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January 9, 2025

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When to Pull the Trigger: Identifying the BEST Entry Point

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In this exclusive StockCharts video, Joe shares how to identify the best entry point by using two timeframes, Moving Averages, MACD and ADX. He shows two different examples of when to pull the trigger. Joe highlights weakness in the Large Cap universe, and finally goes through the symbol requests that came through this week, including NVDA, ABNB, and more.

This video was originally published on January 8, 2025. Click this link to watch on Joe’s dedicated page.

Archived videos from Joe are available at this link. Send symbol requests to stocktalk@stockcharts.com; you can also submit a request in the comments section below the video on YouTube. Symbol Requests can be sent in throughout the week prior to the next show.

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THIS is the BEST Market Sector Right Now!

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In this exclusive StockCharts video, Julius takes a look at what he recently called “The Best Five Sectors” on a relative rotation graph side-by-side with their price charts. He then takes an in-depth at Consumer Discretionary, and shares some interesting stocks within, including AMZN, ULTA, and more.

This video was originally published on January 8, 2025. Click on the icon above to view on our dedicated page for Julius.

Past videos from Julius can be found here.

#StayAlert, -Julius

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What Higher Rates Could Mean for the S&P 500

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The 10-Year Treasury Yield has gone up a full percentage point, from a low of 3.6% in September 2024 to a level of 4.6% this week. So what does this rapid rise in interest rates mean for your portfolio? Let’s look at the shape of the yield curve by comparing multiple maturities, review how recent moves on the yield curve relate to previous recessionary periods, and analyze the most important charts to gauge a potential impact.

Higher Rates Mean Bad News for Borrowers

The chart of the 10-Year Treasury Yield ($TNX) has effectively been in a wide trading range since mid-2023. The 10-Year has fluctuated between lows around 3.6-3.8% and highs in the 4.7-5.0% range. As we’re now seeing a 4.7% yield on the 10-Year, we could be setting up for a retest of the 2023 high around 5.0%.

Higher rates can definitely put pressure on industry groups like homebuilders, because this move in the 10-Year means new home buyers can expect much higher mortgage payments. In terms of broad market implications, the shape of the yield curve could have even more significance in the coming months.

The bottom two panels show the spread between the 10-year point on the yield curve compared to two other maturities: the 3-month and 2-year points. In recent years, we have experienced an inverted yield curve, where the short-term yields are higher than long-term yields.  But with the Fed lowering short-term rates, and long-term rates turning back higher, we once again have a normal shaped yield curve.

The Yield Curve Is No Longer Inverted — So What?

Investors love to debate whether a recession is likely, because that confirms that the economy is no longer growing as it usually does. But given the lag in economic data, investors can actually look at the shape of the yield curve to determine if conditions are present that suggest a recessionary period is coming.

Here, we’re taking the 2-year vs. 10-year points on the yield curve and plotting that spread back to 1985. I’ve placed a red vertical line where the yield curve turned back to a normal shape after being inverted, and I’ve also included orange-shaded areas which represent recessionary periods.

You may notice that over the last 40 years, every time we’ve had an inverted yield curve where the spread then turned back positive, we’ve seen a recession soon afterwards. You may also notice that the performance of the S&P 500 (bottom panel) confirms that the yield curve moving back to a normal shape usually happens just before a bear market begins.

While the long-term implications of a normal shaped yield curve are bullish, as they imply optimism about future economic growth, the reality is that the short-term environment for stocks is usually fairly unstable.

Market Trend Is What Matters Most

So what do we do given this bearish headwind for stocks going into 2025? I would argue that now, more than ever, it pays to follow the trend. As long as the medium-term and long-term trends in the S&P 500 remain constructive, then I’ll want to follow that uptrend until proven otherwise.

My Market Trend Model is designed to track the trend in the S&P 500 on three time frames: short-term (a couple days to a couple weeks), medium-term (a couple months), and long-term (over a year).  As of mid-December, the short-term model turned bearish for the S&P 500. The medium-term and long-term models remain bullish through last Friday.

I consider the medium-term trend to be the most important, as it serves as my main “risk on/risk off” measure. When the model is bullish, that tells me to look for long ideas and take on additional risk. When the model is bearish, that tells me to focus more on capital preservation than capital growth.

The short-term model turned negative five times in 2024, but the medium-term model remained bullish in all five cases. This helped me understand that those were brief pullbacks within a longer uptrend phase. If and when the medium-term model turns negative, you’ll hear me take on a much more cautious tone on my market recap show, as I’ll be looking for opportunities to take risk off the table.

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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Cygnus increases highly prospective, under-explored ground position by 50%

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Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project, Canada

Two diamond drill rigs about to arrive on site as part of strategy to grow the resource and test brownfield exploration targets

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Cygnus has secured additional ground next to its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project, increasing its total land holding to 282km 2
  • The newly staked areas add to a highly prospective land position which has seen limited modern exploration in the past 20 years
  • Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project has a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 3.6Mt at 3.0% CuEq and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 7.2Mt at 3.8% CuEq 1
  • The Chibougamau district is a world-class mineral terrane with strong potential for additional discovery; Historical production totals more than 945,000t of copper and 3.5Moz of gold across 16 former producing mines 2
  • Two diamond drill rigs are set to start this week, targeting both resource growth and priority brownfield exploration targets, underpinning strong news flow
  • The Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project includes a 900,000tpa processing facility – the only milling infrastructure within a 250km radius
  • The district also has excellent infrastructure with a local mining town, a modern mining workforce training centre, sealed highway, airport, regional rail infrastructure and 25kV hydro power to the processing site

Cygnus Executive Chairman, David Southam said   : ‘Our immediate strategy is to create value through exploration at Chibougamau and we are wasting no time executing this aspect of our plan.

‘Expanding our ground position increases the upside at the project and reflects our strong belief in the immense exploration and resource growth potential.

‘All of this newly staked land is adjacent to the high-grade Chibougamau mining camp which has an incredible production record dating back over 65 years, producing almost 1 million tonnes of copper and 3.5 million ounces of gold’.

TORONTO, Jan. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5; TSXV: CYG) (‘Cygnus’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has expanded its land holding by 50 per cent at the Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec, Canada and is about to start drilling.

Cygnus recently completed its transformative merger with Doré Copper Mining Corporation, creating a new leading player in the critical minerals sector with a strategic focus on high-grade copper and lithium assets in Quebec, Canada. A key motivation behind the merger was to advance the Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project which has established high-grade mineral resources of:

Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources of 3.6Mt at 3.0% CuEq and Inferred Mineral Resources of 7.2Mt at 3.8% CuEq (refer to Appendix A) 1

The multi-pronged value creation strategy has a strong focus on resource growth and brownfield exploration with significant potential for additional discovery in the region. Part of that strategy was to bolster the ground position and provide additional exploration opportunity in a world-class mineral terrane that has historically produced nearly 1Mt of copper and 3.5Moz of gold over a 65 year history. 2 This large and well-endowed mineral system is driven by the central Chibougamau Pluton with the recently acquired ground adding more of this highly prospective geology to the combined project.

The new claims have been acquired at minimal cost to Cygnus, being newly staked and open ground immediately surrounding the existing project, and are principally in the anorthosite band that surrounds the Chibougamau Pluton, which typically host mineral deposits in the Chibougamau mining camp. In total, 174 claims have been staked for 97km 2 taking the combined Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project to 282km 2 . This provides an excellent platform to drive growth through exploration in a highly prospective district.

In line with the Company’s resource growth strategy, drilling is about to start with two diamond drill rigs. This initial program will focus on resource growth opportunities surrounding some of the existing deposits aiming to build upon the existing high-grade resources. The Company looks forward to a high volume of news flow during 2025 with ongoing drilling updates and results.

Figure 1: Newly staked ground over the highly prospective Chibougamau Pluton and surrounding anorthositic host rock.

About the Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project

The Project is located in central Quebec, Canada approximately 480km due north of Montreal. The province of Quebec has been recognised as a top ten global mining investment jurisdiction in the 2023 Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies. The Project has excellent infrastructure with a local mining town, sealed highway, airport, regional rail infrastructure and access to hydro power via installed powerlines.

The Project is centred on the Chibougamau Pluton with historic production in the Chibougamau mining district of 53.5Mt @ 3.4% CuEq 2 from periodic mining between the early 1900s and 2008. Over this long mining history, the district has produced nearly 1Mt of copper and 3.5Moz of gold from 16 former producing mines. 2

The Project has high-grade resources including Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources of 3.6Mt at 3.0% CuEq and Inferred Mineral Resources of 7.2Mt at 3.8% CuEq with significant potential to grow (refer to Appendix A). 1

The Company has a clear strategy to:

  • Grow the current resource through brownfield exploration and investment in drilling, modern geophysics and other exploration activities
  • Advance the project towards development through study work and utilising existing infrastructure

The Company sees substantial opportunity to create shareholder value by an established high-grade resource with opportunity for growth, excellent infrastructure, 900ktpa processing facility and clear pathway to production, all within a quality endowed mineral terrane that has seen minimal modern exploration.

Figure 2: Location of the Chibougamau Project relative to other major deposits and processing facilities. 3

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of Cygnus.

David Southam Ernest Mast Media:
Executive Chair President & Managing Director Paul Armstrong
T: +61 8 6118 1627 T: +1 647 921 0501 Read Corporate
E: info@cygnusmetals.com E: info@cygnusmetals.com T: +61 8 9388 1474

About Cygnus Metals

Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5, TSXV: CYG) is a diversified critical minerals exploration and development company with projects in Quebec, Canada and Western Australia. The Company is dedicated to advancing its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec with an aggressive exploration program to drive resource growth and develop a hub-and-spoke operation model with its centralised processing facility. In addition, Cygnus has quality lithium assets with significant exploration upside in the world-class James Bay district in Quebec, and REE and base metal projects in Western Australia. The Cygnus team has a proven track record of turning exploration success into production enterprises and creating shareholder value.

Forward Looking Statements

This document contains ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ which are based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of Cygnus believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as ‘expects’, ‘anticipates’, ‘plans’, ‘believes’, ‘estimates’, ‘seeks’, ‘intends’, ‘targets’, ‘projects’, ‘forecasts’, or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘would’ and ‘could’. Although Cygnus and its management believe that the assumptions and expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Cygnus to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual results of current or future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, changes in laws, regulations and practices, the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that Cygnus operates in, as well as those factors disclosed in Cygnus’ publicly filed documents. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information, and readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information or rely on this document as a recommendation or forecast by Cygnus. Cygnus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

End Notes

  1. The Mineral Resource estimate at the Chibougamau Project is a foreign estimate prepared in accordance with CIM Standards. A competent person has not done sufficient work to classify the foreign estimate as a mineral resource in accordance with the JORC Code, and it is uncertain whether further evaluation and exploration will result in an estimate reportable under the JORC Code. Refer to Appendix A for a breakdwon of the Mineral Resource Estimate and a summary of the assumptions.
  2. Sources for historic production figures: Economic Geology, v. 107, pp. 963–989 – Structural and Stratigraphic Controls on Magmatic, Volcanogenic, and Shear Zone-Hosted Mineralization in the Chapais-Chibougamau Mining Camp, Northeastern Abitibi, Canada by François Leclerc et al. (Lac Dore/Chibougamau mining camp).
  3. For regional resources in Quebec: (a) at Monster Lake and Nelligan, refer to IAMGOLD Corporations’ news release dated 15 February 2024; (b) at Windfall, refer to Osisko Mining’s NI 43-101 Technical Report filed with SEDAR on 10 January 2023; (c) at Canadian Malartic, refer to Agnico Eagle’s 2023 Annual Information Form; (d) at Opemiska, refer to XXIX’s news release dated 8 January 2024; (e) at Roger, refer to the SOQUEM and Enforcer Gold Corp’s NI 43-101 Technical Report dated 9 October 2018; and (f) at Chevrier, refer to Northern Superior Resources’s NI 43-101 Technical Report filed with SEDAR on 7 October 2022.

Qualified Persons and Compliance Statements

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ms Laurence Huss, the Quebec In-Country Manager of Cygnus, a ‘qualified person’ as defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The Company first announced the foreign estimate of mineralisation for the Chibougamau Project on 15 October 2024. The Company confirms that the supporting information included in the announcement of 15 October 2024 continues to apply and has not materially changed. Cygnus confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the original announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. Cygnus confirms that its is not in possession of any new information or data that materially impacts on the reliability of the estimates or Cygnus’ ability to verify the foreign estimates as mineral resources in accordance with the JORC Code. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons’ findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

APPENDIX A – Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project – Foreign Estimate Disclosures as at 30 March 2022

Deposit Category Tonnes
(k) 		Cu Grade
(%) 		Au Grade (g/t) Cu Metal
(kt) 		Au Metal
(koz) 		CuEq Grade
(%)
Corner Bay (2022)

Indicated 2,700 2.7 0.3 71 22 2.9
Inferred 5,900 3.4 0.3 201 51 3.6
Devlin (2022)

Measured 120 2.7 0.3 3 1 2.9
Indicated 660 2.1 0.2 14 4 2.3
Measured &
Indicated 		780 2.2 0.2 17 5 2.4
Inferred 480 1.8 0.2 9 3 2.0
Joe Mann (2022) Inferred 610 0.2 6.8 1 133 5.5
Cedar Bay (2018)

Indicated 130 1.6 9.4 2 39 8.9
Inferred 230 2.1 8.3 5 61 8.5
Total Measured &
Indicated 		3,600 2.5 0.6 90 66 3.0
Total Inferred 7,200 3.0 1.1 216 248 3.8


Notes:

  1. Cygnus Metals Ltd cautions that Mineral Resources for the Chibougamau Copper Project, incorporating Corner Bay, Devlin, Cedar Bay and Joe Mann, are reported in accordance with the requirements applying to foreign estimates in the ASX Listing Rules and, as such, are not reported in accordance with the JORC Code (2012 Edition). A Competent Person has not yet completed sufficient work to classify the resources as Mineral Resources that satisfy the guidelines provided in the JORC Code (2012 Edition). It is uncertain that following evaluation and/or further exploration work that the Mineral Resources will be able to be reported as Mineral Resources in accordance with the JORC Code (2012 Edition).
  2. All resources have been prepared in accordance with CIM Standards. Please refer to Cygnus’ announcement on 15 October 2024 for additional technical information relating to the foreign estimate.
  3. The Mineral Resource estimates include Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorised as Mineral Reserves. There is also no certainty that Inferred Mineral Resources will be converted to Measured and Indicated categories through further drilling, or into Mineral Reserves once economic considerations are applied.
  4. Numbers may not reconcile precisely due to rounding.

1 The Mineral Resource estimate at the Chibougamau Project is a foreign estimate prepared in accordance with CIM Standards. A competent person has not done sufficient work to classify the foreign estimate as a mineral resource in accordance with the JORC Code, and it is uncertain whether further evaluation and exploration will result in an estimate reportable under the JORC Code.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c232825e-b414-4476-bfbb-922828189faa

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8c5a2c23-3e19-429c-9a31-064227e84b29

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Top 5 NASDAQ Cybersecurity Stocks (Updated January 2025)

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Security is becoming a growing global concern, both online and off.

Diverse companies are stepping up to provide solutions for individuals and businesses, and some of them are seeing impressive share price gains as they meet increasing demand for consumer safety.

Emerging quantum computing technology is a rising source of concern for cybersecurity, as quantum computers may be able to break the cryptographic methods currently used for encryption.

1. SEALSQ (NASDAQ:LAES)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 475.91 percent
Market cap: US$767.01 million
Share price: US$7.89

SEALSQ specializes in semiconductors, public key infrastructure and post-quantum technology. Its parent company is WISeKey International, another security technology company on this list. SEALQ is developing post-quantum cryptography methods that will be secure against threats from quantum computers. The company plans to launch its quantum-resistant hardware platform QS7001 in 2025.

After trading rather flat for much of 2024, SEALSQ has seen its share price really take off in the final weeks of the year and into the new year. The stock reached a yearly high of US$9.08 on December 27.

The company has reached a number of milestone events that have increased its value in the eyes of investors. In mid- December, SEALSQ announced several partnerships for its technology, including one with distributed ledger technology company Hedera, which will use the cybersecurity company’s quantum-resistant chips for long-term security of Hedera’s blockchain network.

The partners’ technology will also be a part of a January satellite launch with another WISeKey subidiary, WISeSat.Space, which is discussed further in the next entry.

2. WISeKey International Holding (NASDAQ:WKEY)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 449.04 percent
Market cap: US$101 million
Share price: US$10.04

WISeKey International Holding is a global cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) technology company.

WISeKey also traded sideways for most of 2024 before a seeing a substantial share price rally to close out the year. The stock hit a yearly high of US$13 on December 26.

Like its subsidiary SEALSQ, WISeKey made some important announcements in December that brought them to the attention of the marketplace. The company confirmed on December 13 that its subsidiary WISeSat.Space’s WISeSat satellites will be a part of the January 14, 2025, SpaceX satellite launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The satellites are equipped with SEALSQ’s post-quantum chips and partner Hedera’s blockchain technology.

Early in 2025, WISeKey plans to bring to market its Quantum RootKey advanced cryptographic technology “designed to secure digital identities, systems, and communications against the imminent threat posed by quantum computing.”

3. Allot (NASDAQ:ALLT)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 346.45 percent
Market cap: US$265.44 million
Share price: US$6.91

Allot offers network intelligence and security-as-a-service (SECaaS) solutions for service providers around the world. This includes network and application analytics, traffic control and shaping, and network-based security services.

Shares in Allot experienced a gradual rise over the past year before really heating up in the fourth quarter and into 2025. The stock’s yearly high of US$6.90 came on January 6.

In its Q3 2024 financial report, Allot highlighted revenues of US$23.2 million, up 5 percent over the previous quarter and up 3 percent year-over-year. This was led by growth in its SECaaS segment, which saw revenue of US$4.7 million, a 69 percent year-over-year jump.

In recent weeks, the company has inked service agreements with key broadband providers including Japan’s Asahi Net, Portugal’s MEO and British telecommunications firm Vodafone UK.

4. Arqit Quantum (NASDAQ:ARQQ)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 258.14 percent
Market cap: US$480.03 million
Share price: US$38.30

Arqit Quantum is a quantum-safe encryption technology company that supplies an encryption platform-as-a-service “which makes the communications links of any networked device, cloud machine or data at rest secure against both current and future forms of attack on encryption – even from a quantum computer.”

After seeing a share price bump in the first quarter of 2024, Arqit’s stock traded on a gradual downward slope until the fourth quarter. The stock reached a yearly high of US$43.83 on December 26.

Arqit garnered the distinction of a 2024 International Data Corp (IDC) Innovator for post-quantum cryptography in September, joining one of only five vendors recognized by IDC for providing potential quantum cyberattack solutions.

In its 2024 fiscal year report ended 30 September, Arqit reported revenue of US$293,000. Heading into 2025, the company is set to begin revenue generation through a multi-year enterprise license contract with a government end user, with annual recurring revenue totaling seven figures.

5. OneSpan (NASDAQ:OSPN)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 90.8 percent
Market cap:US$716.13 million
Share price: US$18.85

OneSpan is a cybersecurity company that provides security, identity, electronic signature and digital workflow solutions to secure digital agreements and business transactions. Its customers include global blue-chip enterprises and more than 60 percent of the world’s largest 100 banks.

OneSpan’s share price has climbed steadily upward over the past year to reach a yearly high of US$19.38 on December 16.

In October 2024, the company introduced a new phishing-resistant transaction security solution, VISION FX. It’s designed to “strengthen protection against phishing and account takeover threats (ATO), setting a standard for banking security.”

The following month, OneSpan announced a partnership with Ping Identity in which Ping Identity will offer OneSpan’s password-free authentication solutions through its partner program.

“By partnering with Ping Identity, we’re making it easier for organizations to leverage high assurance hardware-based authentication with Ping Identity’s market-leading identity management solutions,” said Giovanni Verhaeghe, OneSpan senior vice president of corporate and business development.

In its Q3 2024 financials report, OneSpan reported a subscription revenue increase of 29 percent year-over-year to US$33.6 million. Annual recurring revenue increased 9 percent year-over-year to US$163.9 million. Overall, total revenue was down 4 percent year-over-year to US$56.2 million. In mid-December, the company declared that a quarterly cash dividend of US$0.12 per share will be paid on February 14, 2025.

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Robotics Market Forecast: Top Trends for Robotics in 2025

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2025 is poised to be a pivotal year for the robotics industry, driven by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI).

AI technologies such as machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and reinforcement learning empower robots with unprecedented capabilities for autonomous action. Advanced AI functionalities like simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), robotic swarms and explainable AI further enhance robots’ ability to perceive, learn and act intelligently.

The fusion of robotics and AI redefines what’s possible and opens up vast investment opportunities across diverse sectors, from healthcare to neuro-robotics to environmental sustainability and space exploration.

Where investment dollars are flowing

The robotics industry’s growth is also being fueled by substantial research and development investments.

Global advisory firm Benchmark International estimates that the global robotics market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.1 percent to reach US$169.8 billion by 2032.

James Lambert, a leading expert on the economic impact of technology and director of economic consulting, Asia, at Oxford Economics, offers a retrospective analysis of the firm’s 2019 study How Robots Change the World:

“Our prediction of rapid robotics adoption in manufacturing was on target. The economic promise of productivity gains and long-term growth have attracted sustained investment.’

Industrial robotics, used in assembly and material handling, is also expanding. Analysis from Statista reveals that costs to deploy industrial robots have been declining over the last decade as new players increase competition and technology improves. The projected cost per robot in 2025 is as low as US$10,856, down from US$27,000 in 2017.

Companies leading the charge in this subsector include Swiss-Swedish ABB (OTC Pink:ABLZF), one of the world’s largest robotics companies, and FANUC (OTC Pink:FANUY), a Japanese-based robotics company.

Lambert also highlights the growth of collaborative robots (cobots) and the surprising pervasiveness of robots in service sector jobs: “The use of cobots…has expanded dramatically, with cobots operating alongside human workers in environments ranging from Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) warehouses to surgical suites.”

Amazon is expanding its robotics sector beyond warehouses with a pilot project for automated grocery stores.

The sales volume of collaborative robots (cobots) is projected to increase by 6,100 percent between 2025 and 2045, according to market research by IDTechEx. Packaging and palletizing are experiencing especially rapid growth in the food and beverage industry.

“AI-driven robots are increasingly visible, providing concierge services, delivering groceries, and caring for the elderly. Humanoid robots like Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Optimus and SoftBank’s Pepper are blurring the line between tools and colleagues.”

NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), the leading provider of GPUs, is playing a crucial role in this robotic revolution. The company’s advanced chips are powering the next generation of robots, including Tesla’s Optimus bot and its autonomous robotaxi service.

At the GPU Technology Conference in March 2024, NVIDIA revealed its ambitious plans to accelerate the development of humanoid robots with the introduction of Project GR00T, a foundation model designed to enable robots to understand natural language, learn from human demonstrations and perform complex tasks.

NVIDIA also launched a powerful computer, Jetson Thor, equipped with advanced AI capabilities and designed for humanoid robots. Jetson Thor will reportedly hit the market in H2 2025.

“The ChatGPT moment for physical AI and robotics is around the corner,” Deepu Talla, NVIDIA’s vice-president of robotics, told the Financial Times in a report exploring NVIDIA’s pivot into robotics as competition in the semiconductor industry heats up.

Beyond NVIDIA, other companies are also making significant contributions to the robotics field. In April 2024, Boston Dynamics shared that the newest version of its advanced humanoid robot Atlas eventually be available for purchase. Boston Dynamics is further expanding its reach through its research partnership with the Toyota Research Institute. Hyundai, through its controlling stake in Boston Dynamics, offers indirect exposure to the private company.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) is another key enabler of the current generation of robotics, having played a pivotal role in the development of 5G technology, which has enabled a new level of performance and autonomy for robots. The Robotics RB5 platform is Qualcomm’s hardware and software development kit specifically designed for robots.

Robotics in healthcare

While still in early stages, robotic integration in healthcare is becoming more widespread. A Grandview Research report estimates the global market for medical service robots will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.5 percent between 2025 to 2030, reaching US$84.8 billion by 2028.

Expected to reach US$7.42 billion by 2030, surgical robotics is a burgeoning field, thanks to advancements in medical robot technology that enable procedure-specific tools and capabilities.

Surgical robots can enhance patient safety and, in some cases, reduce recovery times, ultimately improving surgery outcomes, especially for precision surgeries involving the heart, brain and spine, for example.

Progress in the field continues with a recent breakthrough by researchers from Johns Hopkins and Stanford Universities, who have developed robots capable of learning surgical procedures such as suturing by observing and mimicking actions in a video. This breakthrough, presented at the Conference on Robot Learning in Munich in September, marks the first time robots have been trained in this manner.

This rapid advancement in robotic surgery has attracted a growing number of companies developing innovative surgical systems. Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) has been a pioneer in the field of robotic surgery. Best known for creating the da Vinci surgical system, the company’s tools were designed to allow surgeons to perform operations through smaller incisions.

Its newest iteration, the da Vinci 5, builds upon its groundbreaking lineup with enhanced tactile feedback and an upgraded 3D vision system. The system was granted FDA clearance in March of this year.

However, after years at the top of this niche industry, Intuitive Surgical is encountering competition from players like Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), who launched the Hugo RAS system in 2021 and began US clinical trials in May 2024 for hernia repair and gynecological procedures.

Additionally, newer market entrant Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE:JNJ) medical devices subsidiary, JNJ MedTech, received investigational device exemption (IDE) approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its robotic surgical system OTTAVA on November 12 and can now begin trials.

Beyond general surgery, the robotic surgery field is expanding into specialized areas. For example, Procept BioRobotics (NASDAQ:PRCT), a medical technology company specializing in urology, announced FDA clearance of its HYDROS robotic system in August. HYDROS uses AI to help doctors perform personalized aquablation therapy. The company issued an offering of common stock on October 29 priced at US$91.00 per share, a strong indication of investor confidence in future prospects.

This trend towards specialization is also evident in orthopedic surgery, where robotic systems are being increasingly adopted for knee and hip replacements. Stryker (NYSE:SYK) and Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN) (S&N) are both key players here. Stryker has achieved widespread adoption of its early entrant, the MAKO system, for knee and hip replacements. S&N, while entering the market later with its handheld CORI system, affords surgeons greater flexibility and tactile feedback during procedures and offers a broader range of implant compatibility.

S&N’s newer system, the CORIOGRAPH Pre-Op Planning, complements the CORI for total hip arthroplasty by creating and importing a pre-operative plan to help guide surgeons during the procedure. The system received FDA clearance on December 19, 2024.

Johnson & Johnson is also positioning itself as a contender in this growing market with its DePuy Synthes VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution, a system designed to enhance the precision and accuracy of knee replacement procedures by providing surgeons with real-time data and guidance during surgery. The system was showcased at 2024’s American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons 2024 Annual Meeting in Dallas, and studies have suggested that the system may lead to lower knee-related healthcare costs within 90 days of surgery compared to other robotic-assisted technologies.

Robotics in defense technology

Governments worldwide are increasing their military spending, with the US Department of Defense investing heavily in autonomous systems and drone technology. The Replicator initiative, for instance, aims to deploy thousands of AI-powered unmanned aerial vehicles and robots, highlighting the growing importance of robotics in defense.

Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR) and Anduril are two key players in this space, securing major contracts for data integration and autonomous systems development. Both companies are also involved in developing software integration architectures for the Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle program. Their collaboration on AI-powered solutions for national security and Anduril’s research partnership with OpenAI further solidify their positions in the defense sector.

Another major player, AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV), released a software update to its uncrewed aircraft systems with a visual navigation system that allows the drones to ‘see’ and understand their surroundings, even in challenging environments when GPS signals are jammed or unavailable.

Beyond defense applications, advancements in areas like autonomous navigation, sensor technology and data analysis have applications in space exploration, a transformative sector dominated by companies pushing the boundaries of space exploration with innovative technologies, such as reusable rockets and advanced navigation systems. SpaceX and Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) are two key players in this space.

During SpaceX’s fifth test flight of its Starship, intended for lunar and Martian missions, on October 13, giant robotic arms were used to catch the reusable Super Heavy booster during the Mechazilla “chopstick” landing. Rocket Lab has at least three launches planned for 2025 and is a strong contender for a major contract to build and launch satellites for the Space Development Agency.

Other companies utilizing robotic technology to advance aerospace, satellite technology and Earth observation, such as Planet Labs (NYSE:PL), BlackSky (NYSE:BKSY), and Spire Global (NYSE:SPIR), have all experienced year-over-year growth.

Meanwhile, on the surface of Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover is currently testing AI-powered software designed to autonomously identify rocks that may hold clues to the planet’s potential for past life. Government funding, which NASA relies on to fund the projects it contracts to private companies, is crucial to advancing space exploration. The proposed budget for NASA in 2025 is US$25.4 billion, two percent higher than last year’s budget.

And while NASA focuses on lunar exploration, Elon Musk — with a newfound influence on economic policy — has his sights on a more ambitious target: Mars. In September, Musk tweeted his plans to send two Starships to Mars in 2026 and 2028, the next two upcoming launch windows for Mars missions this decade.

Casey Dreier, Chief of Space Policy for The Planetary Society, raises questions about how Trump’s re-election could impact the space industry and NASA, potentially leading to increased uncertainty and changes in funding priorities.

“The reality of canceling (lunar programs), many of which have enjoyed rock-solid support from Congress over the past decade, will be no easy task, and it is unclear that the Trump Administration would want to pick a fight with members of its own party, particularly given the narrow advantage Republicans hold in both congressional chambers,” he wrote in an op-ed following the election results. “This is an area to watch closely.”

Investor takeaway

The robotics sector is undergoing a period of rapid change. Startups like Figure AI and Physical Intelligence have managed to secure backing from high-profile investors like Jeff Bezos and tech’s heaviest hitters NVIDIA, Microsoft and OpenAI.

The involvement of such high-profile investors and established tech giants underscores the growing recognition of the immense potential within the robotics industry. As this landscape continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptable will be essential for investors navigating the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Top 5 Small-cap Biotech Stocks (Updated January 2025)

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The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) is trading at three-year highs in response to breakthrough innovations and increased deals for biotech stocks on the NASDAQ.

After dropping to a low of 3,637.05 in October 2023, the index climbed to a high of 4,954.813 on September 19, 2024. While the NBI is trading down at 4,399.36 as of January 7, 2025, further growth could be in store in the future. However, the current economic environment means the biotech sector may have a complex road ahead.

According to a recent report from Precedence Research, the global biotech market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11.5 percent from now to 2034, reaching a valuation of US$4.61 trillion.

Driving that growth will be favorable government policies, investment in the sector, increased demand for synthetic biology and a rise in chronic disorders such as cancer, heart disease and hypertension.

The top NASDAQ biotech stocks have seen sizeable share price increases over the past year. For those interested in investing in biotech companies, the best-performing small-cap biotech stocks are outlined below.

Data was gathered on January 7, 2025, using TradingView’s stock screener, and all top small-cap biotech stocks in the list had market caps between US$50 million and US$500 million at that time.

1. Bright Minds Biosciences (NASDAQ:DRUG)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 2,232.41 percent
Market cap: US$281.1 million
Share price: US$40.22

Bright Minds Biosciences is developing novel treatments for pain and neuropsychiatric disorders such as epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder and difficult-to-treat depression.

The company’s platform includes serotonin agonists designed to provide powerful therapeutic benefits while minimizing the side effects.

Bright Minds is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials for its BMB-101, a highly selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist, in adult patients with classic absence epilepsy and developmental epileptic encephalopathy.

Bright Minds Biosciences’ stock rocketed upwards in the fourth quarter, shooting up from US$2.49 to US$38.49 in one day on October 15. The company issued a press release stating it was ‘unaware of any material changes in the company’s operations’ that would have contributed to such a rally. The outperformance instead appears to be related to the October 14 announcement of Danish pharma company Lundbeck acquiring Longboard Pharma, another biotech company developing a 5-HT2C receptor agonist, for US$60 per share.

A few days later, Bright Minds announced a non-brokered private placement of US$35 million, which sent shares up to US$47.21 on October 18.

That same month the company shared its collaboration with Firefly Neuroscience (NASDAQ:AIFF) to use the latter’s advanced artificial intelligence, FDA-cleared BNA technology platform to provide a full analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG) data from Bright Minds’ BMB-101 Phase 2 clinical trial. This follows the pair’s previous successful collaboration to analyze data from Bright Mind’s first-in-human Phase 1 study of BMB-101.

Bright Minds’ share price reached their highest yearly peak of US$55.77 on November 6.

2. Candel Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CADL)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 518.52 percent
Market cap: US$371.37 million
Share price: US$8.35

Candel Therapeutics is a biotech company focused on developing oncology treatments. The company’s pipeline includes two clinical stage multimodal biological immunotherapy platforms.

Candel’s lead product candidate CAN-2409 is in a Phase 2 clinical trial in non-small cell lung cancer and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, as well as Phase 2 and 3 trials for localized, non-metastatic prostate cancer. Positive interim data for the trial on pancreatic cancer, released on April 4, 2024, sent the company’s share price spiking upwards. It ultimately climbed to a year-over-year high of US$14.30 on May 16.

More recently, in December 2024, the company released positive topline data for CAN-2409 viral immunotherapy, achieving the primary endpoint in its Phase 3 prostate cancer trial.

Its second lead product candidate is CAN-3110, which is in an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial in recurrent high-grade glioma (HGG).

The company had a number wins with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024. In February, Candel’s CAN-3110 received regulatory approval for a fast-track designation for the treatment of recurrent HGG. The agency also granted Candel orphan drug designation for CAN-2409 for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in April and CAN-3110 for HGG in May.

3. Rezolute Bio (NASDAQ:RZLT)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 467.04 percent
Market cap: US$314.63 million
Share price: US$5.43

Late-stage biopharma company Rezolute is developing novel therapies targeting rare and chronic metabolic diseases. At the top of the company’s drug pipeline is RZ358, called ersodetug, which is being studied for the treatment of congenital hyperinsulinism and tumor hyperinsulinism. The company also has RZ402, which is targeted for patients with diabetic macular edema.

Ersodetug is currently in global Phase 3 clinical studies for congenital hyperinsulinism, with topline data expected in mid-2025. It opened to US participation in September after the FDA removed partial clinical holds.

In March, Rezolute shared results from a preclinical study that validated ersodetug’s potential to treat patients with non-islet cell tumors that have uncontrolled hypoglycemia. Rezolute announced positive topline results for its Phase 2 study of RZ402 in May.

The biotech stock had a great run up in the second quarter this year, climbing to an H1 2024 high of US$6.799 on June 5. Since then, Rezolute shares have managed to retain much of that value with a series of positive news releases.

The company closed on a public offering with net proceeds of about US$56.4 million later in June, which will help to fund post-Phase 3 planning for its ersodetug program in congenital hyperinsulinism as well as a potential late-stage, registrational, clinical study of ersodetug in patients with tumor hyperinsulinism associated with islet cell and non-islet cell tumors.

In August, the FDA granted clearance for Rezolute’s investigational new drug application for a Phase 3 study of ersodetug in tumor hyperinsulinism. Patient enrollment is slated to begin in the first half of 2025. In December, the FDA granted ersodetug orphan drug status for the treatment of hypoglycemia due to tumor HI.

Rezolute kicked off the new year with another FDA approval, this time garnering the breakthrough therapy designation for ersodetug for the treatment of hypoglycemia due to congenital hyperinsulinism.

4. Entera Bio (NASDAQ:ENTX)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 301.52 percent
Market cap: US$97.61 million
Share price: US$2.65

Entera Bio’s proprietary N-Tab technology oral delivery platform allows for the development of therapies based on peptides and therapeutic proteins. The company is targeting a variety of indications, including osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism and short bowel syndrome.

The company released a series of significant updates in March and April. This included the announcement of positive pharmacokinetic data for GLP-2 peptide tablet treatment for patients with short bowel syndrome as part of a joint study combining OPKO Health’s (NASDAQ:OPK) proprietary long acting GLP-2 agonist with Entera’s N-Tab technology.

In April, Entera announced the publication of Phase 2 clinical trial data from its EB613 program for osteoporosis. Unlike available osteoanabolic treatments, which are injections, EB613 is a once daily treatment administered through oral PTH(1-34) peptide tablets. According to the release, ‘Significant gains in bone mineral density of the spine and hip were observed at the end of the 6-month study and there were no significant safety concerns.’

Entera Bio’s share price reached its yearly peak of US$2.98 on April 12, 2024.

5. Benitec Biopharma (NASDAQ:BNTC)

Company Profile

Year-to-date gain: 251.42 percent
Market cap: US$258.63 million
Share price: US$11.14

California-based Benitec Biopharma is advancing novel genetic medicines via its proprietary “Silence and Replace” DNA-directed RNA interference platform. The company is currently focused on developing therapeutics for chronic and life-threatening conditions including oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). Its drug candidate BB-301 was granted orphan drug designation by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency.

In April, Benitec reported positive interim clinical trial data for its first OPMD subject treated with BB-301 in its Phase 1b/2a study. Following the report, Benitec’s share price began trending upward, and reached US$10.47 on May 10.

Benitec is well-funded to advance its BB-301 clinical development program through the end of 2025. The company reported additional positive interim safety and efficacy data in mid-November. The company’s share price hit its highest yearly value on December 11 at US$13.08.

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Cybersecurity Market Forecast: Top Trends for Cybersecurity in 2025

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In today’s digital world, cybersecurity is not just important — it’s essential.

The alarming rise in cyberattacks is fueling the demand for cybersecurity solutions; in 2024, we witnessed data breaches targeting large corporations such as AT&T (NYSE:T), Fidelity, Dell (NYSE:DELL) and Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW), and on January 1, 2025, the US accused China of hacking into the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Office of the Treasury Secretary.

Not only is the frequency of cyberattacks growing, but they are costing companies more. In 2023, an IBM (NSE:IBM) research report found that the average data breach cost in the previous year was US$4.45 million. A 2024 report reveals that the price of a data breach had risen to US$4.88 million between March 2023 and February 2024, attributed primarily to business disruption and post-breach recovery efforts.

As a result, 23.5 percent of organizations surveyed for IBM’s report said they would increase security investments following a breach, and 63 percent said they would raise the price of goods and services as a result of increased cybersecurity spending.

With cyber threats becoming increasingly sophisticated and the cost of breaches skyrocketing, what investment opportunities are available for those looking to capitalize on this critical and growing market?

Market research paints a compelling picture. MarketsAndMarkets projects the global cybersecurity market size will reach US$298.5 billion by 2028, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4 percent from 2022. Grand View Research sets the bar even higher, projecting a market value of US$500.7 billion by 2030.

Both firms highlight emerging opportunities in areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for threat detection and response.

North America, currently dominating the cybersecurity market, is poised for continued growth. In the US, Statista projects revenue growth at a CAGR of 7.12 percent between 2025 and 2029. Meanwhile, Mordor Intelligence estimates Canada’s cybersecurity sector will reach US$24.23 in value.

AI: Cybersecurity’s double-edged sword

AI advancements are changing the threat landscape, requiring AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. While AI offers powerful tools to combat cybercrime, it also empowers malicious actors with new and sophisticated methods of attack.

The IBM report highlighted a concerning trend: customer personally identifiable information (PII) remains the most common target for cybercriminals. AI amplifies the potential damage caused by PII breaches, as attackers now have more tools to leverage this information. The report also determined that, despite the benefits of AI and automation in reducing breach costs, only 12 percent of organizations say they have fully recovered from a data breach. Experts foresee AI-powered attacks — along with ransomware, supply chain attacks, deepfakes, and cloud jacking — as major cybersecurity threats in the coming years.

The ‘weaponization of AI’, such as the use of deepfakes and AI-replicated voices, also poses a growing threat, as Mark Fernandes, Global Chief Information Security Officer at CAE, emphasized at the Toronto Global Forum. This trend was substantiated in a report published by The Financial Times on January 1, 2025, that examined AI-generated phishing attempts targeting corporate executives.

Additionally, IBM found that shadow data, the unmanaged data within organizations, was involved in 35 percent of breaches and led to higher costs and longer breach lifecycles. To combat this, a multi-layered approach combining various technologies and strong data governance practices is crucial for effectively managing shadow data risks.

Modern cybersecurity programs leverage a combination of AI-powered solutions. AI-driven Attack Surface Management (ASM) provides continuous visibility into potential vulnerabilities, while AI-powered Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) automates threat detection. AI also enhances posture management by enabling automated red-teaming exercises to proactively identify weaknesses.

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW), for example, offers a platform approach with Prisma Cloud, integrating AI across various security domains, including network security, cloud security and security operations. The company projects its security offerings will lead to continued growth in the second quarter of 2025 after expanding its offerings to the industrial sector and acquiring a cloud-based version of IBM’s AI-enabled QRadar SIEM

CrowdStrike (NASDAQ:CRWD) progressively incorporated AI into its SIEM offering throughout 2024. The company unveiled new AI-powered functions for its Falcon Next-Gen SIEM platform in May 2024, then upgraded the model in July by integrating generative AI with its Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR service, which co-monitors the IT environment with data collected by its SIEM system. Despite experiencing a major outage in July caused by a faulty update to the Falcon sensor software, CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform and AI integration earned the company the distinction of being named a leader and outperformer in the 2024 GigaOm Radar Report for Ransomware Prevention, with multiple research firms also recognizing CrowdStrike as an innovator in this sector.

Furthermore, AI can now automate red-teaming exercises, simulating attacks to identify vulnerabilities before real attackers do. In May 2024, IBM announced new X-Force Red testing services that leverage generative AI techniques to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.

AI-driven automation that continuously analyzes security posture and recommends improvements helps ensure optimized defenses. However, organizations must extend their security posture management to encompass the AI models themselves. In AI-powered applications, a rising security risk is prompt injection attacks, where attackers insert malicious instructions to control AI models. Recognizing this need, Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) acquired Robust Intelligence, a company specializing in protecting AI systems from vulnerabilities and attacks, in September 2024. According to a press release announcing the deal, the acquisition will “serve as a safety layer for Cisco Security Cloud, providing AI applications and models with default protection.”

While AI provides powerful tools for threat detection and response, its effectiveness can be further amplified by integrating it with other technologies.

The power of blockchain in cybersecurity

Blockchain offers unique capabilities for securing data, building trust, and enhancing resilience through its secure and immutable record of transactions. Each block in the chain contains transaction data and a unique hash, relying heavily on cryptography to ensure data integrity and prevent tampering. This is particularly crucial in the realm of cryptocurrencies, where encryption prevents double-spending and secures the transfer of funds.

This gives blockchains major applications in securing digital identities, transactions and supply chains. Recognizing its potential, tech companies are investing in blockchain cybersecurity.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), and IBM are all making significant contributions to the field of blockchain cybersecurity. Microsoft’s Azure Confidential Ledger provides a highly secure environment for storing sensitive data, while Amazon, IBM and Oracle all offer enterprise-grade blockchain platforms and services to facilitate the development of secure applications for various use cases, including supply chain management and data sharing.

Companies like privately-held Guardtime are developing solutions to address existing challenges to implementing blockchain with cybersecurity, such as scalability issues faced by traditional blockchains like Bitcoin. Guardtime’s Keyless Signature Infrastructure (KSI) is based on a special kind of Merkel Tree — a data structure that allows for efficient verification of data integrity without needing to download the entire blockchain — called a hash calendar, which only records the hashes of data at specific time intervals.

Not only does this drastically reduce storage requirements, KSI doesn’t rely on a Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism, eliminating the need for energy-intensive computations without compromising the speed of transaction processing.

The quantum leap in cybersecurity

Quantum computing, an emerging technology, utilizes the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations beyond the capabilities of traditional computers.

Quantum computing is based on qubits, which can exist in a state of superposition (being in multiple states at once until measured), unlike classical bits, which can be expressed as either 0 or 1. This allows quantum computers to process more data in less time than it would take traditional computers, giving them the potential to revolutionize cryptography.

Although NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang suggested that “very useful quantum computers” are likely still 20 years away, quantum computing poses both a risk and an opportunity for cybersecurity. Dr. Michele Mosca from the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing argues that while quantum computing may initially appear to threaten cybersecurity by potentially breaking current encryption, it also presents an opportunity to establish stronger and more resilient security foundations for the digital economy.

Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL), a leader in quantum computing research since 2014 and the first to claim quantum supremacy in 2019, achieved a breakthrough with its Willow quantum processor at the end of 2024 when it demonstrated significantly improved error correction and scalability in quantum computing.

This brought the possibility of potentially breaking current encryption methods closer to reality and underscored the urgency of developing and implementing quantum-resistant solutions.

While established players such as IBM continue to advance quantum computing with platforms like Qiskit, new entrants like Quantinuum, backed by investors including JP Morgan (NYSE:JPM), are emerging to build quantum computers and develop applications for them.

Other companies like PQShield, ISARA Corporation and SandboxAQ are developing post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solutions using mathematical algorithms that are believed to be resistant to attacks from both classical and quantum computers. Sandbox AQ, which began as a team within Google, held its latest US$300 million funding round in December, bringing its valuation to US$5.3 billion.

Investor takeaway

The cybersecurity market is a compelling area to watch in 2025. Investors should focus on companies that are adapting to emerging trends, driving innovation and fostering collaboration to protect the future of the digital landscape.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Prince William praises ‘incredible wife and mother’ Kate as she celebrates 43rd birthday

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The Prince of Wales posted a birthday message for his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales to social media on Thursday to celebrate her 43rd birthday.

In the message posted to X, William praised his wife, saying: “To the most incredible wife and mother. The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W.”

The message was accompanied by a previously unseen black and white portrait of the Princess of Wales taken last summer in Windsor by photographer Matt Porteous.

In the last year, Catherine has undergone treatment for cancer and spent some time out of the public eye.

In September, she announced that she had completed chemotherapy but cautioned that the road to recovery was still long.

Catherine said she was “doing what I can to stay cancer free” and starting a “new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life.”

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    In October, she made her first public appearance since her treatment to meet the bereaved families of three children killed in a knife attack in Southport, northwest England.

    Kate, as the princess is known, has been married to William, who is now the heir to the British throne, since April 2011.

    The Prince and Princess of Wales have made it a tradition to release photos on landmark family occasions, like birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and wedding anniversaries.

    In June, the family marked William’s 42nd birthday by posting a fun photo of him jumping off a sand dune, holding hands with his children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

    This post appeared first on cnn.com

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    Lisa Kudrow recently found a note Matthew Perry left for her in a ‘Friends’ prop

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    Lisa Kudrow has revealed that she recently found a note that Matthew Perry left inside a “Friends” prop for her 20 years ago.

    The actress told “The Drew Barrymore Show” on Tuesday that the cookie jar from the set of the hit show had been gifted to her by Perry at the end of their final episode, which aired in 2004.

    “I had recently found the note that he had in it (the jar) for me,” Kudrow said.

    “I hadn’t opened it up or looked inside of it,” she said. “But yeah, he did. He had a note in there and I forgot about it.”

    Though Kudrow did not divulge what was in the note, she echoed host Barrymore, who gave her a hug and said: “Timing is everything.”

    Kudrow mentioned discovering the note after being asked by Barrymore if she had ever taken anything from set. She said she had, but refused to say what it was.

    “I’m too afraid to tell you what,” said Kudrow of her secret keepsake. “I can’t say… I’m afraid… someone will come get it.”

    Perry, who died age 54 in his Pacific Palisades home in October 2023, was best known for his role as Chandler Bing on “Friends,” starring alongside Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc.

    Perry died because of “acute effects of ketamine” and subsequent drowning, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office autopsy report. He’d previously detailed his decades-long struggles with drugs.

    In a tribute following his death, Kudrow said: “Thank you for making me laugh so hard at something you said, that my muscles ached, and tears poured down my face EVERY DAY.”

    “Thank you for your open heart in a six way relationship that required compromise. And a lot of ‘talking.’ Thank you for showing up at work when you weren’t well and then, being completely brilliant. Thank you for the best 10 years a person gets to have,” Kudrow’s Instagram post continued.

    This post appeared first on cnn.com

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