Alain Corbani, head of mining at Montbleu Finance and manager of the Global Gold and Precious Fund, sees the gold price reaching US$5,000 per ounce in the near term.
He sees real interest rates and the US dollar as the key factors to watch, but noted that other elements are also adding tailwinds.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The global lithium market weathered a tough 2025, as persistent oversupply and softer-than-expected electric vehicle demand pushed prices for the battery metal to multi-year lows.
Lithium carbonate prices in North Asia fell below US$9,550 per metric ton in February — their weakest level since 2021 — prompting production cuts and project delays, particularly in Australia and China.
While brief rallies later in the year offered momentary relief, the market continued to struggle under the weight of rapid supply growth between 2021 and 2024.
Volatility defined the second half of the year. Prices spiked in July on speculation of supply cuts, briefly lifting carbonate above US$12,000, before retreating as those expectations faded. Policy uncertainty in the US and regulatory signals from China further weighed on sentiment.
Despite the downturn, analysts increasingly view 2026 as a potential turning point. Lithium equities reflected that shift, staging a sharp H2 rebound in 2025 as improving fundamentals and rising spot prices rekindled investor interest — a backdrop that continues to shape the outlook for Canadian lithium stocks.
Year-to-date gain: 708.33 percent
Market cap: C$19.11 million
Share price: C$0.48
Stria Lithium is a Canadian exploration company focused on developing domestic lithium resources to support the growing demand for electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries. The company’s flagship Pontax Central lithium project spans 36 square kilometers in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Québec, Canada.
Cygnus Metals (TSXV:CYG,ASX:CY5,OTCQB:CYGGF) has an earn-in agreement with Stria to earn up to a 70 percent interest in Pontax Central. Cygnus completed the first stage in July 2023, acquiring a 51 percent interest by investing C$4 million in exploration and issuing over 9 million shares to Stria.
In May 2025, Stria and Cygnus agreed to extend the second stage of Cygnus’s earn-in agreement on the Pontax Central lithium project by 24 months. The second stage involves a further C$2 million in exploration spending and C$3 million in a cash payment.
Through its joint venture with Cygnus, Stria has outlined a JORC-compliant maiden inferred resource for Pontax Central of 10.1 million metric tons grading 1.04 percent lithium oxide.
In March, Stria closed a non-brokered private placement for C$650,000. The funds will be used in part for the evaluation of new mineral opportunities, according to the company.
Shares of Stria registered a year-to-date high of C$0.50 on December 30, 2025, coinciding with lithium carbonate prices rising to a near 24 month high.
Year-to-date gain: 350 percent
Market cap: C$20.51 million
Share price: C$0.045
Consolidated Lithium Metals is focused on acquiring, developing and advancing lithium projects in Québec. Its properties — Vallée, Baillargé, Preissac-LaCorne and Duval — are located within the spodumene-rich La Corne Batholith area, near the restarted North American Lithium mine, a key area in Canada’s growing lithium sector.
Consolidated Lithium started the year with a C$300 million private placement earmarked for working capital and general corporate purposes.
In July, the company commenced a summer exploration program at the Preissac project, excavating a 100 by 30 meter trench in an area with a known lithium soil anomaly, uncovering an 18 meter wide pegmatite body at surface.
At the end of August, Consolidated Lithium signed a non-binding letter of intent with SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Québec, to acquire an option to earn up to an 80 percent interest in the Kwyjibo rare earths project.
The project is located roughly 125 kilometers northeast of Sept-Îles in Québec’s Côte-Nord region.
Under the deal, which was finalized in November, Consolidated Lithium will become operator of the project and can earn an initial 60 percent stake over five years through a combined C$23.15 million in cash payments, share issuances and project expenditures.
A significant portion of those funds will be invested in advancing Kwyjibo through stages including negotiating and finalizing an agreement with the Innu of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, a metallurgical study and environmental permitting.
Upon completion, the partners will form a joint venture, and Consolidated will have the option to increase its interest to 80 percent by investing C$22 million over a further three years.
An uptick in lithium prices in October helped Consolidated shares rally to a year-to-date high of C$0.06 several times between October 22 and November 3.
Year-to-date gain: 330 percent
Market cap: C$48.76 million
Share price: C$0.43
Canada-based Lithium South Development currently owns 100 percent of the HMN lithium project in Argentina’s Salta and Catamarca provinces, situated in the heart of the lithium-rich Hombre Muerto Salar.
The project lies adjacent to South Korean company POSCO Holdings’ (NYSE:PKX,KRX:005490) billion-dollar lithium development to the east.
Exploration has defined a resource of 1.58 million metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) at an average grade of 736 milligrams per liter lithium, with the majority in the measured category. A preliminary economic assessment outlines the potential for a 15,600 metric ton per year lithium carbonate operation.
In January 2024, Lithium South and POSCO signed an agreement to jointly develop the HMN lithium project. Under the deal, the companies will share production 50/50 from the Norma Edith and Viamonte blocks in Salta and Catamarca, resolving overlapping claims.
As for 2025, in June Lithium South’s shares tripled to C$0.30 after it received positive news regarding its environmental impact assessment.
Lithium South shared a huge update in July that changed its trajectory; the company received a non-binding cash offer of US$62 million from POSCO to purchase its lithium portfolio, including the HMN project.
POSCO would acquire Lithium South’s wholly owned subsidiary NRG Metals Argentina, which holds the HMN project and all of Lithium South’s other concessions, namely the Sophia I–III and Hydra X–XI claims.
The 60 day due diligence period concluded in late September, and on November 12, Lithium South announced a share purchase agreement to sell its Argentinian lithium portfolio to POSCO Argentina for US$65 million.
Company shares climbed to C$0.44 the next day, while its highest close of the year, C$0.45, came on December 24.
Lithium South officially signed the deal on December 8, with its closing subject to several approvals. Following the transaction’s completion, Lithium South plans to de-list from the TSXV and begin dissolution proceedings.
In connection with the news, the company intends to buy back all common shares at a price of C$0.505.
Year-to-date gain: 190 percent
Market cap: C$1.47 billion
Share price: C$6.15
Standard Lithium is a US-focused lithium development company advancing a portfolio of high-grade lithium brine projects with an emphasis on sustainability and commercial-scale production.
The company employs a fully integrated direct lithium extraction process and is developing its flagship Smackover Formation assets in Arkansas and Texas, including the South West Arkansas project. The projects are a partnership with Equinor ASA, under the 55/45 joint venture subsidiary Smackover Lithium.
In April, its South West Arkansas project was one of 10 US critical minerals projects designated for fast tracking under FAST-41.
On September 3, Standard Lithium reported results of its definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the South West Arkansas project. The DFS notes an initial capacity of 22,500 metric tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate, with first production targeted for 2028. The study outlines an operating life of over 20 years based on average lithium concentrations of 481 milligrams per liter, supported by detailed resource and reserve modeling. The company filed the DFS on October 14.
In late October, Standard Lithium reported the unanimous approval of the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission for the company’s Integration Application for the project’s Reynolds brine unit, which is where the initial commercial phase of production is planned.
Standard is also actively exploring additional lithium brine opportunities in East Texas through the joint venture, and in November, Smackover Lithium filed the maiden inferred resource report for the Franklin project. The report highlights 2.16 million metric tons of LCE, 15.41 million metric tons of potash and 2.64 million metric tons of bromide contained in 0.61 square kilometers of brine volume.
The resource stands at an average lithium grade of 668 milligrams per liter, including a grade of 806 milligrams per liter at the Pine Forest 1 well, which the company states is North American’s highest concentration of lithium-in-brine.
The project covers roughly 80,000 acres, with 46,000 acres leased, and is poised to become the first phase in a broader East Texas expansion. Smackover Lithium ultimately aims to produce over 100,000 metric tons of lithium chemicals annually from its Texas operations.
On October 20, Standard closed a US$130 million underwritten public offering for 29,885,057 common shares, which will fund capital expenditures at the South West Arkansas project and the Franklin project.
Standard and Equinor ended the year advancing project financing for its South West Arkansas project, targeting up to US$1.1 billion in senior secured debt. The company has received over US$1 billion in combined interest from major export credit agencies, including the US EXIM Bank and Norway’s Eksfin.
The potential funds, alongside a US$225 million grant from the US Department of Energy, would support Phase 1 construction, which has an estimated US$1.45 billion in capital expenditures, FEED and feasibility study costs, and typical financing contingencies.
After climbing steeply starting in late September, the company’s shares hit a year-to-date high of C$7.64 on October 16.
Year-to-date gain: 144.87 percent
Market cap: C$363.79 million
Share price: C$1.97
Exploration firm Q2 Metals is exploring three lithium properties — Cisco, Mia and Stellar — in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Québec, Canada. Contained within the portfolio is the Mia trend, which spans over 10 kilometers, while the Stellar lithium property comprises 77 claims and located 6 kilometers north of the Mia property.
In 2024, Q2 Metals acquired Cisco lithium property and spent the rest of the year exploring the area. The work led to Q2 acquiring a 100 percent interest in 545 additional mineral claims, tripling its land position at the Cisco lithium property.
A subsequent company update reported that metallurgical testing on drill core from its 2024 exploration work confirmed that spodumene is the primary lithium-bearing mineral within pegmatite at the project.
The company performed multiple drill campaigns in 2025, including a winter diamond drilling program. Over the course of the year, Q2 defined an exploration target and reported a series of positive results from test work and drilling at the project.
The most recent announcement, released December 3, singled out results from drill hole 44 as the ‘widest continuous spodumene pegmatite interval’ identified at the property. The hole intersected 457.4 meters of continuous mineralization with an average grade of 1.65 percent lithium oxide.
‘Drill hole 44 further showcases the Cisco project as a globally significant hard rock lithium discovery. The results to date will underpin the inaugural Mineral Resource Estimate, which we expect to announce in the first quarter of 2026, as we continue to advance Cisco,’ wrote Alicia Milne, president and CEO of Q2 Metals.
The company’s share price began climbing in late October following the news that it added Keith Phillips, CEO of Piedmont Lithium from 2017 to 2025, to its board of directors.
Propelled by the board addition and the drilling results results, shares of Q2 Metals ended 2025 on a high note, registering a year-to-date high of C$1.95 on December 30.
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The growing prevalence of chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes is driving increasing innovation in medical device technology. In 2024 alone, 30 new devices were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Wearable medical devices and the use of artificial intelligence in medical technology are two key trends in this sector.
Investors who want exposure to this wave of growth may want to consider NASDAQ small-cap medical device stocks. Below is a list of the top NASDAQ medical device companies based on year-on-year gains.
All data was compiled on December 31, 2025, using TradingView’s stock screener, and the medical device makers listed below had market caps between US$50 million and US$500 million at that time.
Year-on-year gain: 50.86 percent
Market cap: US$173.24 million
Share price: US$3.50
MDxHealth is a commercial-stage precision diagnostics company specializing in molecular tests for urologic cancers, particularly prostate cancer, using genomic, epigenetic and exosomal technologies. Its US headquarters and operations are located in Irvine, California.
The company offers non-invasive and tissue-based diagnostic assays that run on standard PCR platforms.
In September, MDxHealth acquired Exosome Diagnostics from Bio-Techne (NASDAQ:TECH) for US$15 million, adding the ExoDx Prostate urine test to its portfolio. The deal also includes a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory and related assets. The deal is expected to generate over US$20 million in revenue in 2026.
Year-on-year gain: 50.13 percent
Market cap: US$269.6 million
Share price: US$5.82
KORU Medical Systems develops and manufactures medical devices and supplies in the US and internationally, with a focus on mechanical infusion products. Its Freedom Syringe Infusion System first received FDA clearance in 1994.
Based on this system, its primary products include the Freedom60 and FreedomEdge syringe infusion systems, Precision Flow Rate Tubing and High-Flo Subcutaneous Safety Needle Sets.
KORU Medical Systems submitted a 510(k) premarket notification to the FDA on December 30, 2025, seeking clearance for its FreedomEdge system to deliver Phesgo — a HER2+ breast cancer targeted biologic — subcutaneously, targeting infusion centers to cut chair time and boost efficiency.
The company stated this is part of its strategy to expand the indications of FreedomEdge to the wider oncology infusion center market.
Year-on-year gain: 1.71 percent
Market cap: US$86.81 million
Share price: US$1.19
Vivani Medical is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing miniature, long-term subdermal drug implants using its proprietary NanoPortal technology to treat chronic conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Headquartered in Alameda, California, Vivani focuses on GLP-1 implants that provide steady drug release over six months to improve adherence and tolerability compared to daily pills or weekly injections.
In August, Vivani Medical reported positive Phase 1 results from its LIBERATE-1 trial of the NPM-115 exenatide implant, confirming safety and steady drug release for obesity treatment without major side effects.
The company plans to rapidly advance its NPM-139 semaglutide implant after it achieved preclinical results of sustained 20 percent weight loss. It is planning a Phase 1 clinical study in the first half of 2026.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
2025 marked a turning point for investment in the cannabis sector, shifting the focus toward operational resilience and consolidation after a sluggish 2024.
Key market drivers included an upswing in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity as stronger multi-state operators (MSOs) acquired distressed assets, alongside pivotal regulatory developments.
The central theme for the year was the expected US federal shift to Schedule III, a policy rollercoaster that culminated in an executive order to expedite rescheduling, focusing investor flows into scaled, cashflow-positive MSOs.
Internationally, incremental legalization in Europe, particularly the momentum in Germany, broadened the global footprint and provided new export channels for North American producers.
Within market trends, profitability pivoted away from bulk flower to high-margin consumables, with infused pre-rolls and edibles driving category growth and supporting a rerating of resilient operators.
After 2024’s punishing drawdowns, cannabis navigated a high-stakes policy rollercoaster in 2025.
The sector bottomed in Q1 as anticipated US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rescheduling hearings were delayed, but ignited in late Q3 and Q4 as the narrative shifted toward a decisive executive-led reclassification.
This momentum culminated in US President Donald Trump’s December 18 executive order, which expedites rescheduling and CBD access. It triggered a parabolic surge followed by a violent ‘sell the news’ correction.
“Cannabis is not just a volatile sector or industry. It is the most volatile place,” said Dan Ahrens, managing director and portfolio manager of the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (ARCA:MSOS). “It just proves the point, once again, that we really, really need this federal reform to be officially completed.”
Indeed, 2025 brought plenty of ups and downs. The year opened with Schedule III buzz, which came after prior Department of Health and Human Services recommendations and initial DEA scheduling proposals from late 2024; however, proceedings ground to a halt after the DEA postponed a key January hearing by over 180 days due to administrative turnover, bias claims and leadership gaps post-election. These disruptiosn kept Section 280E tax penalties in place and banking access frozen, keeping margins for MSOs compressed.
Meanwhile, House spending bills included language prohibiting the Department of Justice (DoJ) from spending any funds on rescheduling efforts, while Senate Farm Bill revisions redefined hemp to exclude intoxicating derivatives like delta-8 THC, capping them at trace levels and effectively imposing a nationwide hemp ban on high-potency alternatives.
The MSOS ETF’s portfolio construction exemplified the broader trend of investor flows concentrating into scaled, cash-flow-positive MSOs amid reform volatility. The fund’s top three holdings — Curaleaf Holdings (CSE:CURA,OTCQX:CURLF), Trulieve Cannabis (CSE:TRUL,OTCQX:TCNNF) and Green Thumb Industries (CSE:GTII,OTCQX:GTBIF) — accounted for over 68 percent of its total holdings as of December 31, underscoring confidence in these operators as resilient proxies for US cannabis maturation while smaller single-state players face dilution.
MSOS managers reinforced the shift in the year’s third quarter by trimming three underperformers from the ETF: 4Front Ventures (CSE:FFNT), Lowell Farms (CSE:LOWL) and Gold Flora.
Despite stalls in momentum, Trump kept hope alive in the cannabis sector throughout the year.
In September, he called cannabis reform an “80-20 issue” with broad public backing, and posted a Truth Social video promoting CBD for seniors and suggesting Medicaid coverage.
Those moves, alongside Representative Greg Steube’s (R-FL) Marijuana 1-to-3 Act, aimed at legislatively shifting cannabis to Schedule III, drove a surge in Q3 without any underlying procedural progress.
As mentioned, the December 18 executive order injected fresh life into the sector, directing the DoJ and DEA to expedite cannabis rescheduling to Schedule III, while launching a CMS Innovation Center pilot for federal health programs to cover hemp-derived CBD as early as April 2026, with up to US$500 annual reimbursement for eligible patients.
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz previously endorsed Medicare reimbursement for CBD therapies during his confirmation hearings, framing them as “low-risk, high-impact” options for age-related ailments.
2025 brought incremental legalization or medical frameworks in multiple jurisdictions, including Czechia, Malta, Poland, Switzerland and Luxembourg, broadening the investable global footprint.
This continental momentum has directly boosted North American producers through export ramps and licensing deals, with Canadian licensed producers capturing 43 percent of Germany’s Q2 imports alone.
The country’s CanG framework and adult‑use reform, which came into effect in April 2024, have made it Europe’s most important legal market, with 2025 medical sales expected to see explosive year-on-year growth.
In 2025, cannabis companies pivoted toward operational resilience and product innovation amid persistent commoditization pressures. After 2024’s wholesale flower price declines, down roughly 32 percent since 2021 by some estimates, stronger MSOs like Tilray Brands (TSX:TLRY,NASDAQ:TLRY) are demonstrating pricing power through branded products and category expansion into edibles, vapes and infused pre-rolls.
Deal flow rebounded from 2024’s US$1.17 billion trough, with US transactions reaching US$2.1 billion.
Against that backdrop, cash-rich MSOs pursued distressed roll-ups in oversupplied states like California and New York, with Vireo Growth’s (CSE:VREO,OTCQX:VREOF) acquisitions in Minnesota and New York exemplifying the trend, achieving critical mass with premium valuations amid hemp restrictions.
Private equity and creative deal structures dominated in the cannabis market, preparing operators for federal reform, while consolidating fragmented retail.
2025 marked a transformative year for cannabis, with regulatory breakthroughs and market maturation set against the backdrop of volatility. Trump’s execuctive order has brought new life into the sector in the US with the promise of not only banking and tax relief, but also bipartisan momentum for normalization; however, investors remain cautious.
“Everybody is waiting for it to be real and for it to be completed. Because even though we think the executive order was huge … nothing’s complete yet. Nothing’s official yet,” explained Ahrens.
Looking to 2026, he emphasized that the path forward for cannabis isn’t a straight line, but rather a series of volatile ‘waves’ tied to incremental regulatory milestones. Ahrens anticipates that while the finalization of Schedule III should trigger an initial move, it is merely the first domino; subsequent upside depends on the DoJ providing clear guidance for state-legal adult-use programs and the eventual passage of banking reform.
While he does foresee cannabis stocks uplisting to major exchanges, and Big Pharma companies beginning to make acquisitions in the space, Ahrens remains cautious about timing, noting that even with a signed order, large institutional banks will likely keep the ‘blockade’ in place until the legal ink is truly dry.
Ultimately, while 2025’s executive action has established a concrete foundation for federal reform in the US, the cannabis sector remains poised in a state of high-stakes volatility, with its full maturation dependent on official completion of milestones in 2026 and beyond.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Altech Batteries (ATC:AU) has announced Altech – CERENERGY Project Secures German Grant Approval
Download the PDF here.
Highlights
– Altech Batteries GmbH’s CERENERGY(R) battery project has received conditional binding funding approval under Germany’s federal ‘STARK’ economic development program.
– The approval relates to a grant covering approximately 30% of eligible project CAPEX, with funding of up to EUR46.11M.
– The funding commitment is conditional on achieving full project financial close by 30 June 2026 and parliamentary approval of funds under Germany’s 2026 Federal Budget.
Conditional Binding Funding Commitment
The funding is being provided as part of the federal STARK program, which is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in cooperation with the EU. The aim of this program is to lead regions undergoing structural change into an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable future.
With the approval of the funding, the project has successfully completed the second and decisive stage of the approval process. The funding covers approximately 30% of the eligible investment costs and represents a significant milestone for the construction of the planned 120 MWh CERENERGY(R) battery factory in Germany.
This decision underscores the importance of the innovative CERENERGY(R) technology, which is being developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Society. The Sodium-Chloride Solid-State battery offers a safe, sustainable and strategically independent alternative to lithium-ion batteries and is expected to play an important role in future stationary energy storage solutions – especially for the European market.
Mr Daniel Raihani, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, commented ‘Securing conditional binding funding approval of up to EUR46.11 million under Germany’s STARK program is a major milestone for the CERENERGY(R) project. The support reflects the strategic importance of establishing advanced, nonlithium energy storage manufacturing capability in Europe and recognises the technical progress achieved to date in collaboration with Fraunhofer IKTS.
‘Importantly, the grant materially de-risks the project’s capital structure by covering approximately 30% of eligible investment costs and provides a strong foundation as we progress toward full project financing and construction of the planned 120 MWh production facility in Saxony, Germany.
‘We remain focused on completing financial close by mid-2026 and advancing the CERENERGY(R) technology toward commercial deployment to support long-duration, safe and sustainable stationary energy storage solutions for the European market’.
As is customary for projects of this size, the funding commitment is subject to final financial close of the CERENERGY(R) battery project by June 2026 and budgetary approval of the funds in the 2026 federal budget.
*To view tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/918BT5H8
About Altech Batteries Ltd:
Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS (‘Fraunhofer’) to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.
The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech’s land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.
Source:
Altech Batteries Ltd
Contact:
Daniel Raihani
Managing Director
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com
Martin Stein
Chief Financial Officer
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com
News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia
From established players to up-and-coming firms, Canada’s pharmaceutical landscape is diverse and dynamic.
Canadian drug companies are working to discover and develop major innovations amidst an increasingly competitive global landscape. Rising technologies such as artificial intelligence are playing a role in the landscape as well.
Read on to learn about what’s been driving the share prices of the best-performing Canadian pharma stocks.
Year-on-year gain: 26.6 percent
Market cap: C$149.8 million
Share price: C$4.76
HLS Therapeutics focuses on drugs for cardiovascular and central nervous system problems, often through partnerships. The company specializes in acquiring and commercializing pharmaceuticals that address unmet needs, including Vascepa to reduce cardiovascular risk and Clozaril for treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
HLS in-licensed the exclusive rights to the treatments Nilemdo and Nexlizet, both of which are already approved in other countries, from Esperion (NASDAQ:ESPR) in May.
The November 2025 Health Canada approval of LDL-cholesterol lowering treatment Nilemdo represents the most significant catalyst for the company since the launch of Vascepa, positioning HLS as a dominant leader in the Canadian cardiovascular market. The company is targeting Nilemdo’s commercial launch in Q2 2026.
Along with the approval, Health Canada issued a notice of non-compliance for its Nexlizet cholesterol-reducing treatment. According to HLS, the decision was related to chemistry, manufacture and controls data, not clinical data or safety.
Additionally, the company generates revenue from a diversified portfolio of royalty interests on various products marketed by third parties.
Year-on-year gain: 14.49 percent
Market cap: C$141.04 million
Share price: C$0.79
Satellos Bioscience is a Canadian pharmaceutical company expanding treatment options for muscle disorders. The company has focused specifically on Duchenne muscular dystrophy, developing therapies that target the specific biological pathways involved in regenerating and repairing muscle tissue.
Its lead candidate, SAT-3247, targets a protein called AAK1, which regulates the activity of stem cells that activate and differentiate new muscle fibers.
In Q4 2025, Satellos administered the first dose to a patient in its 11-month open-label follow-up study for adults who completed its initial Phase 1b trial. The study seeks to demonstrate the lasting impact of the significant functional improvements observed earlier in the year.
On December 9, the company received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and several other global regulators to initiate BASECAMP, a global Phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled study to evaluate SAT-3247 in pediatric patients.
Year-on-year gain: 14.29 percent
Market cap: C$592.59 million
Share price: C$6.00
Knight Therapeutics is a specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Montreal, Québec. It operates on an acquisition and in-licensing model, obtaining the rights to innovative medicines from global pharmaceutical companies and commercializing them across Canada and Latin America.
The company was originally founded by the former leaders of Paladin Labs, which was acquired by Endo International in 2014. In June 2025, Knight bought the Paladin business back from Endo for C$107 million, adding over 40 products to Knight’s Canadian roster.
The additions, helped drive 32 percent revenue growth year-over-year to a record C$122.55 million in Q3. The company projects its Knight Canada subsidiary will be the company’s top revenue-contributor within two years.
Year-on-year gain: 10.07 percent
Market cap: C$146.89 million
Share price: C$12.90
BioSyent is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on in-licensing or acquiring established, high-margin healthcare products for the Canadian and international markets. Its growth is anchored by brands in iron health and women’s wellness. Its flagship brand, FeraMAX, has been Canada’s leading iron supplement for over a decade.
The company’s 2024 acquisition of Tibella, a treatment for menopausal symptoms, has been a major growth driver. According to its Q3 earnings report. BioSyent’s sales grew 19 percent year-over-year in Canada and 94 percent in the international market.
Year-on-year gain: 6.45 percent
Market cap: C$47.54 million
Share price: C$0.66
NurExone Biologic is behind ExoTherapy, a drug-delivery platform that uses exosomes, which are nano-sized extracellular vesicles, to create treatments for central nervous system disorders, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. It is a less invasive alternative to cell transplantation, which requires surgery and carries the risk of rejection.
NurExone’s first nano-drug, ExoPTEN, uses a proprietary sIRNA sequence delivered with the ExoTherapy platform to treat spinal cord injuries. ExoPTEN received orphan drug designation from the US FDA in October 2023.
The company expects to initiate its Phase 1/2a first-in-human trial for acute spinal cord injury in the second half of 2026, targeting patients with traumatic injuries.
It continues to make significant progress, with recent preclinical studies demonstrating strong, dose-dependent vision recovery in glaucoma models and improved motor function in spinal cord injury models.
The company announced plans for a US exosome production facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, in September. According to the release, ‘The GMP compliant site would produce exosomes both for NurExone’s therapeutic pipeline and for a growing business-to-business opportunity in regenerative aesthetics.’
In December, the company began planning for small-scale production of ExoPTEN in Israel to support its clinical trial.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Centurion Minerals offers investors an early-stage entry point into a strategically located gold exploration company positioned within one of North America’s most prolific and active mining districts. With a restructured corporate foundation, and a highly experienced geological and corporate finance team, the company is primed for value-creating discoveries.
Centurion Minerals (TSXV:CTN) is a Canadian exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of precious metals projects in the Americas.
The company’s strategy is centered on advancing high-quality, early-stage gold assets through systematic exploration to define drill-ready targets and unlock the discovery potential inherent in its three-part claim package: the Newman, Noseworthy and Hepburn properties. Situated near major operations and new discoveries, these claims benefit from excellent infrastructure, year-round road access and proximity to proven mineralized structural corridors. Centurion intends to increase shareholder value through targeted geophysics, ground truthing and drilling programs designed to reveal new high-grade zones, as well as through potential future acquisitions of complementary gold assets across the Americas.
Backed by a leadership team with decades of exploration, geology, corporate finance and project development experience, Centurion is positioned to capitalize on strong gold market fundamentals and renewed investor interest in junior exploration companies. With a low current valuation and advancing work program, the company provides leverage to both exploration success and broader trends in the gold sector.
The Casa Berardi West project is Centurion’s flagship gold exploration asset, encompassing approximately 6,732 hectares across three contiguous claim groups – Newman, Noseworthy and Hepburn – located 66 km northeast of Cochrane, Ontario. The project sits along structural corridors that host some of the region’s most significant deposits, including Hecla Mining’s Casa Berardi mine (3 Moz past production, plus 4 Moz in reserves and resources), Agnico Eagle’s Detour Lake mine (15 Moz reserve, producing ~659,000 oz of gold per year ), and AMEX Exploration’s Perron discovery (1.6 Moz measured and indicated resource at 6.14 g/t gold).
Location of the three claim groups at Casa Berardi West
The project is situated within the central north Abitibi Subprovince, an Archean greenstone belt known globally for its prolific endowment of gold and base metals. The claims lie adjacent to geological features associated with multiple major deposits – iron formations, shear zones and VMS trends – creating strong analogues to high-grade gold mines such as the Musselwhite mine in Northern Ontario.
This “closeology” positioning significantly enhances the potential for Centurion’s ground to host similar mineralization.
Historic exploration across the Casa Berardi West project – spanning more than 70 RC and diamond drill holes – has already confirmed the presence of gold-bearing structures and favorable host rocks. Notably, previous work returned multiple samples above 1 g/t gold, including a standout result of 38 g/t gold, demonstrating strong mineralization potential across the claim area.
Significant historic drill results at Newman target
Across the three claim groups, drilling and geophysical surveys have identified key geological features associated with major deposits in the region, including iron formations, shear zones and sulphidized horizons. Several zones of interest remain untested or underexplored, particularly along structural trends that extend from nearby high-grade gold and VMS systems such as the Perron and Normetal areas.
These findings provide Centurion with multiple high-priority target areas for follow-up exploration, forming the foundation for its next phase of geophysical work and upcoming drill targeting.
David Tafel brings over 30 years of experience in corporate structuring, strategic planning, financing and executive management across multiple public and private resource companies. He has raised several hundred million dollars for ventures in mining, technology and life sciences, and previously managed private investment funds at Canada’s largest independent securities firm.
A seasoned financial executive with more than 20 years of experience, Jeremy Wright serves as president & CEO of Seatrend Strategy Group and has held CFO roles across numerous public companies in the resource and technology sectors. His background includes financial management, negotiations and environmental economics, supported by extensive board leadership experience.
Joseph Del Campo has served as CFO and Interim CEO across several mining companies, including Unigold and First Nickel. With decades of corporate financial leadership and board experience, he contributes deep governance, audit and operational oversight expertise to Centurion’s board.
A veteran geologist with 40+ years of industry experience, Mike Kilbourne has managed over 100,000 metres of drilling across North America and Mexico, worked as a production geologist in multiple mining environments, and generated over 700 exploration targets for private and public companies.
Jamie Lavigne is a senior exploration geologist with more than 30 years of experience in base and precious metals. He has held senior technical roles with major mining companies and specializes in advanced exploration, resource delineation and geological modeling across global mineral belts.
Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (January 5) 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$94,127.01, up by 3.2 percent over 24 hours.
Bitcoin price performance, January 6, 2025.
Chart via TradingView.
Bitcoin started Monday strong, rising above US$92,000 in early trading before briefly breaking US$94,600, signaling a potential shift in near-term momentum after a bruising finish to 2025.
Research firm 10X said the move reflects a return to more normalized trading volumes and early signs of renewed institutional positioning at the start of the year. The firm notes that Bitcoin is holding above key moving averages, with the 21 day line emerging as a critical support level for maintaining upside bias.
It added that the shift suggests growing expectations for a push toward the US$100,000 level. The rebound follows three consecutive monthly declines — a historically rare pattern that has often preceded January recoveries.
“The strength across crypto and traditional safe havens reflects a rebalancing phase driven by geopolitical risk and liquidity positioning,” said Lacie Zhang, a research analyst at Bitget Wallet.
“In this setup, Bitcoin has room to push toward US$105,000, while Ethereum could test US$3,600, as traders balance inflation risks with crypto’s deflationary characteristics and long-term adoption narrative.’
Zhang said DeFi is currently driving significant growth, with protocols such as Uniswap (UNI) and Aave (AAVE) seeing benefits from improved governance, new revenue-sharing frameworks and institutional investor involvement.
“For large-cap altcoins, XRP and Solana stand out: XRP’s role in cross-border payments and improving regulatory clarity, combined with ETF inflows, could support price ranges of US$5 – US$10, while Solana’s high-throughput ecosystem and network expansion position it for US$500 – US$800 over the next growth phase.
“The renewed surge in memecoin activity reflects improving retail risk appetite,” she added. “It’s not a long-term thesis, but often a precursor to liquidity rotating into higher-quality, utility-driven altcoins as the cycle matures.”
Ether (ETH) was priced at US$3,239.82, up by 3.2 percent over the last 24 hours.
Global crypto exchange-traded products attracted US$47.2 billion in net inflows in 2025, falling just short of the prior year’s record despite a noticeable slowdown in Bitcoin demand, according to CoinShares.
Bitcoin-focused products added US$26.9 billion, a sharp drop from 2024 levels, as price weakness dampened inflows and modest interest emerged in short-bitcoin vehicles. The cooling in Bitcoin was offset by a surge into select altcoins, led by Ethereum products, which posted US$12.7 billion in inflows.
Meanwhile, XRP and Solana funds followed closely as each recorded multibillion-dollar inflows and triple-digit percentage growth year over year.
Satsuki Katayama, Japan’s finance minister, has signaled stronger government backing for integrating digital assets into the country’s stock and commodities exchanges.
Speaking at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, she emphasized the role of exchanges in expanding public access to blockchain-based assets and modern investment tools. She pointed to the US experience with crypto-linked exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as a reference point, even as Japan currently lacks domestically listed crypto ETFs.
Katayama described 2026 as a “digital year,” pledging policy support for exchanges adopting advanced trading technologies. The remarks build on regulatory reforms already underway, including discussions on allowing banks to hold crypto assets and the approval of Japan’s first yen-pegged stablecoin.
Bitget’s new Universal Exchange vision has reached two major milestones that signal a major shift in how digital and traditional assets are traded in one place. Bitget announced last week that its tokenized stock volume surpassed US$1 billion, with 95 percent of that total volume occurring in December alone.
Building on that momentum, and following a successful private beta with over 80,000 users, today Bitget officially opened its TradFi trading suite to the public, allowing customers access to 79 different instruments across forex, metals, indices and commodities. These products are traded as contracts for difference and are settled entirely in USDT, meaning crypto-native traders can execute macro strategies without leaving the platform or converting to fiat currency.
During the test phase, XAU/USD recorded over US$100 million in single-day trading volume, one of the highest daily figures observed during the beta.
“Traders want the flexibility to choose between assets in a unified ecosystem,” said Chen.
“They want the freedom to move between crypto and traditional markets as conditions change. TradFi going public is about giving them that accessibility in one place, without friction.”
The move signals a broader shift in how exchanges are evolving, not just as venues for speculation, but as comprehensive gateways to global markets under a unified trading experience.
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.
Carbonxt Group (CG1:AU) has announced Placement to Fund Further Investment in New Carbon
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