $256,000 (together, the ‘Offering’). Together with the closing of the first tranche of the Offering on February 25, 2026, the Company has raised an aggregate of $21,368,670.70 in gross proceeds. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a ‘Common Share’) and one-half of one transferrable common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a ‘Warrant’), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of $1.30 per Common Share until February 25, 2029.
The gross proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company to incur eligible ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ (as defined in the Tax Act), which will qualify as ‘flow-through mining expenditures’ or as ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’ (‘FTCMME‘) (each as defined in the Tax Act) (the ‘Qualifying Expenditures‘). At least 30% of the Qualifying Expenditures to be renounced to each subscriber of FT Shares will qualify as FTCMME, with certain subscribers being entitled to the renunciation of a higher percentage of Qualifying Expenditures that qualify as FTCMME. All Qualifying Expenditures will be incurred by the Company on or before December 31, 2027, and will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the FT Shares with an effective date on or before December 31, 2026.
The Offering was co-led by Clarus Securities Inc. and Integrity Capital Group Inc., as co-lead agents and co-lead bookrunners (together, the ‘Agents‘). In consideration for the Agents’ services, the Company paid the Agents a cash commission equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering (the ‘Cash Fee‘), provided that the Company paid a reduced Cash Fee of 3.0% in respect of the gross proceeds raised from sales to purchasers included on a president’s list formed by the Company in consultation with the Agents (the ‘President’s List Purchasers‘). In addition, the Company agreed to issue to the Agents such number of non-transferable compensation options of the Company (the ‘Compensation Options‘) as is equal to 6.0% of the aggregate number of FT Shares and/or Units sold under the Offering; provided that such number of Compensation Options was reduced to 3.0% of number of FT Shares and/or Units sold to President’s List Purchasers. Each Compensation Option entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Unit at a price of $0.80 per Unit at any time and from time to time until March 6, 2029.
In connection with the Offering, a director of the Company subscribed for an aggregate of 444,444 FT Shares for aggregate gross proceeds of $444,444. Each subscription by an ‘insider’ is considered to be a ‘related party transaction’ for the purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘MI 61-101‘). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements available under MI 61-101. Specifically, the Company is exempt from the formal valuation requirement in section 5.4 of MI 61-101 in reliance on section 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves insiders, is not more than 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. Additionally, the Company is exempt from minority shareholder approval requirement in section 5.6 of MI 61-101 in reliance on section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves insiders, is not more than 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing date of the Offering as the details of the Offering and the participation of insiders therein was not settled until shortly prior to the closing of the Offering, and the Company wished to close the Offering on an expedited basis for sound business reasons.
All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from the date hereof. The Offering remains subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.
The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
About Nuvau
Nuvau is a Canadian mining company, incorporated under the OBCA, currently in the exploration and development phase. Nuvau’s principal asset is the Matagami property, located in Abitibi region of central Québec, Canada. The Matagami property was acquired from Glencore Canada Corporation on March 1, 2026, pursuant to the terms and conditions of a second amended and restated earn-in agreement dated January 28, 2026, among Nuvau, Nuvau Minerals Corp. and Glencore Canada Corporation.
Further Information
All information contained in this news release with respect to the Company was supplied by the respective party for inclusion herein, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party.
For further information please contact:
Nuvau Minerals Inc.
Peter Van Alphen
President and CEO
Telephone: 416-525-6063
Email: pvanalphen@nuvauminerals.com
Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements‘) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘anticipate’, ‘will’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘expects’ and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering, and the Company’s ability to obtain final exchange approval for the Offering. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including expectations and assumptions concerning the Company and the Matagami property. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by the management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
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InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) (‘InMed’ or the ‘Company’), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of disease-modifying small molecule drug candidates that target CB1CB2 receptors, today announced an update regarding BayMedica LLC (‘BayMedica’), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, in light of ongoing uncertainty surrounding U.S. federal legislation.
As previously announced, H.R. 5371, the ‘Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026’ (the ‘Act‘) in its current form and without further amendment, will have a material negative impact on BayMedica. Specifically, certain aspects of BayMedica’s commercial business and its inventory of rare, non-intoxicating cannabinoids would be prohibited under the Act if it becomes effective as planned on November 12, 2026.
On March 4, 2026, after considering all reasonably available options and a broader strategic assessment, the Company’s board of directors (the ‘Board‘) ratified, confirmed and approved the decision of the board of directors of BayMedica to wind down and exit BayMedica’s commercial operations business segment (‘commercial operations‘). BayMedica intends to substantially complete the wind down and exit prior to the end of its fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. During the interim period leading to the completion of operational wind down, BayMedica will continue its commercial operations including sales, marketing, limited manufacturing, and logistics.
Following the wind down of commercial operations, the Company will focus exclusively on advancing its core drug development programs, including INM-901 for Alzheimer’s disease and INM-089 for dry age-related macular degeneration, towards IND filings and initial human clinical trials. The Company intends to provide shareholders with an update on its pharmaceutical pipeline in the near term.
Eric A. Adams, Chief Executive Officer of InMed, commented, ‘Following an extensive evaluation of BayMedica’s commercial outlook amid increasing regulatory uncertainty, BayMedica’s leadership determined to wind down its commercial activities. After careful review, the Board agreed that this strategic step is warranted given the current legislative environment and, further, enables InMed to focus its full internal resources on the development and advancement of our proprietary pharmaceutical drug development programs, which have the greatest potential to deliver long-term shareholder value.’
Operational and Financial Impact
The wind down of BayMedica’s commercial operations will be executed in an orderly manner designed to minimize disruption to customers, suppliers, and employees. BayMedica’s management team is developing a transition plan that will be communicated to affected stakeholders, and the Company currently expects the process to be completed within the coming months. BayMedica is expected to incur severance and other employee-related costs of approximately $550,000 and expects to incur additional related expenditures of approximately $120,000 through the end of this fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. These expenditures are expected to be partially offset by the profits from the sale of BayMedica’s products.
The Company has outlined the current financial implications, including unaudited pro forma consolidated financial information, in a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘SEC‘) on March 6, 2026. InMed expects to provide additional updates, as appropriate, in future earnings releases and periodic filings with the SEC.
About InMed:
InMed Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drug candidates targeting the CB1/CB2 receptors. InMed’s pipeline consists of three separate programs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, ocular and dermatological indications. For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.
Investor Contact:
Colin Clancy
Vice President, Investor Relations
and Corporate Communications
T: +1.604.416.0999
E: ir@inmedpharma.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:
This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking information’) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as ‘expects’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘potential’, ‘possible’, ‘would’ and similar expressions. Such statements, based as they are on current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, known and unknown, many of which are beyond our control. Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements about: developing a pipeline of disease-modifying small molecule drug candidates that target CB1/CB2 receptors, statements about the Act, the impact of the Act on BayMedica, decision of the board members of BayMedica to wind down and exit BayMedica’s commercial operations business segment as well as financial and operational impact on the wind-down of BayMedica commercial operations.
Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause InMed’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing InMed’s business is disclosed in InMed’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on www.sec.gov.
All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and InMed disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.
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A new US-Venezuela gold deal could soon channel hundreds of kilograms of bullion from the South American nation into American refineries.
Venezuela’s state-owned mining company, Minerven, has agreed to sell between 650 and 1,000 kilograms of gold dore bars to commodities trading house Trafigura under a multimillion-dollar arrangement brokered with the involvement of US officials, according to people familiar with the matter.
The gold will ultimately be delivered to refineries in the US under a separate arrangement with the US government, the sources said. The contract calls for the metal to contain about 98 percent gold content.
At current prices, the shipment could be worth more than US$100 million. A kilogram of pure gold currently trades at roughly US$166,000, though the value fluctuates with market conditions.
The agreement continues efforts by the Trump administration to deepen economic coordination with the country’s interim government following the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces.
US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who arrived in Caracas this week, helped shepherd the gold contract and met with Venezuelan officials to discuss expanding cooperation in the mining and energy sectors.
Burgum, who also leads Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council, said American companies were already lining up to explore opportunities in Venezuela’s mineral sector.
The deal represents the third major extraction agreement struck under US supervision since Washington moved to assert control over Venezuela’s key industries. Trafigura is also involved in oil contracts tied to the initiative that are reportedly worth more than US$1 billion.
“The oil is beginning to flow, and the professionalism and dedication between both countries is a very nice thing to see!” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, praising Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez.
Officials from both governments have said the arrangement could open the door to broader mining investment.
Rodríguez confirmed this week that Venezuela and the US would work together on future mining developments. The government is preparing reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment into the sector, mirroring recent policy changes that opened the country’s oil industry to international companies.
Venezuela holds vast untapped mineral resources alongside the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
In addition to gold, the country is believed to contain diamonds, rare earth elements (REEs), and other critical minerals used in electronics and energy technologies.
Gold has become an increasingly important source of revenue for Venezuela in recent years, particularly as US sanctions limited the country’s oil exports. The central bank reportedly sold nearly six tons of bullion in the second half of last year as the precious metal surged to record highs.
Much of Venezuela’s gold production comes from the Orinoco Mining Arc, a vast resource-rich region established in 2016 to boost mining output and diversify the country’s economy.
However, the sector has long been plagued by illegal mining operations, environmental damage and allegations of corruption involving armed groups.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for March 6 as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.
Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.
Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$68,104.55 down by 4.4 percent over the last 24 hours.
Bitcoin price performance, March 6, 2026.
Chart via TradingView.
Ether (ETH) was priced at US$1,979.93, down by 5.4 percent over the last 24 hours.
Altcoin price update
- XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.36, down by 4.2 percent over 24 hours.
- Solana (SOL) was trading at US$85.04, down by 4.8 percent over 24 hours.
Today’s crypto news to know
NYSE parent backs crypto exchange in US$25 billion deal
Wall Street’s push deeper into digital assets gathered pace after Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) agreed to acquire a stake in crypto exchange OKX in a deal valuing the platform at about US$25 billion. ICE, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, will also take a seat on OKX’s board, according to a company statement.
The agreement comes roughly a year after OKX pled guilty to a felony and paid about US$504 million in penalties over allegations it processed more than US$1 trillion in US customer transactions without a license.
Despite that history, executives say the new partnership signals a shift toward regulatory alignment. ICE executive Michael Blaugrund said on-chain systems will increasingly play a role in clearing, settlement and capital formation.
SEC drops personal charges against Tron founder Sun
The settlement of the long-running US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) case against Justin Sun was finalized on Thursday (March 5). The SEC moved to dismiss all claims against Sun, along with the Tron Foundation and BitTorrent Foundation, with prejudice in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The SEC also voluntarily dismissed pending claims against DeAndre Cortez Way (Soulja Boy) as part of the resolution.
However, a TRON Foundation subsidiary, Rainberry (formerly BitTorrent), was ordered to pay a US$10 million civil penalty and is subject to a permanent injunction against future violations.
The charges were related to a 2023 lawsuit that accused Sun of orchestrating over 600,000 wash trades of the TRX token to create a false appearance of high trading volume.
He was also accused of offering and selling TRX and BTT tokens without proper registration, and of paying celebrities to promote his tokens without disclosing that they were being compensated.
Sun and his companies did not admit to or deny any of the allegations.
Pudgy Penguins faces trademark challenge from apparel brand
The crypto-native brand behind the popular Pudgy Penguins non-fungible token (NFT) collection is facing a trademark lawsuit from the company that owns the Original Penguin clothing label.
PEI Licensing, which has used penguin imagery in apparel since the 1950s, alleges the NFT brand’s logos and trademarks could confuse consumers and infringe on its long-standing intellectual property rights.
Filed in federal court in Florida, the complaint claims Pudgy Penguins’ use of similar penguin imagery and trademark applications for phrases tied to its brand violate fair-competition laws. The plaintiff says the similarities between apparel and merchandise sold by both companies could lead buyers to believe the two brands are affiliated.
PEI is seeking financial damages, the rejection of certain trademark filings and the destruction of products bearing allegedly infringing designs.
Pudgy Penguins has expanded beyond NFTs into a broader consumer brand, launching a Solana-based token and distributing physical toys through major retailers including Walmart (NYSE:WMT) and Target (NYSE:TGT).
The toy line alone reportedly generated more than US$10 million in sales within its first year.
Bitcoin ETF outflows persist
Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded US$227.9 million in net outflows on Thursday, marking the largest single-day withdrawal in roughly three weeks. The redemptions coincided with Bitcoin slipping back below US$70,000 after briefly climbing near $US73,000 earlier in the week.
Despite this, analysts say the broader trend may be stabilizing as institutional investors quietly reposition. Data tracked by Glassnode shows the 14 day ETF net flow trend turning positive, while the 30 day change in ETF positions has stabilized near 23,943 after plunging into deeply negative territory earlier this year.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Brien Lundin, editor of Gold Newsletter and New Orleans Investment Conference host, shares his stock-picking strategy at a time when high metals prices are beginning to lift all boats.
In his view, gold and silver equities may still only be in the second inning.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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We also break down next week’s catalysts to watch to help you prepare for the week ahead.
In this article:
This week’s tech sector performance
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) navigated a volatile week.
Early week caution gave way to a rebound by Monday’s close (March 2), with the Nasdaq eking out a small gain led by defense and tech stocks. On Tuesday (March 3), the Trump administration’s plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes helped pare losses, with major indexes closing down but less severely.
US services PMI on Wednesday (March 4) showed the fastest expansion since mid-2022, supporting gains; however, the Nasdaq rose only slightly, with gains capped by lingering oil price worries.
Markets plunged on Thursday (March 5) after an Iranian missile strike on an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf intensified concerns of conflict longevity and supply constraints. The price of oil surged to its biggest weekly gain since 2022, with analysts forecasting further increases if the Strait of Hormuz stays disrupted beyond 3 – 4 weeks.
Also on Thursday, reports surfaced that the administration was considering new rules requiring US approval for AI chips shipped abroad, which hit Nasdaq heavyweights NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD). This revelation followed earlier reports that officials were considering limiting purchases of Nvidia’s H200 chips and AMD’s MI325 chips, which have similar capabilities, to Chinese companies, capping them at 75,000 chips per firm.
Friday’s (March 6) jobs report for February boosted rate-cut odds but fueled recession fears. The report showed nonfarm payrolls dropped by 92,000, a stark contrast to the forecasted 50,000 to 60,000 added jobs. Additionally, unemployment increased to 4.4 percent, signaling that the labor market is cooling faster than expected.
These macroeconomic pressures and geopolitical uncertainty exerted a palpable weight on financial markets, heavily impacting volatility-sensitive tech stocks.
3 tech stocks moving markets this week
1. Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU)
Intuit had a strong week, finishing up 25.08 percent as investors rotated into defensive fintech and software amid weakness in the capital-intensive and cyclical semiconductor sector.
Zacks Investment Research explained Intuit’s stock rise as a gain driven by analyst upgrades and price target hikes. Piper Sandler raised its price target on Intuit to US$780 and maintained an Overweight rating. Susquehanna also raised its target to US$850 and kept a Positive rating. Meanwhile, TD Cowen cut its target to US$633 but reiterated Buy.
Analysts cited Intuit’s strong AI-driven results from last week’s Q2 earnings and highlighted growth in the company’s GBS Online Ecosystem, Desktop Ecosystem and Credit Karma.
2. Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR)
Palantir gained alongside other defense stocks as Mideast tensions boosted demand for defense AI. Shares rose more than five percent on Monday, while analysts at Wedbush named it a top pick on Thursday with a US$75 price target. Palantir gained 17.22 percent for the week.
2. AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP)
AppLovin ranked third for this week’s gainers, closing 16.29 percent higher on Arete’s upgrade to neutral from sell, with an adjusted price target down to US$340 From US$458. Speculation about AppLovin potentially launching a competing app to rival TikTok may have further contributed to the gains.
Intuit, Palantir Technologies and AppLoving stock performance, March 2 to 6, 2026.
Chart via Google Finance.
Top tech news of the week
- Shares of Lumentum Holdings and Coherent jumped on Monday after NVIDIA said it would invest US$2 billion in each company to accelerate the development of advanced optics and laser technologies for AI data centers.
Tech ETF performance
Tech exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track baskets of major tech stocks, meaning their performance helps investors gauge the overall performance of the niches they cover.
This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) declined by 5.91 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) lost five percent.
The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also decreased by 4.21 percent.
Tech news to watch next week
Investors face a pivotal week ahead, headlined by Monday’s (March 9) release of the NY Fed’s one-year inflation expectations and the highly anticipated February CPI report on Wednesday (March 11), which could provide a key signal for the Fed’s next move.
Later in the week, Thursday’s (March 12) jobless claims will be under the microscope to see if February’s labor trends hold steady. On the corporate side, it’s a big week for software and cloud infrastructure, with Oracle, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Constellation Software reporting Monday, followed by Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) on Thursday.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Peter Krauth, editor of Silver Stock Investor and Silver Advisor, shares his thoughts on silver price activity and where the white metal is in the cycle.
He believes the awareness phase is just beginning, with mania still relatively far in the future.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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