Archive

March 2025

Browsing

(TheNewswire)

TORONTO, ON TheNewswire – March 31, 2025 Silver Crown Royalties Inc. ( Cboe: SCRI, OTCQX: SLCRF, BF: QS0 ) (‘ Silver Crown ‘, ‘ SCRi ‘, or the ‘ Company ‘) is pleased to provide an update on its non-brokered offering of units (‘Units ‘) that was previously announced on February 6, 2025 (the ‘ Offering ‘).

In connection with the Offering, the Company has successfully closed the second tranche (‘ Second Tranche ‘) and issued 75,310 Units at a price of C$6.50 per Unit, for gross proceeds of approximately C$489,515. Each Unit consists of one common share (‘ Common Share ‘) and one Common Share purchase warrant (‘ Warrant ‘), with each Warrant exercisable to acquire one additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$13.00 for a period of three years from the closing date.  The total units issued under this Offering total 142,848 for cumulative gross proceeds of C$928,512.

The proceeds from the Second Tranche will be used to partially fund the second tranche of the Company’s silver royalty acquisition on the Igor 4 project in Peru, as well as general and administrative expenses. All securities issued are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. The closing was subject to customary conditions, including the approval of Cboe Canada Inc.

ABOUT Silver Crown Royalties INC.

Founded by industry veterans, Silver Crown Royalties ( Cboe: SCRI | OTCQX: SLCRF | BF: QS0 ) is a publicly traded, silver royalty company. Silver Crown (SCRi) currently has four silver royalties of which three are revenue-generating. Its business model presents investors with precious metals exposure that allows for a natural hedge against currency devaluation while minimizing the negative impact of cost inflation associated with production. SCRi endeavors to minimize the economic impact on mining projects while maximizing returns for shareholders. For further information, please contact:

Silver Crown Royalties Inc.

Peter Bures, Chairman and CEO

Telephone: (416) 481-1744

Email: pbures@silvercrownroyalties.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains certain ‘forward looking statements’ and certain ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘continue’, ‘plans’ or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, the proceeds from the Second Tranche will be used to partially fund the second tranche of the Company’s silver royalty acquisition on the Igor 4 project in Peru, as well as general and administrative expenses. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions; the absence of control over mining operations from which SCRi will purchase gold and other metals or from which it will receive royalty payments and risks related to those mining operations, including risks related to international operations, government and environmental regulation, delays in mine construction and operations, actual results of mining and current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title matters, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions in operations; SCRi’s ability to enter into definitive agreements and close proposed royalty transactions; the inherent uncertainties related to the valuations ascribed by SCRi to its royalty interests; problems inherent to the marketability of gold and other metals; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of the primary commodities mined at such operations, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and fluctuations in interest rates; government entities interpreting existing tax legislation or enacting new tax legislation in a way which adversely affects SCRi; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; liability, competition, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises on SCRi’s business, operations and financial condition, loss of key employees. SCRi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. SCRi undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on information currently available.

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any such offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein will be made only pursuant to subscription documentation between the Company and prospective purchasers. Any such offering will be made in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, pursuant to a subscription agreement to be entered into by the Company and prospective investors. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

CBOE CANADA DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Syria’s new transitional government was sworn in Saturday nearly four months after the Assad family was removed from power and as the new authorities in Damascus work to bring back stability to the war-torn country.

The 23-member Cabinet, which is religiously and ethnically mixed, is the first in the country’s five-year transitional period and replaces the interim government that was formed shortly after Bashar Assad was removed from power in early December.

The Cabinet does not have a prime minister since according to the temporary constitution signed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa earlier this month, the government will have a secretary general.

The government that was announced ahead of Eid el-Fitr, the feast that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that starts in Syria on Monday, includes new faces apart from the ministers of foreign affairs and defense. They kept the posts they held in the interim government. Syria’s new Interior Minister Anas Khattab was until recently the head of the intelligence department.

“The formation of a new government today is a declaration of our joint will to build a new state,” al-Sharaa said in a speech marking the formation of the government.

Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said his main goal will be to build a professional army “from the people and for the people.”

The government did not include members of the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces or the autonomous civil administration in northeast Syria. Al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a breakthrough deal earlier this month in Damascus on a nationwide ceasefire and the merging of the US-backed force into the Syrian army.

Among the new ministers whose names were announced late Saturday night were Hind Kabawat, a Christian activist who was opposed to Assad since the conflict began in March 2011. Kabawat was named minister of minister of social affairs and labor.

Another minister is Raed Saleh, who for years headed the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as White Helmets, and was named minister for emergency disasters. A Damascus-based Syrian Kurd, Mohammed Terko was named minister of education.

Mohammed al-Bashir, who has headed Syria’s interim government since Assad’s fall, was named minister of energy whose main mission will be to restore the electricity and oil sectors that were badly damaged during the conflict.

The new government’s main mission is to try to end the war and bring stability to the country that witnessed clashes and revenge killings earlier this month in the coastal region that is home to members of the minority Alawite sect. The violence left more than 1,000 people, mostly Alawites, dead. Assad is an Alawite.

Most of Syria’s insurgent groups now running the country are Sunnis, but the presence of members of minority sects, including one woman and members of minority sects including an Alawite, is a message from al-Sharaa to Western countries that have been demanding that women and minorities be part of Syria’s political process.

The announcement of a religiously mixed government aims to try to convince Western countries to lift crippling economic sanctions that were imposed on Assad more than a decade ago. The UN says that 90% of Syrians are below the poverty line, while millions face cuts in food aid as a result of the war.

Hours before the government was announced, the US State Department cautioned U.S. citizens of the increased possibility of attacks during the Eid el-Fitr holiday, which it said could target embassies, international organizations and Syrian public institutions in Damascus. It added that methods of attack could include, but are not limited to, individual attackers, armed gunmen, or the use of explosive devices.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

A South Korean man tending a family grave is suspected of sparking one of the record wildfires that ravaged the southeastern part of the country last week, the National Police Agency said on Monday.

The multiple fires, which left 30 people dead and thousands of structures – including a centuries-old Buddhist temple – destroyed, were described as unprecedented in South Korea.

Police said the man, who is in his 50s, was booked in connection with the fires. In South Korea, a booking is not an arrest but rather indicates the man’s information was collected for the investigation.

He was looking after a family grave on a hill in Uiseong County, North Gyeonsang province, on March 22 when he was suspected of igniting a blaze amid windy conditions, police said.

Tending to family or ancestral graves is common in South Korea, especially during the spring and autumn months, and similar traditions exist across East and Southeast Asia.

The fires, which burned about 48,000 hectares in total, had been extinguished by Monday, the Korea Forest Service said in a statement.

More than 3,100 people were evacuated to 114 shelters due to the fires, and five areas – Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok – have been declared special disaster zones, the service said.

South Korea’s military deployed approximately 7,500 ground troops and more than 420 helicopters, including four from US Forces Korea, to help in the wildfire fight, according to the Defense Ministry.

More than 10,000 firefighters, police and civil servants were deployed to multiple areas in the south last week since dozens of blazes broke out.

Among the casualties were civil servants dispatched to fight the wildfire. Many of the civilians killed were age 60 or older, including some who struggled to escape quickly or others who did not want to evacuate. A pilot was also killed when his helicopter crashed.

The 1,300-year-old Gounsa temple in Uiseong County, a major Buddhist landmark, was among the dozens of buildings that have burned to the ground with its ceremonial bell the only piece appearing somewhat intact, according to photos from the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

Some of the artifacts that were in the historic site, including the seated stone Buddha designated a treasure by the state, were spared from the fire as they were relocated to other temples ahead of the approaching blazes, it added.

Han Duck-soo, South Korea’s prime minister and acting president, said the fires were the worst the country has seen in recent years and had caused “unprecedented damage.”

Wildfires are caused by a tangle of factors but as the climate crisis escalates, it’s fueling the hot and dry weather that helps fires burn faster and more intensely.

Unusually warm spring temperatures in South Korea dried out the landscape and, combined with strong winds, set the stage for fast moving fires to eat through the region’s dense forest.

This year alone, 244 wildfires have been reported in South Korea, 2.4 times higher than the same period last year, according to Han.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

The prime minister of Greenland pushed back Sunday against assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump that America will take control of the island territory.

Greenland, a huge, resource-rich island in the Atlantic, is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a NATO ally of the United States. Trump wants to annex the territory, claiming it’s needed for national security purposes.

“President Trump says that the United States ‘will get Greenland.’ Let me be clear: The United States will not get it. We do not belong to anyone else. We decide our own future,” Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post.

Nielsen’s post comes a day after the U.S. president told NBC News that military force wasn’t off the table with regard to acquiring Greenland.

In Saturday’s interview, Trump allowed that “I think there’s a good possibility that we could do it without military force.”

“This is world peace, this is international security,” he said, but added: “I don’t take anything off the table.”

Greenland’s residents and politicians have reacted with anger to Trump’s repeated suggestions, with Danish leaders also pushing back.

Trump also said “I don’t care,” when asked in the NBC interview what message this would send to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has invaded Ukraine and annexed several of its provinces in defiance of international law.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

The bodies of more than a dozen aid workers have been recovered in southern Gaza from what a United Nations agency described as a “mass grave,” a week after they went missing following attacks by Israeli forces.

Eight of the 14 bodies recovered Sunday from the site in the southern Rafah area were identified as members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), five as civil defense, and one as a UN agency employee, PRCS said in a statement. One PRCS medic remains missing.

Last week, PRCS said nine of its emergency medical technicians had been missing since March 23 following an incident in which Israeli forces fired on ambulances and fire trucks in southern Rafah.

In response to the initial incident, the Israeli military said it had fired on the ambulances and fire trucks because they were being used as cover by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants.

Aid organizations and the UN have expressed outrage over the attacks, which the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent said were the “single most deadly” for IFRC workers in almost a decade.

“This massacre of our team is a tragedy not only for us at the Palestine Red Crescent Society, but also for humanitarian work and humanity,” PCRS said in its statement, calling the targeting of its medics “a war crime” punishable under international law.

The attacks come amid Israel’s renewed assault on the enclave and as its complete blockade of humanitarian aid nears the one-month mark.

Buried beneath the sand

OCHA, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said the bodies were recovered after a “complex, week-long rescue operation” that involved using bulldozers and heavy machinery to unearth the victims and their battered vehicles from under sand.

“Health workers should never be a target. And yet, we’re here today, digging up a mass grave of first responders and paramedics,” Jonathan Whittall, the head of UNOCHA in the occupied Palestinian territories, said from the site.

Video shared by the UNOCHA showed a bulldozer digging through dirt and moving debris as emergency responders used shovels to reach the victims. Several bodies were seen being pulled from sand, some wearing PRCS vests and showing signs of decomposition.

Early information indicates the first team of aid workers dispatched to the area were killed by Israeli forces on March 23 and other emergency aid crews were struck over the following several hours as they searched for their missing colleagues, UNOCHA said.

“One by one, they were hit, they were struck, their bodies were gathered and buried,” Whittall said. “We’re digging them out in their uniforms, with their gloves on.”

Ambulances, as well as UN and civil defense vehicles, were found crushed and buried under the sand, Whittall added, accusing Israeli forces of trying to cover up the scene.

According to the PRCS, their aid workers were dispatched to Rafah’s Al-Hashashin area on March 23 to respond to Israeli attacks when they came under assault.

“Israeli forces besieged the area, leading to (the) complete loss of communication with our teams,” PRCS said.

Hours later, Gaza’s Civil Defense said that six of its staff also went missing after being dispatched to the same area following what it described as a “sudden incursion by the Israeli occupation forces, the killing and injuring of dozens, and the besieging” of PRCS vehicles.

It said it had “eliminated” a number of Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants by firing on the vehicles and condemned what it claimed was “the repeated use of civilian infrastructure by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, including the use of medical facilities and ambulances for terrorist purposes.”

The news also follows Israel’s decision before the ceasefire collapsed to block humanitarian aid from entering the enclave, in what it described as a move to pressure Hamas into accepting new terms for an extension of the ceasefire rather than proceed with phase two of the truce.

UNOCHA and aid groups accuse Israel of violating international law by blocking the flow of aid into Gaza and of using starvation as a weapon of war. The same organizations have accused Israel of restricting or creating hurdles to the entry of aid throughout the war.

‘Health services must be protected’

International aid and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly condemned the Israeli military’s attacks on medical facilities and personnel.

“Even in the most complex conflict zones, there are rules. These rules of International Humanitarian Law could not be clearer – civilians must be protected; humanitarians must be protected. Health services must be protected,” Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the IFRC, said in a statement on Sunday.

Hospitals in Gaza – including Nasser Medical Complex, the enclave’s largest functioning hospital – have seen intense bombardment and raids from Israeli forces accusing the facilities of harboring Hamas operatives.

About 400 aid workers, including teachers, doctors and nurses, have been killed in Israeli attacks in the enclave since October 7, 2023, according to OCHA’s latest update released Tuesday. The PRCS says the number of its staff killed in line of duty by Israeli forces in Gaza since October 2023 has now reached 27.

“The occupation’s targeting of Red Crescent medics … can only be considered a war crime punishable under international humanitarian law, which the occupation continues to violate before the eyes of the entire world,” PCRS said.

Meanwhile, Gaza health officials said the death toll in Gaza since October 7 has surpassed 50,000, marking a grim milestone for a war with no end in sight.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Seven thousand head of cattle used to roam Ziwa ranch, a 27-square-mile (70-square-kilometer) expanse of grassland in central Uganda. Today, the cattle have gone and grazing in their place are rhinos – the only ones in the country living in their natural habitat.

Not long ago, Uganda used to be home to both the black and northern white species of rhinoceros. But by the early 1980s, due to poaching, trafficking and political turmoil under the dictatorship of Idi Amin, native populations – once thought to number around 700 – were wiped out.

More than a decade later, an initiative to bring back the majestic animals was born, with newly formed charity Rhino Fund Uganda approaching Captain Joseph Charles Roy, former pilot and owner of Ziwa cattle ranch, which they had targeted as prime rhino habitat, with the idea that he should move the herds of cattle out, and rhino in.

Roy – a lover of animals and an aspiring conservationist, according to his daughter – agreed, and in 2005 and 2006, six southern white rhinos were relocated to the ranch; four coming overland from Kenya and two flown over from Disney Animal Kingdom Florida on Roy’s own cargo airline. Numbers of northern white rhinos were so low (today, there are only two left in the world, both females) that the native subspecies could not be reintroduced.

No one fully expected what happened next. The team knew the ranch was an ideal habitat for the species – a mix of swamps, savannah and woodland – but they didn’t envisage the scale of success. Today, there are 48 rhinos at Ziwa, with five born in the last three months. In contrast, a pair of rhinos moved to Uganda’s Wildlife Conservation Education Center, formerly known as Entebbe Zoo, at the same time as the Ziwa rhinos were introduced, and have had no offspring whatsoever.

However, if the birthrate continues, the rhinos will soon outgrow the ranch – begging the question: where will they go, and will they be safe?

Rhino refuge

Wendy Roy, daughter of Captain Roy, has since taken over some of Ziwa’s management in collaboration with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA). The ranch has lodges for tourists and offers walking safaris to see rhinos, shoebills, leopards, antelopes, warthogs and other wildlife, with the funds generated going back into rhino conservation.

Brought up between the UK and Uganda, she is the first to admit that she was not born a conservationist, but now, as she gets more involved, she is starting to see the magic in it.

“Sometimes in the evenings, when I see the rhinos coming towards HQ, I think, ‘Wow, this looks like the Garden of Eden,’” she says. “It’s incredible: not just rhinos but zebras, antelopes, waterbucks. It’s surreal, it’s peaceful and, of course, you have to respect your environment and be equally as peaceful as the animals.”

Roy believes this serene environment is one of the secrets to Ziwa’s success: “It is just conducive for breeding: they’re not stressed.” Also key are the rangers who provide 24/7 protection. Each rhino family is monitored day in and day out by at least two wardens, while other rangers patrol Ziwa’s perimeter fences. This deters poachers seeking rhino horns for the illegal wildlife trade, and it allows wardens to monitor rhino behavior, gathering detailed data that can be used to inform rhino conservation globally.

Sharif Nsubaga has worked as a ranger at Ziwa for more than 10 years. “Every hour, we record the rhino activities and their behaviors, like feeding, urinating, defecating, resting, eating,” he says, adding that as a result, he has formed a close bond with the rhinos. “I know how each individual behaves: I know that this one is more aggressive, this one is unpredictable.”

His favorite, he confides, is Bella, one of the original rhinos brought over from Kenya who has birthed around seven calves and is now a grandmother. “She is one of the calmest rhinos in the sanctuary,” he says.

Right to roam

It has always been Ziwa’s central mission to breed enough rhinos so that they can be translocated to other areas of the country, such as national parks where rhinos once roamed. But the reality of replicating this stable environment has been a challenge.

Many of the national parks are unfenced and suffer from high levels of poaching from communities living nearby, as well as the encroachment of human settlements and resulting human-wildlife conflict.

The UWA has been preparing Ajai Wildlife Reserve, which was once a stronghold of the white rhino and lies 136 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Ziwa, for reintroduction since 2021. But there have been several hold-ups, due to a lack of funding, challenges relocating people living within the park boundaries, and a shortage of rangers, says John Makombo, UWA’s conservation director.

Next month, community members who have agreed to compensation will be relocated to new homes outside of the reserve, he says, and in May, UWA will start constructing an electrified enclosure where the rhinos will be kept. He adds that they are already restoring the vegetation to make it a suitable habitat, and have started recruiting rangers, including people from the local community, who will be trained from June onwards.

Those at Ziwa are cautiously optimistic; they have been given dates before that have come and gone. This time however, there is more urgency. Roy estimates that Ziwa has the capacity for around 70 or 80 rhinos, but she adds that they are expecting a new intake of eight individuals from another African country soon, bringing its population to around 60. This new intake is much needed, she says, to diversify the gene pool and maintain a healthy population.

Symbol of stability

Moving rhinos from Ziwa to Uganda’s national parks is an exciting step, says Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, a veterinarian who has revolutionized gorilla conservation in Uganda and is founder and CEO of the nonprofit Conservation Through Public Health, but she warns that it needs to be met with solid investment.

However, if the move is successful, the benefits could be significant. Makombo says that if rhinos start reproducing in Ajai, they will look to reintroduce them in Kidepo, Murchison Falls and other national parks across the country. This will not only help to enhance biodiversity, he says, but boost Uganda’s wildlife tourism.

There is also a symbolic importance, says Kalema-Zikusoka. “During the Idi Amin days, the elephants were almost poached to extinction; the rhino, sadly, was actually poached to extinction … By bringing back the rhino, it shows that Uganda is stable again and can look after rhinos in their natural setting, which will be amazing.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

The key resistance level I’ve been watching on the S&P 500 hasn’t wavered. It’s 5782. The bulls had a real chance this past week to clear this important hurdle and they failed. Badly. If this was a heavyweight fight, the ref would have called it after the first round. It simply wasn’t close. Resistance failed, rotation turned bearish, volatility again expanded, and the bears are celebrating another short-term victory.

Check out this S&P 500 chart:

I’ve written about this to EarningsBeats.com members. I posted this exact chart in my StockCharts.com article a few days ago. I’ve discussed it on my YouTube shows. 5782 is THE key short-term price resistance and you can see above that the S&P 500 literally did an “about face” as soon as it touched this resistance. Sellers were lined up. Now that we’ve failed at 5782, it only makes this resistance level that much more important on any future rallies.

The serious technical damage occurred over the past 3 days as consumer discretionary stocks have been absolutely TROUNCED, while consumer staples hangs near its recent highs. If you recall, it was this HUGE disparity in consumer stocks on February 21st that triggered the massive selling episode. Now here we are again with consumer staples stocks (XLP) outperforming discretionary (XLY) by a mile. Check out this chart:

Doesn’t the action in consumer stocks the past 3 days exactly mirror the action we saw in the 2nd half of February and into the first week of March? Folks, this isn’t good.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Bear Market Ahead?

The S&P 500, from its recent all-time high to its subsequent low, fell 10.4%, which marks correction territory. The rally we saw off the March 13th low was likely due to oversold conditions, along with March options expiration. On Tuesday, March 18th, we discussed with our EB.com members that odds favored a short-term rally, based on max pain and we laid out key resistance from 5670 to 5782, with the 20-day EMA falling in the middle of this price range. Once we failed at 5782, it was very important to gauge the nature of any new selloff. That’s what I’ve been evaluating this week and it’s not pretty. As you can see in the chart above, money has once again started rotating into the XLP and out of the XLY. This is one of the most important intermarket relationships and it’s screaming BEARISH ACTION AHEAD!

It’s only one signal, however. I announced a few days ago that we’d be hosting a FREE webinar on Saturday morning, March 29th, at 10:00am ET. I plan to discuss several signals that are pointing to exactly what we saw on Friday – more selling. To get a better handle on current market conditions and where we’re heading, I’d encourage you to join me Saturday morning by REGISTERING HERE. If you can’t make the live webinar, we’ll still send out the recorded video to all who register, so ACT NOW!

And here’s a little secret. Shhhhhhh! Market makers are playing some serious games manipulating some of the biggest stocks. I’ll talk a bit about how we can take advantage of that Saturday morning. Hope to see you there!

Happy trading!

Tom

Is a new market uptrend on the horizon? In this video, Mary Ellen breaks down the latest stock market outlook, revealing key signals that could confirm a trend reversal. She dives into sector rotation, explains why defensive stocks are losing ground, and shares actionable short-term trading strategies for oversold stocks. Don’t miss these crucial market insights to spot the next rally before it takes off!

This video originally premiered March 28, 2025. You can watch it on our dedicated page for Mary Ellen’s videos.

New videos from Mary Ellen premiere weekly on Fridays. You can view all previously recorded episodes at this link.

If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, be sure to check out the MEM Edge Report! This report gives you detailed information on the top sectors, industries and stocks so you can make informed investment decisions.

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (March 28) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) is currently trading at US$83,780.06, a 3.7 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The day’s trading range has seen a low of US$83,609.35 and a high of US$85,503.88.

Bitcoin performance, March 28, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Deribit’s US$16 billion Bitcoin options expiry on Friday had US$75,000 max pain, down from the projected US$85,000, and a 0.58 put/call ratio. There was a high amount of call option open interest at the US$100,000 strike price.

Bitcoin’s subsequent decline indicates post-expiry market adjustments.

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$1,875.25, a 6.4 percent decrease over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$1,866.54 and a high of US$1,900.19.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) is currently valued at US$129.44, down 6.9 percent over the past 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$129.17 and a high of US$131.56 on Friday.
  • XRP is trading at US$2.18, reflecting a 6.9 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency recorded an intraday low of US$2.16 and a high of US$2.22.
  • Sui (SUI) is priced at US$2.49, showing a 9.7 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$2.49 and a high of US$2.56.
  • Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.6961, reflecting a 5.2 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price on Friday was US$0.66925, with a high of US$0.7031.

Crypto news to know

SEC onboards Musk’s DOGE team members

Reuters reported that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has begun onboarding members from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team.

“Our intent will be to partner with the DOGE representatives and cooperate with their request following normal processes for ethics requirements, IT security or system training, and establishing their need to know before granting access to restricted systems and data,” said an email to SEC staff, according to Reuters.

Atkins questioned at Senate confirmation hearing

SEC nominee Paul Atkins testified before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday (March 27).

During the hearing, he was questioned by Senate lawmakers regarding the sale of his consulting firm, Patomak Global Partners, which advised bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX.

“Your clients pay you north of US$1,200 an hour for advice on how to influence regulators like the SEC, and if you’re confirmed, you will be in a prime spot to deliver for all those clients who’ve been paying you millions of dollars for years,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren during the hearing. She also requested that he disclose the firms potential buyers, whom she suggested may “buying access to the future chair of the SEC.’

Atkins said he will abide by the process of government ethics, but did not directly answer Warren’s question.

Senator John Kennedy also grilled Atkins about whether he will pursue the parents of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who Kennedy alleges may have been involved in and profited from his business affairs. Kennedy said if his position with the SEC is confirmed, he would “pounce on you like a ninja” to investigate the matter further.

UAE set to launch Digital Dirham CBDC

The United Arab Emirates is moving forward with its central bank digital currency (CBDC) plans, announcing that the Digital Dirham will be launched for retail use by the last quarter of 2025, the Khaleej Times reported.

The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates has developed an integrated Digital Dirham platform that will support retail, wholesale and cross-border transactions.

The CBDC will be accessible through licensed financial institutions, including banks, fintech firms and exchange houses, and will be accepted alongside physical cash across all payment channels.

This initiative follows the United Arab Emirates’ efforts to regulate stablecoins and aligns with global trends, as countries like China, Russia and Sweden also push forward with CBDC pilot programs.

The United Arab Emirates’ Digital Dirham is expected to enhance financial security, streamline transactions and provide regulatory oversight beyond what private stablecoins can offer.

UK regulator plans to enforce stricter crypto authorization regime

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced that it will introduce a new authorization framework for crypto firms in 2026, significantly increasing regulatory scrutiny in the sector.

Under the proposed ‘gateway regime,’ crypto companies, including major exchanges such as Coinbase and Gemini, will need to obtain authorization to operate beyond existing anti-money laundering (AML) requirements.

The FCA has been tightening its oversight, with only 50 out of 368 applicants successfully registering under its AML framework since 2020. Upcoming consultations will define which crypto activities require authorization, with a focus on stablecoins, trading platforms and staking services.

Industry participants have just over a year to prepare for these stricter compliance measures, which are expected to reshape the regulatory landscape for digital assets in the UK.

BlackRock expands Bitcoin ETP to Europe

BlackRock has launched its iShares Bitcoin exchange-traded product (ETP) in Europe, making it available on major exchanges like Xetra, Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris.

This expansion is a significant milestone for institutional Bitcoin adoption in the region, following the success of BlackRock’s US-based iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, which has accumulated over US$49 billion in assets.

However, analysts believe that demand for the European ETP will be more muted, citing differences in market structure, investor appetite and regulatory clarity.

While Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US have benefited from deep institutional participation, the European market is still developing. Experts suggest that BlackRock’s entry into Europe could encourage further institutional involvement, but widespread adoption may take time as regulatory frameworks evolve.

Nasdaq files to list Grayscale’s spot Avalanche ETF

Nasdaq is seeking permission from the SEC to list Grayscale Investments’ spot Avalanche ETF. The proposed AVAX ETF would be a conversion of Grayscale Investments’ close-ended AVAX fund launched in August 2024, which currently holds around US$1.76 million worth of assets under management.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com