Archive

March 21, 2025

Browsing

You already know about diversification. You’ve set your investment goals, picked a benchmark, and decided on the weighting of your allocations. Now, it’s come down to selecting the assets—stocks or ETFs—to build your portfolio.

As a long-term investor with moderate risk tolerance, how might you build a portfolio to withstand market drawdowns and weather the business cycle?

There are many ways to do this. Here are a few ideas to consider.

S&P Sectors: How Are They Performing and Where Are They Going?

FIGURE 1. RRG CHARTS OF S&P SECTOR ETFS RELATIVE TO THE S&P 500. This image shows you the one-year progression of each sector, indicating the stage of leadership they might be headed.

If you’re looking to diversify by sector, it helps to know where each one has been, performance-wise, and toward what state of leadership they might be entering. Which stocks are Improving, Leading, Weakening, and Lagging?

This is where RRG Charts (specifically RRG S&P 500 Sector ETFs) come in handy. By giving you a dynamic view of sector movement over time, RRGs can help you time your entries to match your strategy—whether you want to buy strength or take a more contrarian approach and buy weakness.

You might also want to view sectors in terms of relative performance. PerfCharts are a useful way to see how each sector is performing against other sectors.

FIGURE 2. PERFCHARTS OF 11 S&P SECTORS. Sectors are sorted from outperforming (left) to underperforming (right).

PerfCharts show that over the past year, Utilities, Financials, and Communications Services have led the market, while Materials, Technology, and Health Care have lagged. If you were looking to shift your portfolio toward greater sector diversification, this chart would prompt a few questions:

  • Should you be overweight, underweight, or equal weight in your exposure to certain sectors?
  • Do you think the outperforming sectors will retain their leadership levels over the coming quarters, or are they overvalued?
  • Are the laggards undervalued, or might there be further downside in the long-term?

Combining RRG and PerfCharts can provide plenty of context for evaluating whether to enter, exit, or rebalance your positions.

From Sector to Industry to Individual Stocks

One question that’ll likely be on your mind is whether you should invest in individual stocks within a given sector or in a sector index ETF.

If you click the sector names in the Sector Summary tool, you can zoom in on the industries. Select the industry and you’ll get a list of all the stocks within that industry. The charts above tell you how the sectors are performing relative to one another.

If you decide to buy stocks for your sector allocation instead of sector ETFs, then you might want to know how a given stock is performing relative to its a) sector, b) industry, and c) a broader market benchmark like the S&P 500.

Here’s an example. Suppose you decide you want to invest in a stock in the Consumer Staples sector. You decide on Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) which has a high StockChartsTechnicalRank (SCTR) score. Take a look at this daily chart.

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF SFM. You want to see how SFM is performing against its sector, industry, along with the broader market.

Here are a few key points to note. Based on a one-year view…

  • The Consumer Staples sector (XLP) is underperforming its peers and the S&P 500 by around 4% (as shown in the PerfCharts example above).
  • However, SFM is outperforming its sector (XLP) by over 118%, its industry Food Retailers & Wholesalers ($DJUSFD) by over 104%, and the S&P 500 ($SPX) by over 107%.

If you’re seeking Consumer Staples exposure, should you invest in XLP for a potential turnaround or in SFM, a sector leader with strong momentum?

This is an example of only one way to employ a diversification strategy. You can diversify among stocks vs. bonds, growth vs. value stocks, or emerging vs. developed markets, and many more.

What About Rebalancing?

Market shifts can misalign your portfolio with your strategy, making periodic rebalancing essential for maintaining diversification.

Remember that diversification isn’t about managing and not eliminating risk. You might consider hedging strategies like options or alternative asset exposure like gold, commodities, or crypto during longer downturns. How often should you rebalance? It depends—some do it on a set schedule (every six months or a year), others adjust when allocations drift too far, or after major market events shake things up.

At the Close

Building a diversified portfolio takes a lot of planning, but it doesn’t have to be overly complicated. StockCharts gives you several tools to analyze, select, and build your portfolio. Use the tools to your advantage, and remember to stay flexible, as market conditions perpetually change, prompting you to rebalance from time to time.


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.

Hydrogen stocks are benefiting from cleantech sector momentum as the world moves closer to a green energy future.

The most abundant element on Earth, hydrogen is a colorless gas. It can be produced in liquid form and burned to generate electricity, or combined with oxygen atoms in fuel cells. In this way, hydrogen — which produces no carbon emissions — can replace fossil fuels in household heating, transportation and industrial processes such as steel manufacturing.

Rising demand for carbon-free energy sources alongside significant new government policies are driving growth in the hydrogen market. Grand View Research projects that the global hydrogen-generation market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.3 percent from 2024 to 2030, reaching US$317.39 billion by the end of the forecast period.

It’s worth noting that the downside to hydrogen as a clean energy source is that 99 percent of the hydrogen fuel currently in production is derived from power generated by coal or gas. To combat this problem, some companies are pursuing green hydrogen, which is produced by splitting hydrogen atoms from oxygen using electrolyzers powered by renewable energy.

The hydrogen stocks on this list are focused on a diverse range of sectors in the hydrogen space, including: low-carbon hydrogen gas production, green hydrogen technology and production, hydrogen fuel cell companies, and hydrogen distribution and storage.

US hydrogen stocks

The US hydrogen market is well established, accounting for “more than half the world’s fuel cell vehicles, 25,000 fuel cell material handling vehicles, more than 8,000 small scale fuel systems in 40 states, and more than 550 MW of large-scale fuel cell power installed or planned,” according to the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association.

The US was also the top exporter of hydrogen in 2023 with US$2.15 billion in exports based on data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).

Looking at the medium to long term, the use of hydrogen as a fuel source is expected to grow. While the strong government incentives enacted under former US President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, such as a production tax credit, may be on the ropes under the Trump Administration, there is still optimism among industry leaders.

1. Linde (NYSE:LIN)

Company Profile

Market cap: US$213.49 billion
Share price: US$453.26

Leading global industrial gases and engineering company Linde has been producing hydrogen for more than a century and is a pioneer in new hydrogen production technologies. Linde’s operations cover each step of the hydrogen value chain, from production and processing through distribution and storage. The company also uses its gases for industrial and consumer applications.

Globally, the company has more than 500 hydrogen production plants. Through its ITM Linde Electrolysis joint venture, Linde has become one of the world’s leading suppliers of green hydrogen produced using proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer technologies. This also makes it one of the few green hydrogen stocks.

In August 2024, Linde signed a US$2 billion long-term supply agreement to supply clean hydrogen to Dow (NYSE:DOW) subsidiary Dow Canada’s Path2Zero project in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.

In response to the regulatory uncertainties under the Trump Administration, Linde announced in its Q4 2024 earnings call that 90 percent of its US clean hydrogen projects will be focused on blue hydrogen, which is created by reforming natural gas with carbon capture storage. Blue hydrogen is more cost effective to produce, and although it is not zero emission like green hydrogen, it is more environmentally friendly than grey hydrogen produced with coal.

2. Air Products & Chemicals (NYSE:APD)

Company Profile

Market cap: US$65.32 billion
Share price: US$292.85

Founded in 1940, Air Products & Chemicals sells industrial gases and chemicals and provides related equipment and expertise to a wide range of industries, including the refining, chemical, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food and beverage segments.

In addition to producing oxygen, nitrogen, argon and helium, the company operates more than 100 hydrogen plants and maintains the world’s largest hydrogen distribution network. Air Products has an extensive hydrogen-dispensing technology patent portfolio and has been involved in more than 250 hydrogen-fueling projects worldwide.

Air Products also has a joint venture project now under construction with ACWA Power (SR:2082) and NEOM Company in Saudi Arabia. Called the NEOM Green Hydrogen Complex, the operation will be powered by 4 gigawatts of renewable power from solar and wind to produce 600 metric tons per day of carbon-free hydrogen, which it says will be delivered in the form of green ammonia. Once production begins at the complex in 2026, Air Products will be the sole off-taker and plans to deliver the green ammonia to Europe’s transport sector.

Air Products’ Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, its largest US investment, is also making headway, with first production expected in 2028. The complex will produce blue hydrogen for power mobility and industrial markets in the Gulf Coast region and other markets.

3. Cummins (NYSE:CMI)

Company Profile

Market cap: US$43.71 billion
Share price: US$312.92

Indianapolis-based Cummins designs, manufactures and distributes engines, filtration and power-generation products with a specialization in diesel and alternative fuel engines and generators.

In March 2023, the company announced the launch of a new brand, Accelera, which features “a diverse portfolio of zero-emissions solutions, includ(ing) battery systems, fuel cells, ePowertrain systems and electrolyzers.” The brand encompasses Cummins’ established battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell systems, as well as electrolyzers for hydrogen refueling stations. Shortly after, Accelera began production at its first US electrolyzer facility, located in the state of Minnesota.

The hydrogen fuel cell company showcased its next generation B6.7H hydrogen engine at the April 2024 Intermat Sustainable Construction Solutions and Technology Exhibition in Paris. The following month heralded the launch of Accelera’s next-gen hydrogen fuel cell technology for commercial vehicles, specifically the FCE300 and FCE150 fuel cell engines.

Accelera inked a deal in February 2025 to supply a 100 megawatt PEM electrolyzer system for BP’s (NYSE:BP,LSE:BP) Lingen green hydrogen project in Germany. The system is Accelera’s largest to date and uses its HyLYZER PEM electrolyzer technology.

Canadian hydrogen stocks

Like its neighbor to the south, Canada is a world leader in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, especially when it comes to innovation, research and development. The country reportedly generates C$200 million in hydrogen technology exports according to data from January 2023. In terms of the global hydrogen market, the country exported $385 million worth of hydrogen in 2023, ranking ninth overall according to the OEC.

The federal government is heavily invested in the sector both in terms of funding and the implementation of clean energy policies. “The Hydrogen Strategy for Canada laid out a framework that focuses low-carbon hydrogen as a tool to achieve our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, while creating jobs, growing our economy, expanding exports and protecting our environment,’ Natural Resources Canada states.

In British Columbia, the Government of Canada invested C$9.4 billion to launch a new Clean Hydrogen Hub that will use electrolyzer technology and hydroelectricity to generate hydrogen that can be sold to industry users.

On the global stage, Canada and its trading partner Germany have agreed to each commit C$300 million for a total of C$600 million to launch Atlantic Canada’s hydrogen export industry, which will send hydrogen to Germany. However, delays due to factors including high hydrogen prices and inflation as well as lack of infrastructure have pushed the expected start of exports back from 2025.

1. Ballard Power Systems (TSX:BLDP)

Company Profile

Market cap: C$526.98 million
Share price: C$1.82

Ballard Power Systems is a global leader in hydrogen fuel cell technology and is working to accelerate the adoption of this technology. The company develops and manufactures PEM fuel cell products that create electrical energy from the combination of hydrogen and air. Ballard’s products are designed for heavy-duty trucks, buses, trains and marine applications, as well as backup power storage.

Two of Ballard’s 200 kilowatt fuel cell modules are located on the world’s first hydrogen-powered ferry, operated by Norwegian company Norled. The company is also supplying hydrogen fuel cell modules to global carbon-reduction company First Mode; they will be used to power several hybrid hydrogen and battery ultra-class mining haul trucks.

In January 2024, Ballard secured a supply contract for a minimum of 100 of its FCmove-HD+ modules to NFI Group to be used in the latter’s New Flyer next generation Xcelsior CHARGE FC hydrogen fuel cell buses, which will be deployed across the US and Canada. The company also announced in April 2024 that it had secured its largest order ever — 1,000 hydrogen fuel cell engines to be supplied to European bus manufacturer Solaris.

Ballard signed a multi-year supply agreement with an Egypt-based company named Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles, in which Ballard will supply 50 FCmove-HD+ fuel cell engines to support projects in the European Union with deliveries expected between 2025 and 2026.

2. Westport Fuel Systems (TSX:WPRT)

Company Profile

Market cap: C$91.5 million
Share price: C$5.07

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Westport Fuel Systems supplies advanced alternative fuel delivery components and systems to the transportation industry worldwide. This includes its high pressure direct injection (HPDI) fuel system for commercial vehicles, which can run on biogas, natural gas, hydrogen and other alternative fuel products.

The company has operations in partnership with leading global transportation brands across more than 70 countries across Europe, Asia, North America and South America.

One of those partners is Swedish automaker Volvo Group (STO:VOLV-B). The two firms are working together to commercialize Westport’s HPDI fuel system technology for long-haul and off-road applications that will use renewable fuels now and hydrogen in the future.

Westport is also working with a leading global provider locomotive original equipment manufacturer on a two-year proof of concept project to adapt its hydrogen HPDI fuel system for use with the company’s engine design. The project is fully funded by the locomotive company.

3. Tidewater Renewables (TSX:LCFS)

Company Profile

Market cap: C$90.25 million
Share price: C$2.32

Tidewater Renewables produces renewable diesel and hydrogen at its facilities located near Prince George in BC, Canada. The plant has a nameplate capacity of 3,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel and 23.7 metric tons per day of hydrogen. It began production during Q4 2023 using feedstock that included soybean and canola oil.

Tidewater is now focused on expanding operations at the site to produce sustainable aviation fuel, targeting 2028 for first production.

Australian hydrogen stocks

Australia is another important hotspot for investing in hydrogen. The Australian Government says that ‘over AU$200 billion is currently in the investment pipeline for hydrogen and derivatives,’ accounting for 20 percent of announced renewable hydrogen projects worldwide.

The Australian government’s National Hydrogen Strategy, which it updated in 2023, highlights its intention to position the country as a “major player” in the global hydrogen market by 2030. To this end, Australia has partnered with a number of other nations on hydrogen technology.

Australia and Germany are working together on a hydrogen technology development program that will help Australia build out its capacity to export hydrogen to Germany as it seeks to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. Through a partnership with Japan, Australia is developing new hydrogen fuel cell technology and looking to establish the world’s first clean liquefied hydrogen export pilot project, and its government has invested more than AU$500 million in the development of regional hydrogen hubs across the country.

In May 2024, the Australian government announced an AU$22.7 billion package to bolster the country’s domestic manufacturing and renewable energy sector, including AU$6.7 billion for renewable hydrogen production starting in mid-year 2028 through the 2039/2040 fiscal year.

1. Gold Hydrogen (ASX:GHY)

Company Profile

Market cap: AU$70.29 million
Share price: AU$0.45

Gold Hydrogen is an exploration and development company with a focus on making new hydrogen and helium discoveries in South Australia using recorded government data with modern exploration techniques.

During initial drill work conducted at its Ramsey project in 2023, Gold Hydrogen reconfirmed the historical figures for hydrogen while demonstrating new purity levels of up to 86 percent. Additionally, strong levels of up to 17.5 percent purity helium were found.

In August 2024, Gold Hydrogen reported high concentrations of hydrogen and helium at surface. Using new seismic information, the company has identified sites for its first wells, which it intends to drill beginning in 2025. “To have an initial world first to see Hydrogen and Helium to surface is very exciting for our further ongoing exploration and drilling programs in even better locations,” Gold Hydrogen Managing Director Neil McDonald stated.

Gold Hydrogen announced in February 2025 that it had received a AU$6.45 million research and development tax refund associated with its natural hydrogen and helium exploration activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. The refund will help fund the company’s 2025 work to delineate the hydrogen and helium accumulation at Ramsey.

2. Hazer Group (ASX:HZR)

Company Profile

Market cap: AU$67.93 million
Share price: AU$0.30

Technology development company Hazer Group is working to commercialize the HAZER Process, a low-emission hydrogen and graphite production process initially developed at the University of Western Australia. It uses iron ore as a process catalyst to convert natural gas and similar feedstocks into hydrogen for use as an industrial chemical and in fuel cells, as well as into high-quality synthetic graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries.

Hazer started operations at its commercial demonstration plant in early 2024 and it is now producing hydrogen and graphitic carbon.

In May 2024, the company inked an agreement with Canadian utility FortisBC for the development of a hydrogen production facility in British Columbia that will use Hazer’s proprietary technology. The proposed commercial production facility will have a design capacity of up to 2,500 metric tons per year of clean hydrogen and approximately 9,500 metric tons per year of Hazer graphite.

The company announced in March 2025 that it had successfully completing its commercial reactor test program, validating a commercial scale-up reactor design. ‘The equipment was designed to mimic key aspects of the Hazer Process for producing hydrogen and graphite at commercial scale, and the completion of this testing is a major milestone for the government support from CleanBC,’ the press release states.

3. Pure Hydrogen (ASX:PH2)

Company Profile

Market cap: AU$25.77 million
Share price: AU$0.08

Pure Hydrogen is focused on becoming a leading producer and supplier of hydrogen and hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered vehicles such as buses and waste collection vehicles. The company has several partnerships with companies for its technology. Pure Hydrogen’s hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered Prime Mover truck was displayed at the Brisbane Truck Show last year.

Pure Hydrogen has a 40 percent stake in the Turquoise Group, an Australian clean energy company, as well as exclusive long-term acquisition rights for the company’s future hydrogen production. Turquoise Group announced in May 2024 that it had produced the first graphene powder and hydrogen during testing at its commercial demonstration plant in Brisbane, Queensland. In August 2024, Pure Hydrogen registered Australia’s first hydrogen-powered semi-truck, the Hydrogen Fuel Cell 110kW 6×4 Prime Mover.

Pure Hydrogen’s majority-owned subsidiary HDrive confirmed in January 2025 that it had sold two Taurus 70 metric ton hydrogen fuel cell prime movers to Australian logistics services provider TOLL Transport as part of a broader AU$2 million package. The vehicles are slated for delivery in the fourth quarter of the calendar year.

FAQS for hydrogen investing

Which is better: EVs or hydrogen?

According to research from TWI Global, there are pros and cons to both electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen vehicles. In terms of range and charging time, hydrogen beats electric hands down. However, while a hydrogen-powered vehicle doesn’t need much time to refuel compared to an EV, there is still much more EV charging infrastructure currently available compared to hydrogen fueling stations. EVs are also cheaper to purchase than hydrogen vehicles. As far as safety and emissions are concerned, it’s a draw between the two.

Why does Elon Musk not like hydrogen?

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has used hydrogen to fuel its rockets, and in 2023 Musk talked about hydrogen playing an important role in industrial applications, such as steelmaking. However, he has balked at the idea of hydrogen fueling vehicles, calling fuel cells “fool sells.” Speaking at a Financial Times conference in May 2022, Musk said, “It’s important to understand that if you want a means of energy storage, hydrogen is a bad choice.”

Starting in 2024, rumors began spreading that Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) was planning to launch a Tesla Model H powered by hydrogen, but they have been proven false.

Why is Toyota investing in hydrogen?

Toyota (NYSE:TM,TSE:7203) first invested in hydrogen fuel cell technology in 1992 as its executives saw clean energy as the future of transport. However, with EVs dominating the clean car space, the automaker began to shift its focus to compete with its peers. Toyota brought its newest hydrogen-powered vehicle to market in the fall of 2023 — a revamped Crown sedan that also has a hybrid-electric version. The following year, the auto maker introduced the first prototype of its Toyota Hilux trucks with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain.

In 2025, Toyota shared its long-term strategy for developing hydrogen passenger vehicles as well as hydrogen technologies for long-haul freight.

Who is the leader in hydrogen energy?

Some countries leading in green and blue hydrogen production are the US, Germany and Canada. Many countries around the world have released clean hydrogen strategies, including the US, Canada and many countries in the Europe Union. However, clean hydrogen production is still in the early phases as countries develop infrastructure.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

A SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, as well as NASA’s Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbuno, landed off the Florida coast at 5:57 p.m. EDT on Tuesday (March 18).

This marked the end of a nine month saga for the two astronauts that began last June, when they departed to the International Space Station (ISS) for an eight day mission to test Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) Starliner for future crewed missions.

The astronauts’ prolonged stay and their eventual rescue by SpaceX has undeniably propelled discussions about the reliability and expanded role of commercial entities in space travel.

Boeing Starliner issues and SpaceX rescue mission

Wilmore and Williams’ mission was the Starliner’s first crewed flight, and they were supposed to return after eight days. After they landed on the ISS on June 6, 2024, NASA delayed their return due to technical issues with the Starliner.

NASA had detected a helium leak shortly before launching the Starliner, but proceeded with the mission. However, the spacecraft experienced additional helium leaks and thruster failures during docking. Due to uncertainty about thruster reliability during reentry, NASA opted for an uncrewed return to Earth.

NASA then turned to SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration startup, and began preparations for the crew to return on a SpaceX Dragon capsule. At that time, NASA expected the astronauts to return to Earth in February 2025, but subsequent technical delays led to a revised launch date from earth on March 11.

Wilmore and Williams made the most of their prolonged stay on the ISS, conducting 150 experiments, the CBC reports. Williams also broke the record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut.

NASA and SpaceX postponed the flight again until March 14 due to an issue with the ground equipment used to support the flight. In the end, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket carrying its Dragon craft left Earth from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center at 7:03 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 14, arriving at the ISS roughly 29 hours later on Sunday, March 16. The Dragon undocked from the ISS to bring the mission home a few days later on Tuesday at 1:05 a.m., landing back on Earth later that day.

“On behalf of Crew-9, I’d like to say it was a privilege to call the station home, to live and work and to be a part of a mission and a team that spans the globe, working together in cooperation for the benefit of humanity,” Hague said as the capsule undocked. “Crew-9 going home.”

Private companies’ growing role in space travel

The successful return of Wilmore and Williams highlights the growing role of private companies in space travel. The aging ISS, slated for decommissioning due to escalating maintenance, helped provide the impetus for this new era.

In June 2023, the US Biden administration awarded SpaceX a contract valued at US$843 million to build a spacecraft that will guide the ISS out of orbit, allowing it to break up upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

While the mission is slated for 2030, Musk advocated in February for completion within two years. ‘It has served its purpose,’ he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. ‘There is very little incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars.’

His push for speed comes as competition in the commercial space sector rises. Multiple delays and technical challenges faced by Boeing’s Starliner program have created opportunities for private companies like SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to expand their presence and capabilities in the commercial space sector. SpaceX is also developing its Starship reusable launch vehicle, intended for a range of purposes, including travel to the Moon and Mars.

2025 has seen numerous high-profile launches and tests, with each launch representing a strategic step in the broader space race. Blue Origin successfully completed the inaugural launch of its New Glenn rocket in January. SpaceX has also conducted two test flights of its Starship rocket so far this year, although both exploded after launch. Four of eight Starship tests have been successful since its first test in 2023, with the next slated for April.

US-China space race and Musk-Trump conflict of interest

Competition between the US and China for strategic dominance in space has intensified since China’s Chang’e-4 mission achieved the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the Moon in January 2019.

This was a significant technological achievement that demonstrated the capabilities of China’s space program, which benefits from consistent investment by the government.

Conversely, while NASA remains a substantial recipient of government funding, the amount has fluctuated over the decades, leading to periods of constrained budgets. Recognizing the potential for innovation and efficiency, NASA has progressively incorporated commercial partnerships into its programs.

The Artemis program — NASA’s lunar exploration program that directly competes with China’s Chang’e — demonstrates this strategic shift through its collaboration with SpaceX for the Human Landing System. SpaceX has also taken a more active role in providing crew and cargo transportation to the ISS, as well as launch services for various NASA missions.

Musk’s financial support to US President Donald Trump’s campaign sparked concerns over the potential influence the billionaire would have over NASA-related decisions, including funding allocation. Trump’s actions since taking office in January fueled these concerns further — Trump chose Jared Isaacman, a close friend of Musk and a billionaire with no government experience, to head NASA. His appointment not been confirmed by the US Senate at this time.

Subsequent decisions, such as the closure of two NASA offices and NASA laying off significant portions of its workforce to comply with the administration, have intensified concerns about the agency’s future direction and the extent to which private interests may be shaping its priorities. These actions have collectively stoked apprehension about a potential conflict of interest due to Musk’s involvement and the consequences for the agency’s independence and public trust.

Since the November US election results, Musk’s private companies have increased in value significantly. SpaceX’s value alone rose by 67 percent to US$350 billion after a secondary share sale in December 2024.

While purchasing shares of privately held SpaceX is not an option for many investors, those who qualify as accredited investors can invest in a SpaceX funding round. Additionally, accredited investors can access shares through secondary markets, which are platforms where existing shareholders of a private company can buy and sell their shares.

Caplight analysis shows the secondary market has increased the collective value of Musk’s private companies — including SpaceX, xAI, the Boring Company and Neuralink — by 45 percent since the US election.

Javier Avalos, CEO of the trading platform, told Bloomberg that investors are willing to pay more than the latest offer price to acquire shares of SpaceX. Caplight states in its reporting that special purpose vehicles (SPVs), which are legal entities often created to pool investments from multiple contributors, accounted for 43 percent of the total secondary transaction volume in Q4 2024. That’s compared to just 12 percent in 2023.

A March 8 Financial Times article states that three anonymous Chinese asset managers shared they had sold over US$30 million in shares of Musk’s private companies over the past two years to Chinese investors using SPVs.

The sources alleged that Chinese asset managers are promoting Musk’s relationship with Trump “as an enticement to raise capital,’ adding that the asset managers tell their clients that SPVs “are specifically designed to avoid disclosure.”

However, the sources said the investments are primarily profit-driven has little connection with technology transfer or influencing public policy. Rather, Chinese investors have utilized SPVs to mitigate public disclosure risks. “Risks do exist because we are not sure how bad US-China relations will become in the next few years,” one source told the outlet.

Investor takeaway

The successful return of the Crew-9 astronauts aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule highlights the increasing role of private companies in space travel. This event, coupled with the growing competition in the commercial space sector and strategic shifts in NASA’s approach, signifies a new era in space exploration.

Moreover, the high valuation and investor interest in companies like SpaceX, despite the challenges and competition, further underscores the dynamism and potential of this evolving industry.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Nolan Watson, president and CEO of Sandstorm Gold (TSX:SSL,NYSE:SAND), discusses the outlook for his company, as well has his broader thoughts on gold.

Even as the yellow metal trades at or near all-time highs, he sees further gains ahead.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

(TheNewswire)

TORONTO, ON TheNewswire – March 21, 2025 Silver Crown Royalties Inc. ( Cboe: SCRI, OTCQX: SLCRF, BF: QS0 ) ( ‘Silver Crown’ ‘SCRi’ the ‘Corporation’ or the ‘Company’ ) is pleased to announce the receipt of payments on its producing royalties. PPX Mining Corp. (‘ PPX ‘) has paid the royalty due to SCRi for the period ending March 31, 2025 in full in the amount of US$40,672.70 several weeks before it was due. Additionally, Elk Gold Mining Corp. (‘ Elk Gold ‘), a wholly owned subsidiary of Gold Mountain Mining Corp. (‘ GMTN ‘), has paid the first C$29,811.99 of its royalty payment due for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Pursuant to a letter agreement dated February 5, 2025, SCRi agreed to delay Elk Gold’s payment of the residual $30,070.25 royalty payment due to SCRi for the quarter ended December 31, 2024 until March 31, 2025.  SCRi anticipates that Elk Gold will pay this residual amount owing on or before March 31, 2025.

On Monday, March 17, 2025, GMTN announced financial and operating results for the fourth quarter ended January 31, 2025. Highlights from the three months ended January 31 st , 2025 include gold sales of 291 oz from 10,055 tonnes delivered grading at an average of 1.23 g/t. Low production results realized during the period were directly attributable to the planned winter work program, which substantially reduced operations throughout the quarter. As a result, production from the Elk Gold Project is consistent with the reduced activity level. The combination of lower stripping volumes and anticipated lower gold production in Q4 2025 resulted in reduced unit costs compared to Q4 2024.

Historically, the silver to gold ratio at the Elk Gold mine was 2:1, implying silver production of approximately 573 oz during the period. SCRi’s royalty agreement with Elk Gold provides for a minimum quarterly royalty payment equal to the cash equivalent of 1,500 ounces of silver, almost 300% of the current quarterly silver output at the mine. Although part of GMTN’s update noted that its current technical report on the Elk Gold Project should not be relied upon, the minimum delivery ounces will remain unchanged while the Elk Gold Project remains in operation.

Peter Bures, Silver Crown’s Chief Executive Officer commented, ‘We are thankful to PPX for their early royalty payment to SCRi, which showcases the successful ongoing operations at Igor 4. We are also encouraged by GMTN’s payment as mining at Elk resumes following the winter work program. We remain committed to supporting our partners and greatly value the collaborative endeavors that contribute to our collective achievements. Furthermore, we wish to underscore the efficacy of our minimum delivery provision, which has proven instrumental in mitigating additional downside risk associated with operating mines.’

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, SCRi anticipates that Elk Gold will pay this residual amount owing on or before March 31, 2025. 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

A French researcher was denied entry to the United States after US authorities found messages about President Donald Trump on his phone, a French government official said on Thursday.

France’s minister of higher education and research Philippe Baptiste said that the researcher was traveling to a conference near Houston earlier this month when US authorities found that his phone “contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration’s research policies.”

The researcher was then denied entry to the US and expelled from the country, Baptiste said.

The French ministry of higher education and research said that he worked in the field of space research, and that the incident took place on March 9.

“Freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values that we will continue to proudly uphold,” Baptiste said in a statement.

“I will defend the right of all French researchers to adhere to these values, while respecting the law, regardless of the country in which they find themselves,” he added.

“If an individual has material discovered on their electronic media that raises flags during an inspection, it can result in further analysis. Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded,” Hilton Beckham, CBP Assistant Commissioner of Public Affairs, said in a statement.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

The government of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voted to dismiss Ronen Bar, the chief of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service.

The vote in the early hours of Friday local time could still be subject to appeals by Israel’s Supreme Court.

“The government has now unanimously approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to terminate the term of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement Friday.

“Ronen Bar will end his role as Shin Bet head on April 10, 2025, or when a permanent Shin Bet head is appointed – whichever comes first,” it added.

It came after Netanyahu met with Bar last week and informed him that he would propose his removal.

In a video statement released on Sunday, Netanyahu said his “ongoing distrust” of Bar had led to the move. “At all times, but especially in such an existential war, the prime minister must have full confidence in the head of the Shin Bet,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu added that removing Bar would be necessary for achieving Israel’s war goals in Gaza and “preventing the next disaster.” The prime minister has frequently criticized the agency, placing blame on its leaders for the security lapses that led to the Hamas October 7, 2023, attacks that killed more than 1,200 people.

Shin Bet, which is in charge of monitoring domestic threats to Israel, conducted an internal investigation that determined that the agency had “failed in its mission” to prevent the attacks. But it also blamed policies enacted by Netanyahu’s government as contributing factors, such as politicians’ visits to the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, “the treatment of prisoners, and the perception that Israeli society has been weakened due to the damage to social cohesion.”

Shin Bet is reported to have recently opened an investigation into allegations that members of Netanyahu’s office inappropriately lobbied on behalf of Qatar – something his office denies.

On Wednesday, the office of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara sent a letter to Netanyahu saying that the government could not fire Bar without the approval of a special committee.

Netanyahu responded with a letter on Thursday, saying Baharav-Miara was “exceeding her authority” and “giving legal opinions and instructions to the government in violation of Supreme Court rulings.”

Bar released a statement just hours before his dismissal saying the vote by Netanyahu’s cabinet “was hastily convened, contrary to every basic legal rule dealing with the right to be heard and contrary to the position of the legal adviser to the government.”

Netanyahu has previously removed both Bar and the head of the Mossad intelligence service, David Barnea, from the negotiating team engaging in indirect talks with Hamas regarding the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.

Opposition politicians have criticized Netanyahu’s targeting of Bar, claiming it is politically motivated.

“The dismissal of the head of the service at this time, at the initiative of the prime minister, sends a message to all those involved, a message that may jeopardize the optimal outcome of the investigation. This is a direct danger to the security of the state of Israel,” Bar said in his statement Thursday.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Conor McGregor will run for the Irish presidency in elections later this year, the controversial former fighter said on Thursday, as he announced his candidacy for the largely ceremonial role on an anti-immigration stance.

McGregor, who in recent years has emerged as a figurehead for the far-right in Ireland, said on social media that he would run for president to oppose a long-awaited new European Union migration pact aimed at sharing the burden of processing asylum claims more evenly across the bloc.

“Who else will stand up to Government and oppose this bill?” he said in an Instagram post to his more than 46 million followers. “Any other Presidential candidate they attempt to put forward will be of no resistance to them. I will!”

The post comes just days after McGregor, 36, appeared at the White House with Donald Trump on St. Patrick’s Day, where he became the latest European ally of the US president to promote anti-immigrant sentiment – drawing controversy and censure back home.

“Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness,” McGregor said Monday, claiming the government had “abandoned the voices” of Irish people and that rural towns were being overrun by immigrants.

Irish leader Micheál Martin said McGregor’s comments “did not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.”

Once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Dublin-born McGregor was the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously and, according to Forbes, was the world’s highest paid sports star in 2021.

Despite several rumored comebacks, he hasn’t fought in the UFC since back-to-back defeats four years ago – and has become a hugely controversial figure in Ireland, dogged by accusations of sexual assault, which he has denied.

In a January civil lawsuit, a woman accused McGregor of sexual battery during the 2023 NBA Finals in Miami. The incident was investigated by police at the time and the Miami-Dade state attorney declined to press charges against him. McGregor said the allegations were false.

Last fall, a civil jury in Dublin awarded nearly 250,000 euros ($257,000) in damages to a woman who claimed McGregor had “brutally raped and battered” her in a hotel in Dublin in 2018. McGregor testified that the two had consensual sex and vowed to appeal the verdict.

As far back as 2022, McGregor had expressed support for people protesting against immigration. Some Irish politicians have accused him of fanning the flames of discontent online, voicing his anger at Ireland’s immigration policy – a particularly sensitive issue given the country’s long history of emigration.

Ireland, a country of just over 5 million people, saw 141,600 immigrants arrive in the year leading up to April 2023 – the highest figure in 16 years with some attracted by its strong economic performance, according to the Central Statistics Office Ireland.

But for many ordinary workers, the benefits are failing to reach their pockets and they are struggling to afford high housing prices and rents.

Ireland’s next presidential election must take place by November 11.

In his Instagram post Thursday, McGregor said he would put the EU migration bill to a referendum if elected.

“Although I oppose greatly this pact, it is neither mine nor government’s choice to make. It is the people of Ireland’s choice! Always!” he wrote.

“This is the future of Ireland with me as President.”

But McGregor faces an uphill task to get his name on the ballot as few Irish lawmakers share his vehement anti-immigrant views, and many publicly criticized him after the civil case last November.

Presidential candidates must be nominated by at least 20 of the 234 members of the lower and upper houses of parliament or by four of Ireland’s 31 local councils, according to the country’s electoral commission.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

London’s Heathrow Airport announced a complete shutdown all day Friday due to a “significant power outage” due to a large fire nearby, causing massive disruption to one of the world’s busiest travel hubs as flights were forced to turn back midair or divert to other locations.

“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage,” Heathrow Airport said in a statement on X. “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March.”

A transformer at an electrical substation in Hayes, a London suburb located just a few miles from the airport, caught fire Thursday night, according to the London Fire Brigade. The cause is not yet known, and firefighters were still working to extinguish the blaze as of early Friday morning.

The brigade said it evacuated 150 people from the area. More than 16,000 homes lost power, according to utility supplier Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks — with Britain’s National Grid “working at speed” to restore power.

Videos shared on social media showed huge flames and smoke rising into the air early Friday.

“As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible,” Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in the fire brigade’s statement.

Heathrow Airport appeared largely dark amid the power outage, according to videos shared on social media.

Massive disruption

The shutdown could affect tens of thousands of travelers. Heathrow was the world’s fourth-busiest airport in 2023, according to the most recent data, with a record-breaking 83.9 million passengers passing through last year.

Spread across four terminals and located 14 miles west of central London, it usually runs at 99% capacity, with every major airline passing through, meaning it’s always very busy.

Airline analytics firm Cirium estimated that “upwards of 145,000” passengers could be impacted.

Dual US-Norwegian citizen Kim Mikkel Skibrek had already been flying for three hours from Minneapolis to London when crew announced they had to turn back due to the fire.

On the same flight, Abby Hertz and her family were traveling to London for the wedding of her husband’s best friend. The couple had postponed the wedding once due to Covid and were finally getting married now that their son was in remission from leukemia, Hertz said — but it’s not clear if they’ll be able to make the wedding now.

Meanwhile at New York’s JFK Airport, passenger Christine said her British Airways flight had been ready to depart when the pilot announced they’d been asked to hold for a while. Half an hour later, passengers were told Heathrow was closed and that another flight which had already taxied to the runway had turned back — leaving them stuck on the tarmac.

“The mood is fairly relaxed on the plane, surprisingly. They’ve just come around to feed us,” said Christine, who declined to give her last name. But, she said, with a wedding in the UK to attend Saturday, “I really hope we’re not stuck until then!”

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, more than 1,350 flights going in or out of Heathrow on Friday will be affected. It also said 120 flights were in the air when the announcement came. They had to be diverted to other airports or turned back to their original location.

Thomas added that while shorter domestic flights might be able to turn back, that’s not an option for long-haul international flights. There are several other airports near London, including Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport, but those are likely “at capacity,” meaning diverted flights have to go further to find an alternative place to land — like in Glasgow or Edinburgh, he said.

And that could pose another problem. Those other airports, some of them smaller and lower-cost than Heathrow, aren’t equipped to handle the sheer number of diverted passengers coming their way, he said.

As authorities race to contain the fire and navigate the fallout, they’ll also face tough questions, Thomas said, including why such a crucial travel and economic hub wasn’t able to tap into a backup power source.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This post appeared first on cnn.com