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Bold Ventures Showcases New Gold Discovery and Recent New Results at Vancouver Resource Conferences

Bold Ventures Inc. (TSXV: BOL) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Bold’) is pleased to announce that the Company will have booths at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC) from January 19 to 20 (booth 520), and AME Roundup from January 22 to 23 (booth 1524). The Company’s President and COO, Bruce MacLachlan, and the Company’s V.P. Exploration, Coleman Robertson, will be present for the duration of these two conferences, as well as the preceding Metals Investor Forum from January 17 to 18.

The Bold exhibition booth will showcase various samples, maps and photographs from the Company’s Burchell Gold and Copper Project, the Company’s Traxxin Gold Project, and the Company’s Wilcorp Gold Project. Of particular interest is the recent high-grade gold discovery at the Burchell Project. The 111 Zone discovery yielded impressive gold values ranging from 10 ppb Au up to 68,000 ppb Au (68 g/t Au or 2.2 oz./t Au). See Bold press releases dated December 12, 2024 and January 9, 2025. The exhibition booth will also showcase newly obtained results from recent sampling programs at the three properties, which Bold is pleased to present below.

Burchell Gold-Copper Project – MMITM Soil Sampling Results

Results have recently been obtained from a November 2024 MMITM soil survey in the northwest corner of the Burchell Property, designed to test the strike extension of the Moss Trend on the adjacent Moss Gold Property to the west, one of several subparallel polymetallic trends in the region (see Goldshore Resources Inc.’s September 28, 2023 news release). 74 samples were collected on four northwest-southeast lines, perpendicular to the general strike of the country rocks and regional gold trends. Lines were spaced at 200-250 meters, 550-1100 m in length, with 50-meter sample station spacing.

Response ratios (RRs) were calculated for each sample by element, according to SGS guidelines, which state that ‘response ratios in general need to be greater than 2-5 times background before being considered ‘anomalous’.‘ Notable results include several coincident gold (Au) – copper (Cu) – molybdenum (Mo) response ratios >10 in the northern half of the survey (see Figure 1), with Au RRs up to 40; Cu RRs up to 61, and Mo RRs up to 369. Other notable results include zinc (Zn) RRs up to 93 and uranium (U) RRs up to 52. These anomalies provide a basis for further exploration in this area, which could include infill soil sampling or ground geophysics to better define targets for drilling.

The Burchell Gold-Base Metal Project is located approximately 105 km west of the port city of Thunder Bay in the south-central portion of Northwestern Ontario (see Figure 2). The claims are accessible via logging roads and secondary Highway 802 south from Trans-Canada Highway 11 travelling west from Thunder Bay. For additional information regarding the Burchell Gold-Copper Project visit the Burchell Gold-Copper Project Page here.

Traxxin Gold Project – Prospecting and Sampling Results

Recent assay results ranging from 345 ppb Au have been obtained from 20 grab samples collected during a November 2024 prospecting and sampling program at the Traxxin Property. 3 gold anomalies from 170 ppb Au to 345 ppb Au were obtained from samples of strained, silicified tonalite with local quartz veining in outcrop on an island northeast of the Traxxin Main Zone (see Figure 3). The November program took advantage of lower-than-average water levels to carry out shoreline prospecting. Descriptions of anomalous samples are included in Table 1 below. These results suggest that gold-bearing shear zones extend northeast from the mainland into Bedivere Lake, which warrants further investigation through ground geophysics and diamond drilling. For a full description of the Traxxin Gold project visit the Traxxin Gold Project Page here.

The Traxxin claim group is located 130 km west of Thunder Bay, Ontario (see Figure 2). The claims are road accessible via TransCanada Highway 11. Local infrastructure includes rail, power and an experienced mineral exploration workforce and mining supply, all located within hours of the property.

Wilcorp Gold Project – Prospecting and Sampling Results

Assays from 7.28 g/t gold (Au) have been obtained from 26 grab samples collected during a November 2024 prospecting and sampling program at the Wilcorp Property. The 7.28 g/t Au result corresponds to a sample of silicified mafic schist with 4-5% disseminated pyrite and arsenopyrite, in trench rubble / subcrop located approximately 60 meters along strike to the west-southwest of a September 2024 sample which returned 16.3 g/t Au (see October 31, 2024 news release and Figure 4 and Figure 5). These results, in conjunction with September 2024 and 2012 results, suggest two sub-parallel gold-bearing zones in this area (see Figure 5).

Other newly identified anomalies include: 278 ppb Au from quartz vein subcrop close to where the historical Eagle Prospect is thought to be located (see Figure 4), as well as 333 ppb Au from subcrop of chlorite carbonate schist with quartz veining in the southern part of the Property, associated with strong I.P. and E.M. anomalies (see Figure 4). Descriptions of anomalous samples are included in Table 1 below.

The Wilcorp claim group is located approximately 13 km east of the town of Atikokan, Ontario (see Figure 2) in McCaul Township, and 17 km south of Agnico Eagle’s Hammond Reef deposit, which contains combined reserves and resources of 5.6 Moz of gold at 0.71 gpt Au (Agnico Eagle website, 2022). For a full description of the Wilcorp Gold Project visit the Wilcorp Gold Project Page here.

Table 1

Table 1: November 2024 Traxxin and Wilcorp Project Significant Results
Project Sample
No.		 Date Area X
(UTM Z15)		 Y
(UTM Z15)		 Source Description Au
ppb
Traxxin C277530 2024-11-08 Island
north of
Main Zone		 654518.5 5412877 Outcrop Foliated, silicified tonalite with 1% pyrite blebs and local grey blebs of quartz. 170
Traxxin C277531 2024-11-08 Island north of Main Zone 654517.5 5412876 Outcrop Glassy, grey quartz veining with 1% pyrite in foliated, silicified tonalite. Outcrop 1m SW of C277530. 345
Traxxin C277540 2024-11-08 Island north of Main Zone 654549 5412862 Talus Tonalite with recrystallized coarse quartz, sericite alteration, trace-0.5% pyrite blebs. 221
Traxxin C277047 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Quartz pebble blank. 2.5
Traxxin C277048 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Standard OREAS 24d. 2.5
Wilcorp C277041 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Quartz pebble blank. 2.5
Wilcorp C277042 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Standard OREAS 230. 337
Wilcorp C277069 2024-11-02 Northern Trenches 2012 14 grammer 615759 5403848 Rubble Quartz-ankerite vein with silicified mafic schist wall rock containing 1% pyrite-arsenopyrite-chalcopyrite, 0.5% sulphides overall. Quartz rubble / subcrop on opposite side of trench from Bjorkman 8 grammer. 932
Wilcorp C277070 2024-11-02 Northern Trenches 2012 14 grammer 615759.2 5403848 Rubble Similar to sample C277069, also from rubble 0.5m to the SSE. 207
Wilcorp C277071 2024-11-02 Northern Trenches 2012 14 grammer 615760 5403848 Rubble Silicified mafic schist, minor quartz stringers, 4-5% disseminated pyrite-arsenopyrite. Rubble 1m E of C277070. 7280
Wilcorp C277075 2024-11-02 Patent Junction, Eagle Prospect 615998 5403798 Rubble Quartz ankerite veining in mafic schist, trace pyrite. Rubble / subcrop, may have been blasted once. 278
Wilcorp C277086 2024-11-03 I.P. anomaly MC-11 617138 5403203 Frost heave Chlorite-carbonate schist with minor chalcopyrite blebs and minor silvery arsenopyrite, minor to moderate quartz-ankerite stringers. 333

 

Ring of Fire News

The Company congratulates Canada Chrome Corporation (‘CCC’) for its recent selection as a member of the USA Defence Industrial Base Consortium. The press release can be accessed through this link.

The Black Horse Chromite Deposit is part of the Koper Lake Project where CCC is the Operator of the chromite exploration effort. Bold owns a 10% carried interest (through to production) in the Black Horse Chromite NI 43-101 Inferred Resource of 85.9 Mt grading 34.5% Cr2O3 at a cut-off of 20% Cr2O3 (KWG Resources Inc., NI 43-101 Technical Report, Aubut 2015). Additionally, Bold owns a 40% working interest in all other metals found within the Koper Lake claims and has the right to earn up to an 80% working interest in all other metals. Bold has the Right of First Refusal on a 1% NSR covering all metals found within the claim group.

The Black Horse is contiguous with the Blackbird Chromite deposits owned by Wyloo, Ring of Fire Ltd. (formerly Noront Resources Inc.). Of additional note, the Koper Lake claims are located approximately 300 m from Ring of Fire Metal’s Eagle’s Nest Ni-Cu Massive Sulphide Deposit that is in the permit acquisition stage. Chromite, nickel and copper are critical minerals that will play an important role in the electrification plans of Ontario and North America. The Company is encouraged by these ongoing developments in this emerging critical mineral mining camp.

The environmental assessment process for all-weather road access to the Ring of Fire is being developed as three proposed road projects: the Northern Road Link, the Marten Falls Community Access Road and the Webeque Supply Road. Information and progress regarding these projects may be accessed via the links provided on Bold’s Critical and Battery Metals page.

Farwell Gold-Copper Project

Bold is pleased to announce that it has signed a fourth amendment to the Farwell Property Option Agreement dated March 12, 2020 (the ‘Farwell Option Agreement’) between three arms-length individuals as Vendors and Bold as the Optionee of the property.

On July 3, 2023, the Company and the Vendors entered into a First Amending Agreement (the ‘Farwell First Amendment‘) to amend the Farwell Option Agreement. Subsequently, on September 13, 2023, the Company and the Vendors entered into a Second Amending Agreement (the ‘Farwell Second Amendment‘) to further amend the Farwell Option Agreement (see Bold press release dated October 3, 2023). On April 23, 2024, the Vendors and Bold entered into a Third Amending Agreement (the ‘Farwell Third Amendment‘ and together with the Farwell First Amendment and Farwell Second Amendment, the ‘Amended Farwell Option Agreement‘) (see Bold press release dated April 29, 2024) to amend the Farwell Option Agreement.

The Vendors and Bold have now signed a Fourth Amending Agreement (the ‘Farwell Fourth Amendment‘) amending the Amended Farwell Option Agreement such that the Option can be exercised by the issuance of an aggregate of 1,550,000 common shares of Bold (‘Shares‘) (reducing the total number of Shares Issuable by 100,000), 750,000 Shares of which have already been issued, the payment of an aggregate of $95,000 in cash (reducing the cash consideration from $225,000), $75,000 of which has already been paid, and expending $550,000 on exploration (reducing the exploration expenditure from $1,000,000), $250,000 of which expenditures have been made.

In consideration for entering into the Farwell Fourth Amendment, the Vendors will be paid $5,000 and issued 200,000 Shares following receipt of regulatory approval to the Farwell Fourth Amendment and receipt of an exploration permit and an exploration agreement that allows for the exploration of the Property. The following are the new schedules of cash payments, Share issuances and expenditure requirements:

a cash payment of $5,000 will be due on or before September 1, 2025; and

a cash payment of $10,000 will be due on or before September 1, 2026,

for aggregate cash payments of $15,000;

200,000 Shares to be issued on or before September 1, 2025; and

400,000 Shares to be issued on or before September 1, 2026,

for aggregate Share issuances of 600,000 Shares;

an aggregate of $350,000 of exploration work to be completed by September 1, 2025; and

an aggregate of $550,000 of exploration work to be completed by September 1, 2026.

The Vendors retain a 3% Net Smelter Royalty (3% NSR) in the property. This Farwell Fourth Amendment increases the cost of Bold’s right to buy back half (1.5%) of the 3% NSR from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000 leaving a 1.5% NSR in favour of the Vendors. The Company also has the right of first refusal to purchase the remaining 1.5% NSR.

If a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report is prepared on the Property with an indicated resource of at least 250,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent and approved by all necessary regulatory authorities, the Vendors shall be paid the additional sum of $150,000. If a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report is prepared on the Property with an indicated resource of at least 500,000 ounces of gold or gold equivalent, approved by all necessary regulatory authorities, the Vendors shall be paid the additional sum of $250,000.

All Shares to be issued will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance. The Farwell Fourth Amendment is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Bold Ventures has submitted an early exploration permit application to the Ontario Mineral Lands Administration System that anticipates an exploration program consisting of geophysical and geochemical surveys and diamond drilling. The Company is currently negotiating exploration agreements with local First Nation interests.

The Farwell claim group is located in the east Lake Superior region of Northeastern Ontario approximately 55 km northwest of Wawa, Ontario (see Figure 2). The Trans-Canada Highway 17 connects Wawa with Sault Ste. Marie to the south and the towns of White River and Marathon to the northwest. For a full description of the Farwell Gold – Copper Project visit the Farwell Gold-Copper Project Page here.

QAQC Protocols

Grab samples at the Wilcorp and Traxxin Properties were collected, documented and photographed in the field, then placed in sealed bags and delivered to Activation Laboratories (ActLabs) in Thunder Bay, which is an ISO / IEC 17025 accredited laboratory. Grab sample collection is subject to Bold’s internal quality assurance / quality control (QAQC) protocols, which include the insertion of blank material and certified reference material into each batch of samples submitted. Samples referenced in this news release were analyzed using ActLabs methods 1A2-50, a 50g fire assay with atomic absorption finish, with over-limit results analyzed using method 1A3-50, a 50g fire assay with gravimetric finish. Samples were also analyzed using ActLabs method 1F2, a 4-acid near total digestion with ICP-OES finish, yielding geochemical results for 35 elements.

MMITM samples were collected according to SGS Laboratories methodology, and shipped to SGS Laboratories in Burnaby, B.C., where they were analyzed according to SGS’ MMI-M weak leach method, yielding concentrations for 53 elements.

The technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Coleman Robertson, B.Sc., P. Geo., the Company’s V.P. Exploration and a qualified person (QP) for the purposes of NI 43-101.

Bold Ventures management believes our suite of Battery, Critical and Precious Metals exploration projects are an ideal combination of exploration potential meeting future demand. Our target commodities are comprised of: Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd) and Chromium (Cr). The Critical Metals list and a description of the Provincial and Federal electrification plans are posted on the Bold Critical and Battery Minerals page.

About Bold Ventures Inc.

The Company explores for Precious, Battery and Critical Metals in Canada. Bold is exploring properties located in active gold and battery metals camps in the Thunder Bay and Wawa regions of Ontario. Bold also holds significant assets located within and around the emerging multi-metals district dubbed the Ring of Fire region, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario.

For additional information about Bold Ventures and our projects please visit boldventuresinc.com or contact us at 416-864-1456 or email us at info@boldventuresinc.com.

 ‘Bruce A MacLachlan’   ‘David B Graham’
 Bruce MacLachlan  David Graham
 President and COO  CEO
 Direct line: 416-864-1456  
 Email: bruce@boldventuresinc.com  

Neither 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 release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words ‘may’, ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘will’, ‘intend’, ‘plan’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such actual results of current exploration programs, the general risks associated with the mining industry, the price of gold and other metals, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Corporate Logo

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237467

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Comer requests Trump DOJ prosecute James Biden for making ‘false statements’ during impeachment inquiry

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer is requesting President-elect Trump’s Justice Department investigate and prosecute President Biden’s brother, James Biden, for allegedly making false statements to Congress, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a letter that Comer, R-Ky., sent to Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, encouraging the DOJ to ‘hold James Biden accountable for lying to Congress to protect his brother, the soon-to-be-former President Biden.’ 

House Republicans in June sent criminal referrals for James Biden and Hunter Biden to the Justice Department recommending they be charged with making false statements to Congress about ‘key aspects’ of the impeachment inquiry of President Biden. 

Specifically, Comer at the time said the alleged false statements implicated President Biden’s ‘knowledge and role in his family’s influence-peddling schemes’ and that they appeared ‘to be a calculated effort to shield Joe Biden from the impeachment inquiry.’ 

Comer, along with House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., led the impeachment inquiry into President Biden and found that he engaged in ‘impeachable conduct,’ ‘abused his office’ and ‘defrauded the United States to enrich his family.’ 

Comer, in his letter to Bondi this week, pointed to Biden’s ‘full and unconditional pardon’ for his son, Hunter Biden. 

‘President Biden’s latest scheme to cover his family’s grift cements his legacy as leading the most corrupt political family to attain the presidency in American history,’ Comer wrote to Bondi. ‘But it also appears incomplete. President Biden has displayed to the American people that his son is beyond accountability in a court of law for his crimes.’ 

But Comer said he wanted to ‘remind incoming Department of Justice leadership of Hunter Biden’s main accomplice in his influence peddling schemes (aside from Joe Biden himself), whom the House Committees on Oversight, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means previously identified to Attorney General Merrick Garland as having misled Congress regarding Joe Biden’s participation in his family’s influence peddling and deserving of prosecution under federal law: James Biden, the President’s younger brother.’ 

Comer reminded Bondi that he and House Republicans referred James Biden to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution, saying the president’s brother ‘made materially false statements to the Oversight and Judiciary Committees.’ 

‘The nature of both his and Hunter Biden’s false statements is not lost on the Committees: every instance implicates Joe Biden’s knowledge of and role in his family’s influence peddling,’ Comer wrote. ‘James Biden’s denial of Joe Biden’s meeting with James Biden, Hunter Biden, and Hunter Biden’s business associate for a Chinese transaction, Tony Bobulinski — despite evidence being placed in front of him and being given multiple opportunities to amend his response — appears to be a clumsy attempt to protect Joe Biden from the reality that Joe Biden has indeed met with his family’s business associates.’ 

Comer and House Republicans in June said James Biden ‘stated unequivocally during his transcribed interview that Joe Biden did not meet with Mr. Tony Bobulinski, a business associate of James and Hunter Biden, in 2017 while pursuing a deal with a Chinese entity, CEFC China Energy.’

‘Specifically, James Biden stated he did not attend a meeting with Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and Tony Bobulinski on May 2, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,’ Comer, Jordan and Smith said in their criminal referral to Attorney General Merrick Garland last year. ‘These statements were contradicted not only by Mr. Bobulinski, but Hunter Biden.’

They also noted that Bobulinski ‘produced text messages that establish the events leading up to and immediately following his meeting with Joe Biden on May 2, 2017.’ 

In his letter to Bondi, Comer blasted President Biden, claiming he obstructed the committee’s impeachment inquiry and that in itself was ‘impeachable conduct.’ 

‘The legacy President Biden leaves behind is having led the most dishonest and corrupt administration in American history,’ Comer wrote. 

Biden, last month, made the decision to grant his son a ‘Full and Unconditional Pardon’ covering nearly 11 years of conduct, including conduct related to both convictions Special Counsel David Weiss obtained.

Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felony firearm offenses stemming from Weiss’ investigation. The first son was also charged with federal tax crimes regarding the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. Before his trial, Hunter Biden entered a surprise guilty plea. 

Weiss released his highly anticipated report on his yearslong investigation into Hunter Biden last week and blasted Biden for having ‘unfairly’ maligned Justice Department public servants and casting doubt on the U.S. justice system with ‘wrong’ claims that his probe was political. 

‘President Biden repeatedly told—or used White House personnel to tell—the American people he would not pardon his son. That was a lie,’ Comer wrote to Bondi. ‘President Biden continues to lie, now falsely claiming ‘[n]o reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong.’’ 

Comer added, ‘Though President Biden’s saccharine (and wholly ironic) rantings of political persecution and weaponized prosecution of Hunter Biden are specious, they are inapplicable to the non-prosecution of his brother, James Biden, who has lied to the United States Congress and has faced no accountability to date.’ 

‘I write to encourage the Department under your leadership to hold James Biden accountable for lying to Congress to protect his brother, the soon-to-be-former President Biden,’ Comer continued. ‘No one should be above the law, regardless of his last name.’ 

Related Topics

  • Joe Biden
  • Hunter Biden investigation explained
  • Hunter Biden
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RNC chair on GOP’s mission going forward: ‘Make sure… Trump voters become Republican voters’

– Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Mike Whatley says his job going forward in the 2025 elections and 2026 midterms is straightforward.

‘It’s really critical for us to make sure that the Trump voters become Republican voters,’ Whatley said in an exclusive national digital interview with Fox News on the sidelines of the RNCs’ winter meeting, which is being held in the nation’s capital.

Republicans enjoyed major victories November’s elections, with President-elect Trump defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to win back the White House, the GOP flipping control of the Senate from the Democrats, and holding on to their razor-thin majority in the House.

Whatley, who was interviewed on Thursday on the eve of the formal vote by the RNC for the chair to continue in his position steering the national party committee, said the GOP needs ‘to cement those gains’ made in the 2024 elections.

‘We’re going to go right back to the building blocks that we had during this election cycle, which is to get out the vote and protect the ballot,’ Whatley emphasized. 

The RNC chair pointed to ‘the lessons that we learned’ in the 2024 cycle ‘about going after low propensity voters, about making sure that we’re reaching out to every voter and bringing in new communities,’ which he said helped Republicans make ‘historic gains among African American voters, among Asian American voters, among Hispanic voters, young voters and women voters.’

Speaking a couple of days before the president-elect’s inauguration, Whatley emphasized that once Trump’s in the White House, ‘we’re going to go right back to the RNC. We’re going to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We’ve got a couple of governor’s races…that we’re going to be working on in ‘25.’

But Whatley said ‘everything is focused on ‘26,’ when the party will be defending its majorities in the House and Senate, ‘because that is going to determine, from an agenda perspective, whether we have two years to work with or four. And America needs us to have a four-year agenda.’

‘What we’re going to be doing is making sure that we are registering voters,’ Whatley said. ‘We’re going to be…communicating with the folks that we need to turn out.’

Pointing to the 2024 presidential election, he said ‘it’s the same fundamentals.’

But he noted that ‘it’s not just seven battleground states’ and that the 2026 contests are ‘definitely going to be a very intense midterm election cycle.’

While Democrats would disagree, Whatley described today’s GOP as ‘a common sense party…this is a party that’s going to fight for every American family and for every American community.’

Referring to former Democrats Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, whom Trump has nominated to serve in his second administration’s cabinet, Whatley touted ‘the fact that we have two former Democratic presidential candidates who are going to be serving in the president’s cabinet. That shows you that this is a commonsense agenda, a commonsense team, that we’re going to be moving forward with.’

Last March, as Trump clinched the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, he named Whatley to succeed Ronna McDaniel as RNC chair. Whatley, a longtime Trump ally and a major supporter of Trump’s election integrity efforts, had served as RNC general counsel and chair of the North Carolina Republican Party. 

In December, Trump asked Whatley to continue during the 2026 cycle as RNC chair.

‘I think we will be able to talk when we need to talk,’ Whatley said when asked if his lines of communication with Trump will be limited now that the president-elect is returning to the White House. ‘We’re going to support the president and his agenda. That does not change. What changes is his ability from the White House to actually implement the agenda that he’s been campaigning on.’

Trump is term-limited and won’t be able to seek election again in 2028. Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance will likely be considered the front-runner for the 2028 GOP nomination.

Whatley reiterated what he told Fox News Digital in December, that the RNC will stay neutral in the next race for the GOP nomination and that the party’s ‘got an amazing bench.’

‘You think about the talent on the Republican side of the aisle right now, our governors, our senators, our members of Congress, people that are going to be serving in this administration. I love the fact that the Republican Party is going to be set up to have a fantastic candidate going into ’28,’ he highlighted.

Unlike the DNC, which in the 2024 cycle upended the traditional presidential nominating calendar, the RNC made no major changes to their primary lineup, and kept the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary as their first two contests.

Asked about the 2028 calendar, Whatley reiterated to Fox News that ‘I have not had any conversations with anybody who wants to change the calendar, so we will wait and see what that looks like as we’re going forward. We’re at the RNC meetings this week and having a number of conversations with folks, but that is not a huge push.’

‘I don’t think that changing the calendar really helped the Democrats at all,’ Whatley argued. ‘And I think that us, making sure that we are working our system the way that we always have, is going to be critical.’

Related Topics

  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Republicans
  • Midterm Elections
  • Donald Trump
  • Inauguration
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Chinese President Xi Jinping will skip Trump’s inauguration, sending a special representative in his place

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, but he is sending Vice President Han Zheng as his special representative.

The decision, announced Friday in China by the foreign ministry, came more than a month after Trump extended the unusual invitation to Xi, a break from tradition since no heads of state have previously made an official visit to the US for the inauguration.

“We stand ready to work with the new US government to enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly pursue a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relations and find the right way for the two countries to get along with each other,” the ministry’s spokesperson said when announcing the decision.

Other foreign leaders have spoken about being invited to Trump’s inauguration, including Argentinian President Javier Milei and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. The offices of Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña have also said they were invited and were planning to attend.

Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center, said the move by Xi means “China is willing to forego protocol and cater to what Trump wants.”

“It indicates that China is willing to talk, negotiate and make efforts to reach deals,” Sun wrote.

Danny Russel, vice president for international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Beijing is hedging by sending Han instead of Xi.

“Zero chance that Xi Jinping would allow himself to be potted plant at Donald Trump’s triumphal coronation. At the same time, ensuring that China extends enough courtesy to avoid bruising Trump’s ego,” Russel wrote. Han’s mission, the former American diplomat said, is “symbolic, not substantive.”

The dispatch of Han comes as the US-China rivalry is set to intensify. Several of Trump’s nominees for key Cabinet positions are known China hawks, including Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who’s nominated as secretary of state. Rubio called China “the most potent, dangerous and near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted” during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, when members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee urged Rubio to make countering China a top priority.

Beijing prefers leader-level talks, which it believes could help guide the bilateral relations, while Trump likes to deal with world leaders directly.

As president, Xi has traveled abroad for state visits and summits. But he did not attend the coronation of King Charles III, nor did he go to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II or the memorial service for Nelson Mandela. Instead, he sent vice presidents. Han was his special representative for King Charles III’s coronation. When Trump invited Xi to the inauguration in December, it was widely believed that Xi was unlikely to come.

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‘Safer, stronger, and freer’: Securing the border set to feature large in Noem’s opening remarks to Senate

Securing the nation’s border will feature large in South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s opening remarks to Senate lawmakers on Friday as she works to lock down her confirmation as the country’s next secretary of homeland security, Fox News Digital exclusively learned. 

‘Securing our homeland is a serious, sacred trust that must be relentlessly pursued and can never be taken for granted. Being safe within our borders is an American right, yet Americans feel less safe than they have in decades. For the first time in 30 years, more than 40% of Americans are afraid to walk alone at night within a mile of their home,’ Noem is expected to tell the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday morning in her opening remarks. 

‘President-Elect Trump is going to change that.’

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a copy of the South Dakota Republican’s opening statement, which is set to not only showcase Noem’s vision for a secure and safe nation, but also underscore her rural roots and life in the Mount Rushmore State. 

‘I’m a wife, mother, a grandmother, a farmer, a rancher, a businesswoman, and a governor,’ a copy of the remarks states. ‘I have spent my life in rural America. I understand what it means to work hard every day to build a better future for our kids and our communities. I come before you today with a deep sense of responsibility and humility as the nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security. And also a commitment to the more than 330 million Americans, whom we will serve to work to keep them safe and secure in their homes, their communities and their country.’

President-elect Donald Trump announced NOem as his pick to lead DHS shortly after his decisive win over Harris in November, pointing to her efforts to secure the southern border amid the immigration crisis under the Biden administration. 

The DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

Noem’s opening remarks heavily focus on securing the border, including highlighting that she was the first governor to deploy National Guard troops to border states in 2022. She has since repeatedly deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the southern border in Texas to help stem illegal border crossings as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star. 

‘As a nation, we have the right and responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm. And we must create a fair and lawful immigration system that is efficient and effective and that reflects our values. President Trump was elected with a clear mandate to achieve this mission. Two thirds of Americans support his immigration and border policies, including the majority of Hispanic Americans.’

‘I was the first Governor to send National Guard troops to Texas when they were being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border crisis. If confirmed as Secretary, I will ensure that our exceptional, extraordinary f agents have ALL the tools, resources, and support they need to carry out their mission effectively. The same is true of my commitment to the outstanding men and women of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They are responsible for apprehending, detaining, and deporting illegal immigrants. Getting criminal aliens off the streets and out of the country will help make American communities safe again. The bravery and dedication of the Border Patrol and ICE are unmatched, and I will restore dignity to their work,’ the copy of her remarks states. 

Noem is also set to tout her leadership skills in the remarks, including leading the Mount Rushmore State for the last six years, including overseeing thousands of state employees.

‘I have led South Dakota for the last 6 years with a focus every day on making our state safer, stronger, and freer. I have focused every day on making the best decisions not just for right now, but for generations to come. I have overseen a state budget of over $7 billion and a state employee workforce of more than 13,000, including more than 7,000 reporting to the Governor. I have addressed important issues like cybersecurity, human trafficking, drug interdiction, and natural disasters – the same challenges facing so many of you here and the people you represent back at home.’

Noem will join the Senate committee with a bevy of high-profile endorsements under her belt, including at least eight police groups and unions throwing their support behind the South Dakota governor for DHS. 

Crises have also broken out in the waning days of the Biden administration, including a terrorist attack that shook New Orleans early New Year’s Day and raging fires in the Los Angeles area. Following the attack, Noem picked up an endorsement from Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who warned now is ‘no time to play around’ while calling on Senate lawmakers to swiftly confirm Noem. While the massive and historically Democrat firefighter union, the International Association of Firefighters, also endorsed Noem while the California wildfires first raged earlier this month. 

Noem is expected to note that, if confirmed, she will emphasize resiliency in the face of disaster. 

‘I recognize that homeland security is not only about prevention but also about resilience. When disasters strike, as we know they will, the Department of Homeland Security must be ready to respond swiftly, efficiently, and effectively to protect the lives and property of Americans. As governor, I have worked with FEMA in response to a dozen natural disasters in South Dakota. These have included historic floods, tornados, blizzards, wildfires, a derecho, and even a global pandemic. As Secretary, I will enhance our emergency preparedness and strengthen FEMA’s capabilities. We will ensure that no community is left behind and that life-saving services like electricity and water are quickly restored,’ she said. 

She is set to also turn her attention to cybersecurity in the nation, vowing to prioritize protecting the nation’s energy grids and financial systems from ‘foreign adversaries and criminal actors.’

‘In the coming days, we have to think and plan bigger, faster, and smarter. I fully acknowledge that we in Washington do not have all the answers. Therefore, I will leverage public-private partnerships and advance cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technologies to protect our nation’s digital landscape. I have a proven track record doing this in South Dakota. I have helped make Dakota State University a global leader in cybersecurity education because we recognize the need to address this emerging threat. I will take this proactive approach if given the opportunity to serve as Secretary,’ the copy of the remarks states.

Noem has served as South Dakota’s governor since 2019, gaining national attention and praise from conservatives during the pandemic when her state eschewed lockdown orders and mask mandates common in liberal states such as California and New York. 

‘I am committed to working with this committee, with Congress, and with the dedicated men and women of the Department of Homeland Security to fulfill our mission. Together, we can ensure that the United States remains a beacon of freedom, safety, and security for generations to come. Thank you for the opportunity and honor to appear before you today. I look forward to your questions. I hope to earn your trust and, hopefully, your vote as we embark on this critical work together,’ she is expected to say on Friday morning. 

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As UK representative, I want to make our alliance with the US great again

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

President-elect Donald Trump’s return to power on January 20 is one of the most anticipated of any modern presidency and is likely to be one of the most consequential. America’s friends and adversaries are watching closely and thinking hard about their relationships with the United States.  

Trump’s election-winning ‘America first’ vision foresees a strong America in the world that is respected and seeking peace through strength. America’s allies need to hear the message the American people have sent and calibrate their partnerships in order to work with and alongside the U.S. to stand up for the joint interests that unite us.  

The astute among America’s allies will be observing the comprehensive nature of Trump’s November election win. On the numbers alone – across the popular vote and spanning different demographic groups – this victory demonstrated a campaign that responded to the central concerns and interests of a vast swath of the American people.  

Trump’s great skill as a political campaigner is to tap into sections of an electorate that feel unheard. Having been at the core of three winning UK election campaigns, I know well that this ability to build such a coalition across the country is the holy grail and key to political success.    

His victory can be seen to represent the many Americans who work hard, yet for whom life is a struggle; communities that fear prices at the checkout, witness illegal migration accelerating and see opportunities for their children diminishing. Working people who feel their concerns have been either ignored or, worse, stigmatized by traditional politics.  

Five decades as a politician and latterly as a businessman have taught me always to hear your electorate and listen to your customer. Alliances between foreign nations need to do the same. Foreign relationships must hear these messages and evolve rapidly to deliver for their citizens. The Atlantic alliance cannot simply enjoy its glorious past – it must adapt to new threats and technological challenges. 

I am listening hard to the message that millions of Americans delivered in November. Tuning into a similar set of concerns among large chunks of the British public, such as addressing the rising cost of living and making our streets safe again, won my party a comprehensive victory in July last year.  

As I prepare to start my role as custodian of a decades-old ‘special relationship,’ I reflect on my work with multiple U.S. administrations – Republican and Democrat – across the intensive U.S.-U.K. relationship. I see three areas of major potential for expanded partnership between Britain and today’s America: economic growth, national security and foreign policy realism.  

Trump Wants Greenland, or the Panama Canal

It is taken for granted that the U.K. and U.S. are the closest defense and intelligence partners in the world. This work is invaluable and keeps millions of Americans and Brits secure each day. But our national security partnerships must be clearer in how they keep our people safe.  

Sensible European governments will be thinking hard about their defense partnership with the U.S. While Europe has made an enormous contribution to defending against an aggressive and reckless Russia on its doorstep – spending over $150 billion in Ukraine – Americans are right to ask if NATO partners can do more to reduce the U.S.’s out-sized burden. 

The U.K. has been at the forefront of driving NATO allies to increase their national defense spending and will continue to advocate for partners to pay their way.  

Growing the economy and increasing living standards is at the top of the U.K. government agenda. The U.S. and U.K. are each other’s largest single investors with over $960 billion in mutual investment. Our businesses create over a million jobs in each other’s country, and we have a strong and balanced trading relationship, worth over $375 billion with the U.S. figures showing a trade surplus with the U.K.  

Having co-founded a global business in the U.S. and employed Americans in London, I have witnessed firsthand the synergies created by these ties. We are innovators and deal-making nations. And as only two western countries on the planet with trillion-dollar tech sectors, we must do more together to invent, develop and industrialize the technologies of tomorrow.  

We are hungry to trade more and innovate more with America – but we must do so in a way that generates good, well-paid jobs for all our citizens and keeps us ahead in the global race.  

Finally, we must operate in the world we find not the world we would ideally like. Since I was last in government, many of our adversaries have become emboldened. Iran has been seriously set back in recent months but is still a thoroughly malign force in the region. We must not ever allow it to become nuclear armed.  

It is taken for granted that the U.K. and U.S. are the closest defense and intelligence partners in the world. This work is invaluable and keeps millions of Americans and Brits secure each day. But our national security partnerships must be clearer in how they keep our people safe.  

The Chinese government I have observed intensively over the past 20 years is more aggressive abroad and controlling at home and in many sectors, now directly challenges Western governments and our values.  

Trump’s straight talking has earned him a resounding victory in his own country. His straight-talking and deal-making instincts overseas should be viewed by allies as a significant opportunity to bring entrepreneurial thinking and urgency to resolving foreign policy that needs real-world solutions.  

The Trump administration will rightly put the needs of Americans first. But in its closest allies, it will find old partners open to new ways of dealing with the current world – to protect, enrich and build opportunities for Americans and our own citizens alike.    

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RNC chair on GOP’s mission going forward: ‘Make sure…Trump voters become Republican voters’

– Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Mike Whatley says his job going forward in the 2025 elections and 2026 midterms is straight forward.

‘It’s really critical for us to make sure that the Trump voters become Republican voters,’ Whatley said in an exclusive national digital interview with Fox News on the sidelines of the RNCs’ winter meeting, which is being held in the nation’s capital.

Republicans enjoyed major victories November’s elections, with President-elect Trump defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to win back the White House, the GOP flipping control of the Senate from the Democrats, and holding on to their razor-thin majority in the House.

Whatley, who was interviewed on Thursday on the eve of the formal vote by the RNC for the chair to continue in his position steering the national party committee, said the GOP needs ‘to cement those gains’ made in the 2024 elections.

‘We’re going to go right back to the building blocks that we had during this election cycle, which is to get out the vote and protect the ballot,’ Whatley emphasized. 

The RNC chair pointed to ‘the lessons that we learned’ in the 2024 cycle ‘about going after low propensity voters, about making sure that we’re reaching out to every voter and bringing in new communities,’ which he said helped Republicans make ‘historic gains among African American voters, among Asian American voters, among Hispanic voters, young voters and women voters.’

Speaking a couple of days before the president-elect’s inauguration, Whatley emphasized that once Trump’s in the White House, ‘we’re going to go right back to the RNC. We’re going to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We’ve got a couple of governor’s races…that we’re going to be working on in ‘25.’

But Whatley said ‘everything is focused on ‘26,’ when the party will be defending its majorities in the House and Senate, ‘because that is going to determine, from an agenda perspective, whether we have two years to work with or four. And America needs us to have a four-year agenda.’

‘What we’re going to be doing is making sure that we are registering voters,’ Whatley said. ‘We’re going to be…communicating with the folks that we need to turn out.’

Pointing to the 2024 presidential election, he said ‘it’s the same fundamentals.’

But he noted that ‘it’s not just seven battleground states’ and that the 2026 contests are ‘definitely going to be a very intense midterm election cycle.’

While Democrats would disagree, Whatley described today’s GOP as ‘a common sense party…this is a party that’s going to fight for every American family and for every American community.’

Referring to former Democrats Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, whom Trump has nominated to serve in his second administration’s cabinet, Whatley touted ‘the fact that we have two former Democratic presidential candidates who are going to be serving in the president’s cabinet. That shows you that this is a commonsense agenda, a commonsense team, that we’re going to be moving forward with.’

Last March, as Trump clinched the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, he named Whatley to succeed Ronna McDaniel as RNC chair. Whatley, a longtime Trump ally and a major supporter of Trump’s election integrity efforts, had served as RNC general counsel and chair of the North Carolina Republican Party. 

In December, Trump asked Whatley to continue during the 2026 cycle as RNC chair.

‘I think we will be able to talk when we need to talk,’ Whatley said when asked if his lines of communication with Trump will be limited now that the president-elect is returning to the White House. ‘We’re going to support the president and his agenda. That does not change. What changes is his ability from the White House to actually implement the agenda that he’s been campaigning on.’

Trump is term-limited and won’t be able to seek election again in 2028. Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance will likely be considered the front-runner for the 2028 GOP nomination.

Whatley reiterated what he told Fox News Digital in December, that the RNC will stay neutral in the next race for the GOP nomination and that the party’s ‘got an amazing bench.’

‘You think about the talent on the Republican side of the aisle right now, our governors, our senators, our members of Congress, people that are going to be serving in this administration. I love the fact that the Republican Party is going to be set up to have a fantastic candidate going into ’28,’ he highlighted.

Unlike the DNC, which in the 2024 cycle upended the traditional presidential nominating calendar, the RNC made no major changes to their primary lineup, and kept the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary as their first two contests.

Asked about the 2028 calendar, Whatley reiterated to Fox News that ‘I have not had any conversations with anybody who wants to change the calendar, so we will wait and see what that looks like as we’re going forward. We’re at the RNC meetings this week and having a number of conversations with folks, but that is not a huge push.’

‘I don’t think that changing the calendar really helped the Democrats at all,’ Whatley argued. ‘And I think that us, making sure that we are working our system the way that we always have, is going to be critical.’

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Pakistani court sentences ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to jail in corruption case

A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced the country’s already-imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to 14 and seven years in jail after finding them guilty of corruption, officials and his lawyer said.

The couple are accused of accepting a gift of land from a real estate tycoon in exchange for laundered money when Khan was in power.

Prosecutors say the businessman, Malik Riaz, was then allowed by Khan to pay fines that were imposed on him in another case from the same laundered money of 190 million British pounds ($240 million) that was returned to Pakistan by British authorities in 2022 to deposit to the national exchequer.

Khan has denied wrongdoing and insisted since his arrest in 2023 that all the charges against him are a plot by rivals to keep him from returning to office.

Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022, had previously been convicted on charges of corruption, revealing official secrets and violating marriage laws in three separate verdicts and sentenced to 10, 14 and seven years respectively. Under Pakistani law, he is to serve the terms concurrently — meaning, the length of the longest of the sentences.

This is a developing story.

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Top 5 NASDAQ Genetics Stocks (Updated January 2025)

Discoveries made by companies in the genetics sector help support every other life science industry in a variety of ways.

One of the genetic sector’s major contributions is the discovery of new genetic drivers of diseases. Genetic testing has grown substantially over the last few years thanks to advances in technology; growth has also been spurred by an increase in chronic diseases and the continuing development of test kits for therapeutic areas with unmet medical needs.

Gene therapy is also a huge driver of growth in the overarching genetics market. It’s estimated that in 2024 this market was worth US$8.98 billion, and is expected to reach an impressive US$57.13 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 18.52 percent over that time period.

This important segment of the life science market is focused on how genes can help treat or prevent serious conditions in patients. This includes the potential for healthcare professionals to implement gene therapy at the cellular level instead of using medication or surgery, replacing “faulty” genes with new ones to potentially cure diseases.

Pharma and biotech companies often dabble in genetics along with their core disciplines, meaning that some firms may also have operations in other areas. The top NASDAQ genetics stocks listed below have products related to gene therapy, genetic testing, genetically defined cancers and rare genetic diseases.

Data for this list of genetics stocks on the NASDAQ was collected on January 15, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener, and stocks with market caps above US$50 million were considered.

1. Avidity Biosciences (NASDAQ:RNA)

Year-over-year gain: 149.51 percent
Market cap: US$3.33 billion
Share price: US$27.87

Avidity Biosciences is a biopharma firm developing a new form of RNA therapy called antibody oligonucleotide conjugates (AOC) that targeted the genes causing rare muscle diseases. Through its proprietary AOC platform, Avidity is conducting clinical development programs for three rare muscle diseases: AOC 1001 for myotonic dystrophy type 1, AOC 1044 for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and AOC 1020 for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. The company is also working to expand its pipeline into cardiology and immunology.

Avidity announced on February 20, 2024, that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted rare pediatric disease designation to its investigational therapy AOC 1044 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in people with certain mutations. Shares in the company rose more than 43 percent following the news to US$20.11 by March 1.

The FDA awarded breakthrough therapy designation to Avidity’s lead clinical development program, AOC 1001 for the treatment of myotonic dystrophy type 1, in early May.

Avidity’s stock price jumped by nearly US$10 to US$38.36 per share on June 12, the day Avidity shared positive initial data from the Phase 1/2 trial of AOC 1020, which “demonstrat(ed) unprecedented and consistent reductions of greater than 50% in DUX4 regulated genes, trends of functional improvement, and favorable safety and tolerability in people living with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.”

By August 9, shares in the company had risen by a further 22 percent to US$46.95 per share after it announced positive data from its Phase 1/2 trial for AOC 1044 in people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including results showing a significant increase of 25 percent of normal in dystrophin production and a reduction of creatine kinase levels to near normal.

Shares in Avidity reached a yearly peak of US$52.50 on November 13, a day after the company introduced its first two precision cardiology development candidates targeting the root cause of genetic diseases of the heart.

2. Wave Life Sciences (NASDAQ:WVE)

Company Profile

Year-over-year gain: 134.08 percent
Market cap: US$1.75 billion
Share price: US$11.47

Wave Life Sciences is another clinical-stage firm focused on unlocking insights from human genetics to deliver RNA-based medicines. The company’s PRISM platform is targeting both rare and prevalent disorders. Its pipeline includes clinical programs for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and Huntington’s disease, as well as a preclinical program in obesity.

Wave’s stock value made its biggest gains mostly in the fourth quarter of 2024. On September 24, Wave announced positive interim data from its ongoing Phase 2 FORWARD-53 study of WVE-N531 being investigated in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The news led shares in the company to grow in price by more than 68 percent to close at US$9.01 on September 25.

Wave’s share price received its biggest boost on October 16, rising more than 70 percent to US$14.90, when the company shared positive proof-of-mechanism data demonstrating the “first-ever therapeutic RNA editing in humans” achieved in its RestorAATion-2 trial of WVE-006 in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Shares in Wave reached their highest yearly peak at US$16.44 on November 8.

3. UniQure (NASDAQ:QURE)

Year-over-year gain: 127.85 percent
Market cap: US$747.59 million
Share price: US$13.99

UniQure is a gene therapy company focused on patients with severe medical needs. In November 2022, the FDA approved the company’s gene therapy Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec), which is the world’s first gene therapy for hemophilia B. Today, uniQure’s proprietary gene therapy pipeline includes treatments for patients with Huntington’s disease, refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, ALS and Fabry disease.

UniQure had its first big leap in its share value after the company announced a positive interim data update showing slowing of disease progression in its Phase 1/2 trials of AMT-130 for Huntington’s disease on July 9, 2024. The stock shot up more than 167 percent to US$10.12 per share.

Its next significant move to the upside came on December 10 when shares reached US$15.30 after uniQure notified shareholders it had reached an agreement with the FDA on an accelerated approval pathway for AMT-130.

“This is an important milestone for the Huntington’s disease community as it puts us on the most rapid and efficient pathway to deliver a potentially life-changing therapy to people living with this devastating neurodegenerative disorder,’ said Walid Abi-Saab, chief medical officer of uniQure. “We have initiated BLA readiness activities and look forward to further engaging with the FDA in the first half of 2025 to discuss our statistical analysis plan and the technical CMC requirements.”

Shares in uniQure hit a yearly high of US$18.05 on January 2, 2025.

4. Sangamo Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SGMO)

Year-over-year gain: 114.05 percent
Market cap: US$229.51 million
Share price: US$1.10

Sangamo Therapeutics is a genomic medicine company developing multiple platforms for developing gene therapies, such as gene editing and cell therapy, to address the unmet needs of patients afflicted with serious neurological diseases.

On July 24, 2024, the company reported on positive topline results from the Phase 3 AFFINE trial evaluating giroctocogene fitelparvovec, an investigational gene therapy for the treatment of adults with moderately severe to severe hemophilia A. The company was co-developing the therapy with and licensing it to Pfizer (NYSE:PFE). Sangamo’s share value more than doubled from July 23 to reach US$0.92 per share on July 29.

On October 22, Sangamo announced that the FDA has given the company a clear regulatory pathway to accelerated approval for its wholly owned gene therapy product candidate isaralgagene civaparvovec (ST-920), for the treatment of Fabry disease. Sangamo said it expects a potential biologics license application submission in the second half of 2025. Shares in the genetic stock rose more than 69 percent in one day to US$1.54, and continued climbing over the following weeks to its highest yearly peak of US$2.87 on November 9.

However, the company was hit by a surprise at the end of 2024, and announced on December 30 that Pfizer decided to terminate its global collaboration and license agreement with Sangamo for the hemophilia A treatment. The termination is effective April 21, 2025, at which time Pfizer will return full rights to the therapy to Sangamo.

‘We are committed to exploring the optimal path forward for this important treatment, including seeking the right partner with the focus and understanding of the genomic medicine commercial environment to bring this medicine to patients,’ Sangamo CEO Sandy Macrae stated in the release. The news gave the stock a more than 56 percent hair cut to US$1.01 per share.

5. Stoke Therapeutics (NASDAQ:STOK)

Year-over-year gain: 88.67 percent
Market cap: US$502.66 million
Share price: US$9.49

Stoke Therapeutics is another biotech company with a focus on developing RNA medicine. With its proprietary research platform TANGO, which stands for targeted augmentation of nuclear gene output, the company is developing antisense oligonucleotides to selectively restore protein levels.

Stoke’s first product candidate, zorevunersen (STK-001), is in clinical testing for the treatment of Dravet syndrome, a severe genetic epilepsy. The company is also developing STK-002 for the treatment of autosomal dominant optic atrophy, an inherited optic nerve disorder.

On March 25, 2024, Stoke announced “landmark new data” supporting the potential for its STK-001 product candidate to become the first disease-modifying medicine for the treatment of patients with Dravet syndrome. A few days later, the company’s share price had risen by 118 percent to reach US$14.17 per share.

Shares of Stoke Therapeutics hit a yearly peak of US$17.52 on June 13.

Other good news coming out of Stoke during 2024 included new positive data out of its Phase 1/2a and open-label extension studies for STK-001 on September 10, as well as the FDA granting STK-001 breakthrough therapy designation on December 4 for the treatment of Dravet syndrome ‘with a confirmed mutation, not associated with gain-of-function, in the SCN1A gene.’

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

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Vanadium Market Forecast: Top Trends for Vanadium in 2025

The vanadium market is poised for shifts this year driven by a projected rise in demand from energy storage and steel sectors.

Energy storage systems that utilize vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are gaining traction as renewable energy deployment accelerates, boosting demand for high-purity vanadium.

However, global supply remains constrained due to limited mining projects and geopolitical uncertainties, particularly in China and Russia, key producers.

Additionally, environmental regulations and advancements in recycling technology may influence supply dynamics. Market observers will also watch potential price volatility tied to steel demand, the largest consumer of vanadium globally.

In September 2024 China introduced new standards for rebar which are anticipated to increase high quality vanadium demand in the segment.

“Production of rebar with the new standards will increase per annum vanadium nitrogen consumption by roughly 15 percent,” A July Fastmarkets report noted. “That calculation is based on China’s 2023 rebar production volume.”

“Vanadium demand in steel alloys will rise in 2025 due to change in Chinese rebar standards. However, expected demand rise in steel will not be as high as estimated from battery manufacturing in the medium term due to slow down in the Chinese construction industry,” said Piyush Goel, commodities consultant at CRU Group via email.

He added: “Vanadium demand in batteries is estimated to rise rapidly, this rise in demand will primarily come from China due to targeted government policies due towards vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs).”

China, which is the leading producer of vanadium, is also expected to drive global demand in the year ahead.

“Rise in vanadium demand in the medium term (till 2029) is estimated to be heavily concentrated in China because we estimate VRFB demand to pick-up faster in China compared to other regions,” he said. “Similarly, Chinese rebar standards also changed – requiring higher vanadium intensity steel. Due to the rapid rise in domestic vanadium demand, China is likely to become a net importer of vanadium as the Chinese market goes into deficit from surplus.”

Vanadium demand faces rebar challenges, with limited boost from batteries

Even though Fastmarkets is calling for a 15 percent uptick in vanadium demand for rebar, this will only bring demand back up to previous levels.

As Erik Sardain, principal analyst for Project Blue explained, China’s weak construction market has caused a 15 percent year-on-year decline in domestic rebar construction.

Despite positivity in the VRFB space, Sardain doesn’t expect this to offset the lower rebar demand.

The principal analyst went on to point out that quantifying the amount of vanadium used in batteries and energy storage is challenging to tally. He also questioned the forecasted demand trends from the battery segment.

“I think the market got it wrong for one main reason, because the market is assuming that the vanadium redox battery for the storage system is going to be something worldwide,” he said. “And at Project Blue, we don’t think it’s going to be global. We think it’s going to be primarily China.”

He attributes this to the types of installations that are being deployed utilizing VRFB energy storage systems, explaining that China is using it to power grids while other countries are using the technology for small scale applications.

Taking a more optimistic and long-term view, CRU’s Goel sees more viability in the battery and energy storage segments.

“VRFBs will have a considerable impact on the vanadium industry through the next two decades but will play a minor role in the energy storage space – accounting for only 3.5 percent of total battery energy storage installations by 2035,” said Goel.

“Although VRFBs will make up a small portion of total energy storage, they are significant consumers of vanadium and will consume the majority of global vanadium in 2035, compared to ~6 percent in 2024,” he added.

Supply picture blurred by geopolitics

As the ongoing Ukraine war and tensions between the US and China and the US and its allies grows, many metals and minerals have faced volatility. These tensions have disrupted critical metals markets, spurring policymakers to fast-track new supply chains.

China’s restrictions on gallium and germanium exports in August 2023 escalated to a complete ban on shipments to the US in December 2024, intensifying global supply concerns.

Potential export caps, and tariffs threaten to disrupt already fragile supply chains, however Goel doesn’t foresee these issues impacting the vanadium market.

“Similar trade restrictions are unlikely in vanadium, as most of the recent rise in vanadium demand is coming from China, which means China is likely to become a net importer if no new capacity is opened,” he said. “This also means that should China become import reliant for a meaningful share of vanadium, which is to be used in 2 significant national industries (steel and energy storage), vanadium will move up in criticality matrices for China – moving nearer to materials like iron ore, potash, and high purity quartz.”

As demand in China picks up, Sardain anticipates the Asian nation will ramp up production.

“With the current geopolitical environment, there is absolutely no way that China is going to rely on imports of vanadium,” he said.

According to Goel, China isn’t the only country that is looking to be less reliant on imports.

“Governments worldwide have recognized vanadium as a critical mineral, leading to increased support for emerging vanadium projects,” said Goel.

He referenced Australian company Vecco Group which received an AU$3.8 million grant to advance the feasibility and design of a high-purity vanadium project in Brisbane.

“However, such grants are not enough to bring a project from conception to production. The current low vanadium pricing environment is a barrier to increasing ex-China capacity,” he added.

Australia to dominate growing supply capacity

While China will dominate the vanadium market narrative in 2025, Australia is positioning itself to become a production hub.

In addition to Vecco’s government support the company’s project was granted “coordinated project” status by the Queensland government. The status designation streamlines approvals for major developments with significant impacts, centralizing assessments and enabling public consultation.

In late December, Explorer and developer QEM (ASX:QEM) also received coordinated project status from Queensland’s Office of the Coordinator-General for its Julia Creek vanadium and energy project.

According to a July release, a scoping study completed on the Julia Creek deposit affirms the company’s aims to produce approximately 10,571 tonnes of 99.95 percent pure V2O5 and 313 million litres of transport fuel annually over a 30 year mine life.

In mid-January Australian Vanadium (ASX:AVL,OTC Pink:ATVVF) was granted environmental approval for its Gabanintha vanadium project in Western Australia.

The approval covers a mine, concentrator, processing plant, and supporting infrastructure, including a bore field and camp. The company is updating its Optimised Feasibility Study to integrate Gabanintha into its Australian Vanadium Project, one of the largest and highest-grade vanadium deposits.

Trends to watch

Underscoring the magnitude of weakness in the 2024 vanadium market Sardain recounted the factors that impeded price growth.

He explained that despite several factors that should have boosted vanadium demand, the market remained surprisingly weak. Chinese monetary stimulus measures and stricter rebar standard enforcement failed to drive prices higher.

Russian vanadium pentoxide exports to China have dried up, and supply uncertainties persist in South Africa. These conditions, which typically would have supported price increases, have had little impact, highlighting the subdued demand, especially in China.

“To be really honest, I was expecting the market to pick up in the second half of 2024,” he said.

Sardain continued: “I was expecting this to happen because I was looking at the interest rate in Europe, the ECB cutting interest rate. I was expecting some kind of recovery for the European economy. I was expecting the Chinese government to be more proactive. I was expecting the property market in China to stabilize. So, I was expecting some kind of rebound in the second half, which didn’t take place.”

Although the 2024 market didn’t perform to expectation, Sardain sees promise in the months ahead.

“I think that the market is currently bottoming out. I believe that we are very close to the stabilization of the property market in China. Whether it’s going to happen in Q1 or Q2 I don’t know, but definitely and maybe some kind of very, very, very mild recovery in the second half [of the year],” he said.

Highlighting the market’s positive fundamentals CRU’s Goel also sees a price rebound in 2025.

“We are estimating a global supply deficit in 2025 due to change in rebar standards and rise in vanadium battery demand, causing vanadium prices to rise,” said Goel. “ As more supply comes online in 2026 and 2027, by 2027 vanadium prices will come down when compared to 2025 prices, but crucially remain higher than the pricing in the last 12 months.”

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com
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