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Former Costa Rican president who compared Trump to ‘Roman emperor’ says US has revoked his visa

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Former Costa Rican President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Óscar Arias says he has had his visa to enter the United States revoked.

Arias, 84, said he doesn’t know why his visa was canceled but accepts that the US has the right to make such a decision.

Miguel Guillén, the secretary general of Arias’ National Liberation Party, said the former president had received an email notifying him of the move.

“I don’t know if the revoking of my visa is the product of some sort of retaliation, because I say what I think (and) write what I say,” Arias told a press conference Tuesday.

In recent weeks, Arias had posted messages on social media that were critical of US President Donald Trump and his policies.

In one post, he compared Trump to “a Roman emperor” who tells other nations what to do. In another, he accused Trump and Vice President JD Vance of insulting and threatening Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a heated White House meeting in February.

“If someone wants to use a reprisal to silence me, well obviously they’re not going to silence me,” he said Tuesday.

Arias was Costa Rica’s president between 1986 and 1990 and again between 2006 and 2010.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his role in negotiating an end to the Central American conflicts of the 1980s.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Danish prime minister visits Greenland as Trump seeks control of the Arctic territory

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Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is in Greenland for a three-day trip aimed at building trust and cooperation with Greenlandic officials at a time when the Trump administration is seeking control of the vast Arctic territory.

Frederiksen announced plans for her visit after US Vice President JD Vance visited a US air base in Greenland last week and accused Denmark of underinvesting in the territory.

Greenland is a mineral-rich, strategically critical island that is becoming more accessible because of climate change. Trump has said that the landmass is critical to US security. It’s geographically part of North America, but is a semiautonomous territory belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark.

After her arrival Wednesday, Frederiksen walked the streets of the capital, Nuuk, with the incoming Greenlandic leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen. She is also to meet with the future Naalakkersuisut, the Cabinet, in a visit due to last through Friday.

“It has my deepest respect how the Greenlandic people and the Greenlandic politicians handle the great pressure that is on Greenland,” she said in government statement announcing the visit.

On the agenda are talks with Nielsen about cooperation between Greenland and Denmark.

Nielsen has said in recent days that he welcomes the visit, and that Greenland would resist any US attempt to annex the territory.

“We must listen when others talk about us. But we must not be shaken. President Trump says the United States is ‘getting Greenland.’ Let me make this clear: The U.S. is not getting that. We don’t belong to anyone else. We decide our own future,” he wrote Sunday on Facebook.

“We must not act out of fear. We must respond with peace, dignity and unity. And it is through these values that we must clearly, clearly and calmly show the American president that Greenland is ours.”

For years, the people of Greenland, with a population of about 57,000, have been working toward eventual independence from Denmark.

The Trump administration’s threats to take control of the island one way or the other, possibly even with military force, have angered many in Greenland and Denmark. The incoming government chosen in last month’s election wants to take a slower approach on the question of eventual independence.

The political group in Greenland most sympathetic to the US president, the Naleraq party that advocates a swift path toward independence, was excluded from coalition talks to form the next government.

Peter Viggo Jakobsen, associate professor at the Danish Defense Academy, said last week that the Trump administration’s aspirations for Greenland could backfire and push the more mild parties closer to Denmark.

He said that “Trump has scared most Greenlanders away from this idea about a close relationship to the United States because they don’t trust him.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Hungary says it will pull out of ICC as it hosts Israel’s Netanyahu – who is wanted by the court

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Hungary will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), its government said Wednesday, as the country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban welcomed Israeli Prime Minister and ICC fugitive Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest.

Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary marked the first time the Israeli leader stepped foot on European soil since the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him in May 2024. The court said it had “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu bears criminal responsibility for war crimes including “starvation as a method of warfare” and “the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”

The ICC doesn’t have its own law enforcement powers, so it relies on its member states to make arrests and transfer suspects to the Hague. As a signatory, Hungary is obliged to arrest Netanyahu.

Hungary’s State Secretary for International Communication and Relations Zoltan Kovacs said the country will begin the withdrawal process on Thursday, “in line with Hungary’s constitutional and international legal obligations.”

If it goes through with the withdrawal, Hungary will become the only European Union country not to be part of the ICC. Israel is not part of the court, alongside the United States, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

Arrest warrant

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and the former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the war in Gaza last May.

The move marked the first time the ICC targeted the top leader of a close ally of the United States, putting Netanyahu in the company of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, for whom the ICC issued an arrest warrant over Moscow’s war on Ukraine, and the Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, who was facing an arrest warrant from the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity at the time of his capture and killing in October 2011.

At the same time, it also issued warrants for three top leaders of Hamas: its leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Al Qassem Brigades, the group’s armed wing Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, better known as Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ political leader. All three have been killed by Israel in the course of the war.

This is a developing story.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Top 10 Stock Charts for April 2025: Big Breakouts Ahead?

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Finding stocks that show promising opportunities can be challenging in a market that goes up and down based on news headlines. But, it’s possible.

In this video, watch how Grayson Roze and David Keller, CMT use the tools available in StockCharts to find stocks that are breaking out, displaying relative strength setups, and exhibiting moving average signals.

Be sure to watch it. You may find some hidden gems! 

This video premiered on March 31, 2025.

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AU Surges Above Resistance: Here’s How to Take Action

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As precious metals surge on safe-haven demand, some gold mining companies are following suit. One standout is AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (AU), which has been riding this upward momentum.

Recently, AU showed up among the Top 10 Large Cap category in the StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) Reports, indicating that it’s among the top large-cap stocks showing bullish technical strength across multiple timeframes and indicators.

FIGURE 1. SCREENSHOT OF SCTR REPORTS ON MONDAY MORNING. AU, which held the #6 spot at the time of the screenshot, had an ultra-bullish SCTR score of 99.3.

Unless you follow gold miners, you may not know much about AU. But here’s the skinny: AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. is a global independent mining company that’s incorporated in the UK but headquartered in Colorado, US. 

AU’s recent surge can be attributed to several factors, including rising gold prices, strong financials, recent strategic acquisitions, revised dividend policy, and general investor shift to safe havens.

If you’re unfamiliar with the stock, a good starting point is to compare its relative performance against its industry (Dow Jones Gold Mining Index or $DJUSPM) and spot gold price performance ($GOLD). The PerfChart below displays AU’s performance relative to the industry and gold’s price over the past year.

FIGURE 2. PERFCHARTS OF AU, DJ GOLD MINING INDEX, AND GOLD. AU began outperforming its overall industry and gold’s performance in late January.

AU and $DJUSPM have shown volatile, back-and-forth price action over the past 12 months, but AU began taking the lead in late January, surpassing both in comparative terms.

Now that you have a comparative view, let’s take a longer-term look at AU’s price action. Here’s a monthly chart spanning 20 years. Why so long? I had to go this far back to plot long-term resistance levels.

FIGURE 3. MONTHLY CHART OF AU. The stock just broke above a resistance range between $35 and $37, but there are plenty more technical headwinds above.

AU appears to be soaring at relatively high valuations and is running up against a major resistance range between $42 and $45. What adds weight to the long-term bullish case of AU’s current valuations is the rising Ichimoku Cloud, indicating a long-term uptrend projection (26 months) and a Relative Strength Index (RSI) reading that is rising but not quite overbought. Another thing to note, which is interesting, is that every time the RSI crossed 70, AU reversed to the downside. 

Despite this bullish projection, keep in mind that AU could still pull back—while remaining in a long-term uptrend—and decline to as low as $22.50 before rebounding. This level marks a key swing low and aligns with the top of the Ichimoku Cloud’s support range.

That gives us a long-term perspective. What about the near term? Might there be a favorable entry point for those looking to go long, or is AU technically overbought? 

Let’s shift over to a daily chart.

FIGURE 4. DAILY CHART OF AU. Pay attention to the most recent swing high and low.

The Gold Miners Bullish Percent Index (BPI) indicates strong bullish breadth as over 89% of gold mining stocks are rallying and triggering P&F buy signals. However, this can also indicate potential overbought levels, and the RSI supports this reading, as it, too, is over the 70 threshold (caveat: a stock can continue to rally for an extended period despite being overbought).

Volume-wise, note how accumulation preceded AU’s rally as far back as September when the Accumulation/Distribution Line (ADL) shown in orange began rising above AU’s price as if the smart money began accumulating the stock as it continued to decline before rebounding. AU currently trades above the ADL line, which could signal a near-term pullback. 

Pay attention to AU’s price relative to its most recent swing high (magenta dotted line) and swing low (blue dotted line). I plotted a ZigZag line to make these swing points clear. 

  • If AU pulls back, it may find support at the swing high near $33. What’s more important is that the stock price must hold above the swing low near $28 to sustain the current uptrend.
  • Expect resistance between $42 and $45 (as mentioned earlier when analyzing the monthly chart).

What Should You Do?

If you’re already in AU and not necessarily committed to the long term, consider tightening your stops or scaling out partial profits as the stock approaches the $42–$45 resistance zone. The RSI above 70 and elevated breadth readings across the gold mining sector suggest short-term overbought conditions, making a pullback likely—even within a broader uptrend. Watch for any bearish divergences or volume reversals, and use a bounce from $28 or $33 to potentially add to your position.

If you’re looking to enter, patience may pay. A retracement to the $33 support zone—or the swing low at $28 if sentiment reverses sharply—could offer a more favorable risk-reward entry. Keep in mind that a break below $28 would weaken the current technical structure and could open the door to a deeper correction, potentially down to $22.50.

For long-term investors, AU still holds promise. The rising monthly Ichimoku Cloud you saw in the monthly chart, strong accumulation trends, and outperformance vs. peers support a bullish longer-term case. But stay disciplined, and keep an ear on economic developments that may have a longer-term impact. Consider using a tiered entry approach rather than chasing highs.

In short, AU’s long-term momentum is intact, but don’t ignore the warning signs of a short-term cooldown. Stay tactical—ride the trend, but always protect your capital!

At the Close

While AU continues to ride the wave of bullish sentiment in the gold sector, a few of its technical indicators, appearing seemingly stretched, hint at a possible short-term breather. Long-term prospects remain intact, but near-term caution is warranted.

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.

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Get Paid to Buy Your Favorite Stocks Using This Options Strategy

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Did you know you can generate more than a 5% monthly yield by utilizing an options strategy? 

In this educational video, Tony Zhang walks you through an income-generating options strategy using the OptionsPlay Strategy Center on StockCharts.com.

Learn how to select the right stocks, identify strike prices and expiration dates, analyze various outcomes, and manage your trades.

Armed with this knowledge, you will never want to miss out on the opportunity to generate income from your portfolio. 

This video premiered on April 1, 2025.

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Cygnus secures another two years to increase its stake in Pontax

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Pontax Lithium Project, James Bay, Canada

Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5, TSXV: CYG, OTCQB: CYGGF) is pleased to announce that it has negotiated a two-year extension to its two-stage earn-in with Stria Lithium Inc (‘Stria’) for the Pontax Lithium Project in James Bay, Quebec (‘Pontax’).

In July 2023, Cygnus announced that it had earned 51 per cent of Pontax under the first stage of the earn-in by spending C$4 million on the project and issuing 9,129,825 fully paid ordinary shares in Cygnus (‘Shares’) to Stria.

As a demonstration of the co-operation between Stria and Cygnus, the parties have now agreed that Cygnus has an additional 24 months to satisfy the second stage of the earn-in and earn an additional 19% interest in Pontax, bringing its total interest to 70%.

The extension means that Cygnus has until October 2027 to expend an additional C$2 million on exploration at the project and make a cash payment to Stria of C$3 million, enhancing the likelihood of successful exploration outcomes at Pontax.

As consideration for the extension and subject to TSXV approval, Cygnus will shortly issue 300,000 Shares to Stria utilising the Company’s available Listing Rule 7.1 capacity at a deemed price of A$0.105 per Share (based on the ASX closing price on 1 April 2025). These Shares will be subject to voluntary escrow for a period of 12 months from issue.

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

David Southam
Executive Chairman
T: +61 8 6118 1627
E: info@cygnusmetals.com

About Cygnus Metals

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

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

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Cartier Resources Announces Subscription Agreement for Flow-Through Units Under Its Previously Announced Brokered Offering and Adjustments Further to Tax Measures Unveiled by the Quebec Minister of Finance

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THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Cartier Resources Inc. (TSX-V: ECR) (‘ Cartier ‘ or the ‘ Corporation ‘) announces the execution, on March 31, 2025, of an amending agreement (the ‘ Amending Agreement ‘) further to the engagement letter dated March 20, 2025 between Paradigm Capital Inc. (the ‘ Agent ‘) and the Corporation (the ‘ Engagement Letter ‘) with respect to its previously announced ‘best efforts’ private placement offering of securities of Cartier (the ‘ Offering ‘).

The Amending Agreement was concluded to address potential impacts of several tax measures unveiled on March 25, 2025 by the Minister of Finance (Québec) in connection with his 2025-2026 budget (the ‘ 2025 Québec Budget ‘).

The Offering will continue to raise aggregate gross proceeds for the Corporation of up to approximately $7,300,160 (subject to a potential increase thereof for additional gross proceeds of up to $1,095,024 in accordance with the exercise of the Agent’s Option, as further described below).

The Offering remains a combination of: (a) units of the Corporation issued on a charitable flow-through basis that will qualify as ‘flow-through shares’ within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the ‘ Tax Act ‘) and section 359.1 of the Québec Tax Act (the ‘ Premium FT Units ‘) for gross proceeds of approximately $5,000,200; and (b) units of the Corporation (the ‘ Hard Dollar Units ‘) and, together with the Premium FT Units, the ‘ Offered Securities ‘) at $0.13 per Hard Dollar Unit for gross proceeds of $2,299,960. Each Premium FT Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Corporation (each a ‘ Common Share ‘) and one common share purchase warrant (each a ‘ Premium FT Warrant ‘), with each such Common Share and Premium FT Warrant qualifying as a ‘flow-through share’ within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Tax Act and section 359.1 of the Québec Tax Act. Each Hard Dollar Unit consists of one Common Share of the Corporation and one common share purchase warrant (each a ‘ Hard Dollar Warrant ‘), and for certainty, each such Common Share and Hard Dollar Warrant will not qualify as a ‘flow-through share’.

Under the Engagement Letter, the subscription price of the Premium FT Units (the ‘ FT Subscription Price ‘) was set on March 20, 2025 at $0.23 per FT Unit, based on certain tax benefits then available under the Quebec Tax Act and the Tax Act, including, but not limited to, the Québec Capital Gain Exemption and Québec Additional Deductions (each as defined herein).

The 2025 Québec Budget introduced major changes to the flow-through share regime under the Taxation Act (Québec) (the ‘ Québec Tax Act ‘), including the following measures (collectively, the ‘ 2025 Québec Budget Amendments ‘):

(a) abolition of the capital gains exemption in respect of the disposition of certain ‘resource property’ (within the meaning of the Québec Tax Act) (the ‘ Québec Capital Gain Exemption ‘); and
(b) abolition of both (i) the additional 10% deduction under the Québec Tax Act in respect of certain exploration expenses incurred in Québec and (iii) the additional 10% deduction under the Québec Tax Act in respect of certain surface mining exploration expenses incurred in Québec (collectively, the ‘ Québec Additional Deductions ‘).

However, the 2025 Québec Budget provides that the abolition of the Québec Additional Deductions will not apply to flow-through shares issued after March 25, 2025 if they are issued following a public announcement made no later than March 25, 2025 (which is the case of the Offering), provided furthermore that a report of exempt distribution is filed with the Autorité des marchés financiers no later than May 31, 2025 (the ‘ Grandfathering Exception ‘).

Considering the potential impacts of the 2025 Québec Budget Amendments as announced on March 25, 2025, the Corporation, on March 31, 2025, (a) entered into the Amending Agreement; and (b) entered into a subscription and renunciation agreement with PearTree Securities Inc. (‘ PearTree ‘), on behalf of certain disclosed principals (the ‘ Subscription and Renunciation Agreement ‘).

Pursuant to the Subscription and Renunciation Agreement, a mechanism was introduced to allow for the adjustment of the FT Subscription Price to $0.205 or $0.182 from $0.23 (i.e. the price initially agreed upon on March 20, 2025 under the Engagement Letter) depending on whether the Québec Capital Gain Exemption and/or Québec Additional Deductions are determined on the Closing Date (as defined herein) to be available in respect of the Offering, based on any written statements that are issued by the Minister of Finance (Québec) to clarify the scope of the 2025 Québec Budget Amendments and the Grandfathering Exception. Under the Subscription and Renunciation Agreement, corresponding adjustments would also be made to the number of Premium FT Units issued so as to retain approximately the same aggregate gross subscription proceeds.

All of the other material terms of the Offering remain unchanged, including the following:

  • The gross proceeds from the sale of the Premium FT Units will be used by the Corporation to incur eligible ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ that qualify as ‘flow-through mining expenditures’ (as both terms are defined in the Tax Act) (the ‘ Qualifying Expenditures ‘) related to the projects of the Corporation in Québec. The Qualifying Expenditures will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the Premium FT Units with an effective date no later than December 31, 2025 and in an aggregate amount of not less than the total amount of the gross proceeds raised from the issuance of the Premium FT Units.
  • Each Premium FT Warrant and Hard Dollar Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share of the Corporation (each a ‘ Warrant Share ‘) on a non-flow-through basis at an exercise price of $0.18 for a period of 5 years following the Closing Date (as herein defined).
  • The Corporation will grant the Agent an option (the ‘ Agent’s Option ‘), exercisable up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date (as herein defined), to sell that number of Offered Securities for additional gross proceeds of up to $1,095,024.

The Offering is being made by way of private placement in Canada. The Offered Securities will be subject to a four month and one day hold period under applicable securities laws in Canada. The Offering is expected to close on or about April 14, 2025 (the ‘ Closing Date ‘), subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions, including the conditional listing approval of the TSX-V.

About Cartier Resources Inc.

Cartier Resources Inc., founded in 2006, is an exploration company based in Val-d’Or. The Corporation’s projects are all located in Québec, which consistently ranks among the world’s top mining jurisdictions. Cartier is advancing the development of its flagship Cadillac project, consisting of the Chimo Mine and East Cadillac properties, and its other projects. The Corporation has corporate and institutional support, including Agnico Eagle and Québec investment funds.

This news release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration in the United States or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements in the United States.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance including in respect of the use of proceeds of the Offering, closing of the Offering and the tax treatment of the flow through shares (often but not always using phrases such as ‘expects’ or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘interpreted’, ‘management’s view’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘forecasts’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’ or ‘intends’ or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results ‘may’ or ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Corporation, at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the parties cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Corporation nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. The Corporation does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

For more information, contact:

Philippe Cloutier, P. Geo.
President and CEO
Phone: 819-856-0512
Email: philippe.cloutier@ressourcescartier.com
www.ressourcescartier.com

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Top 5 Small-cap Biotech Stocks of 2025

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The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (INDEXNASDAQ:NBI) is still trading at three-year highs, despite current market volatility, in response to breakthrough innovations and increased deals involving biotech stocks listed on the NASDAQ.

After dropping to a low of 3,637.05 in October 2023, the index climbed to a nearly three year peak of 4,954.813 on September 19, 2024. While the index had pulled back to 4,243.7 as of March 31, 2025, further growth could be in store in the future.

According to a Towards Healthcare analyst report, the global biotech market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.5 percent from now to 2034, reaching a valuation of US$5.036 trillion.

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

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

Data was gathered on March 31, 2025, using TradingView’s stock screener. Small-cap biotech stocks with market caps between US$50 million and US$500 million at that time were considered for this list.

1. Bright Minds Biosciences (NASDAQ:DRUG)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 2,942.02 percent
Market cap: US$254.99 million
Share price: US$36.20

Bright Minds Biosciences is developing novel treatments for pain and neuropsychiatric disorders such as epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder and difficult-to-treat depression.The company’s platform includes serotonin agonists designed to provide powerful therapeutic benefits while minimizing side effects.

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

Bright Minds’ share price rocketed upward in the fourth quarter of last year, shooting up from US$2.49 to US$38.49 in one day on October 15. The company issued a press release at the time, stating it was ‘unaware of any material changes in the company’s operations’ that would have contributed to such a rally.

The outperformance appears to be related to the October 14 news that Danish pharma company H. Lundbeck was to acquire Longboard Pharma, a company developing a 5-HT2C receptor agonist, for US$60 per share.

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

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

In March 2025, Bright Minds expanded its Scientific Advisory Board with the addition of five experts in epilepsy research.

Bright Minds’ share price reached US$55.77, its peak for the past year, on November 6.

2. Monopar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MNPR)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 924.54 percent
Market cap: US$220.3 million
Share price: US$36.10

Clinical-stage biotech Monopar Therapeutics’ main drug candidate is its late-stage ALXN-1840 for Wilson disease. Its pipeline also includes radiopharma programs such as Phase 1-stage MNPR-101-Zr for imaging advanced cancers, as well as Phase 1a-stage MNPR-101-Lu and late preclinical-stage MNPR-101-Ac225 for the treatment of advanced cancers.

Shares in Monopar spiked by more than 600 percent on October 24, 2024, to US$32.66 following its news release detailing its exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Alexion, AstraZeneca’s (NASDAQ:AZN) Rare Disease unit, for ALXN-1840, a drug candidate for Wilson disease that met its primary endpoints in its Phase 3 clinical trial. Going forward, Monopar will be responsible for all future global development and commercialization activities.

Further positive news flow in December continued to drive the company’s stock value. Early in the month, the company shared that the first patient was dosed with MNPR-101-Lu in its Phase 1a trial for the radiopharmaceutical. A few weeks later, Monopar announced the launch of a US$40 million concurrent public offering and private placement. After having fallen back to the US$22 range, shares in the company climbed to US$30.68 on December 17, 2024.

Positive sentiment in the company and the biotech market would later drive the stock up to its yearly high of US$51.89 on February 10, 2025. Monopar released its Q4 and full-year 2024 results on March 31.

3. Candel Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CADL)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 268.3 percent
Market cap: US$262.39 million
Share price: US$5.64

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

Candel’s lead product candidate, CAN-2409, is in a Phase 2 clinical trial in non-small cell lung cancer and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, as well as Phase 2 and 3 trials for localized, non-metastatic prostate cancer.

The company had a number wins with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024. In February and May, respectively, Candel’s CAN-3110 received regulatory approval for fast-track designation and orphan drug designation for the treatment of recurrent high-grade glioma.

The agency also granted Candel orphan drug designation for CAN-2409 for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in April 2024. Positive interim data for the trial on pancreatic cancer released that month, sent the company’s share price spiking upward. It ultimately climbed to its 2024 high point of US$14.00 on May 15, 2024.

So far in 2025, Candel’s share price has traded as high as US$12.21 on February 20. In its January corporate update, the company shared its goals for the year, including aiming for Q4 for reporting overall survival data in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma from its ongoing phase 1b trial that is evaluating multiple doses of CAN-3110.

4. Tiziana Life Sciences (NASDAQ:TLSA)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 154.76 percent
Market cap: US$119.51 million
Share price: US$1.08

Tiziana Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biopharma which is developing therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, and cancer-related to the liver. Its pipeline of candidates is built on its patent drug delivery technology that provides a possible alternative to intravenous (IV) delivery. Tiziana’s lead candidate is intranasal foralumab, which it says is the only fully human anti-CD3 mAb currently in clinical development.

On May 31, 2024, shares in Tiziana broke above US$1 after a series of positive news flow for the company. This included positive clinical results from its intermediate sized Expanded Access Program for non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients, which demonstrated multiple improvements in foralumab-treated patients, as well as its submission of an orphan drug designation application to the FDA for intranasal foralumab for the treatment of non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (na-SPMS).

While Tiazana’s share price slid back down below US$1 per share by mid-June 2024, news that the FDA granted fast track designation to Tiziana intranasal foralumab for the treatment of na-SPMS gave it a much needed boost to the upside. By August 12, the stock’s value had risen to US$1.45 per share.

Tiziana Life Sciences shares reached a yearly peak of US$1.69 on March 7, 2025, after the company filed its investigational new drug application to the FDA for a phase 2 clinical trial in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is supported by the ALS Association.

5. Benitec Biopharma (NASDAQ:BNTC)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 149.71 percent
Market cap: US$331.43 million
Share price: US$13.01

California-based Benitec Biopharma is advancing novel genetic medicines via its proprietary “Silence and Replace” DNA-directed RNA interference platform. The company is currently focused on developing therapeutics for chronic and life-threatening conditions, including oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD).

Its drug candidate BB-301 was granted orphan drug designation by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency. Benitec is well funded to advance its BB-301 clinical development program through the end of 2025.

Benitec’s share price benefited from its first bump of the past year, after the company released its fiscal year Q3 2024 update in mid-May highlighting its achievements over the quarter. This included the closing of a US$40 million private placement. Benitec’s stock value hit US$10.47 per share on May 20, 2024.

Later in the fall, the company reported positive data from two patients with OPMD treated with low-dose BB-301 in phase 1b/2a study, showing the clinical trial is meeting key safety and efficacy endpoints. Shares hit another high of US$11.22 on October 17, 2024.

Benitec’s share price hit US$16.79, its highest yearly value to date, on March 20, 2025, a day after the company released positive interim clinical results for three patients with OPMD treated with BB-301 in phase 1b/2a study.

“The sixth and final Subject of Cohort 1 will be treated with BB-301 in the second calendar quarter of this year, and we are highly optimistic about the potential for continued benefit in Subjects enrolled in the ongoing clinical study,” said Jerel A. Banks, Benitec Executive Chairman and CEO.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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