FINWIRES · TerminalLIVE
FINWIRES

HPQ Silicon, Novacium Expand Business Development Capabilities

By

HPQ Silicon (HPQ.V) and Novacium are expanding their commercial and business development capabilities.

The initiative will support Novacium's transition from technology development toward market engagement and commercial development activities. It also supports HPQ's business development strategy for Novacium's technologies in North America, a statement said.

HPQ and Novacium have partnered with a consultancy that will provide strategic advisory and business development services. Initial areas of focus are expected to include Australia and the MENA region markets.

The two companies also announced several appointments, including that of Jean Deschamps, who has decades of experience in the Middle East. He will lead Novacium as board chair and chief executive officer. Deschamps was involved in major Gulf infrastructure and industrial projects, including one of Abu Dhabi's earliest seawater desalination facilities.

"The addition of commercial leaders with decades of international business development experience, together with operational expertise from the French Special Forces, significantly expands Novacium's business development capabilities by adding experienced professionals in international business development and defence markets," said Bernard Tourillon, HPQ Silicon CEO.

"As Novacium expands its business development organization, HPQ expects to benefit from these expanded capabilities through its strategic investment and exclusive North American commercialization rights," he added.

Related Articles

Mining & Metals

TSX Closer: Index Gains as Battery Metals Rally, Investors Digest Mixed Labor Data

The Toronto Stock Exchange rose on Friday as gains in energy, financial and base-metals stocks outweighed weakness in telecom shares, while investors assessed mixed Canadian employment data.The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 104.86 points, or 0.3%, to 35,305.31, with mixed sectors.Battery Metals Index led gainers, up 5.35%, with Information and Technology, Energy, Financial, and Base Metals, up 0.59%, 0.10%, 0.94%, and 0.94%, respectively. Telecom led decliners, down 0.65%, while Health Care, down 0.17%, Utilities, down 0.04%, and Industrials, down 0.12%.In commodities, gold traded lower on Friday as treasury yields rose. Goldl for August delivery was last seen down $27.30, or 0.7%, to $4,113.50 per ounce. The price of the metal has hovered above the $4,000 mark for the past two weeks, staying well under its Jan. 29 record high of $5,354.90.Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed lower on Friday as fighting between the U.S. and Iran continues, while some ships continue to move out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, boosting supply. WTI crude oil for August delivery closed down $0.67, or 0.9%, to settle at $71.41, while September Brent oil was last seen down $0.42, or 0.6%, to $75.88.In currencies, the UBS bank said the recent rise in the US dollar against the Canadian dollar has been driven by a widening divergence in interest rate expectations between the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada, making next week's BoC meeting a key focus for the currency pair.UBS is bearish on the Canadian dollar in the near term, expecting USD/CAD to stay elevated before easing toward 1.40 early next year.Despite Canadian inflation accelerating to more than 3% annually, UBS said the BoC remains one of the least likely major central banks to tighten policy, as persistent weakness in the Canadian economy continues to weigh on the outlook."We expect the BoC to leave its policy stance unchanged next week," wrote UBS in its note. Canada's central bank is scheduled to release its policy decision on Wednesday.Additionally, Canada's labor market showed mixed signals. Canada's labor market continued to cool in June, with employment a tad higher, thanks to private-sector job gains more than offsetting declines among public-sector workers, said the country's statistical agency in its Labour Force Survey (LFS) Friday.Canada gained 18,000 jobs, or 0.1% month over month, in June, while the unemployment rate edged down to 6.5% from 6.6%, according to Statistics Canada. The job increases were roughly in line with a 10,000 consensus rise provided by MUFG before the release of the LFS.The unemployment rate was expected to stay at 6.6% in the consensus. Private-sector employment increased by 32,000, or 0.2% monthly, which offset a 31,000 decline, or 0.7% month over month, in public-sector jobs, added StatsCan.Sector performance was mixed, led by 15,000 gains in accommodation and food services, while manufacturing fell by 17,000."Manufacturing, where job losses continue to mount, remains a poster child of the uncertainty hanging over the Canadian economy. It is a reminder that the economy continues to operate below capacity, with downside risks concentrated in trade-exposed sectors," wrote TD economist Maria Solovieva.CIBC's Andrew Grantham and Desjardins' Royce Mendes separately noted that the summer job market for youths improved for the second straight month, and the unemployment rate for 15-24 year olds fell to 12.7%, from 13.4% in May and 14.3% in April. Mendes linked this improvement to the reduction in non-permanent residents, with the youth population shrinking in 2026.

S&P/TSX CompositeS&P/TSX Composite$CAD$CXY
Mining & Metals

Curaleaf's Exchange-Traded Options to Trade on Montreal Exchange

Curaleaf Holdings (CURA.TO) said Friday exchange-traded options on its shares are expected to start trading on the Montreal Exchange (MX) on July 13, under the symbol "CURA".The company believes the listing will increase liquidity and attract options traders, and institutional investors whose strategies include derivatives."The listing of exchange-traded options on the Montreal Exchange reflects Curaleaf's market capitalization, trading depth and growing institutional relevance," said Chief Executive Boris Jordan.Curaleaf shares were last seen up C$0.20, to C$13.37 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.Price: $13.39, Change: $+0.22, Percent Change: +1.67%

$CURA.TO
Mining & Metals

Principal Technologies Raises C$1.1 Million in a Private Placement; Settles C$1.2 Million of Debts

Principal Technologies (PTEC.V) overnight Thursday said it closed a non-brokered private placement of shares that raised C$1.1. million.The company said it placed 2.2-million shares priced at C$0.50 in the financing.Proceeds will be used toward its research and development funding obligations and for general working capital needs.The company also settled an aggregate of C$1.2 million in outstanding debt through the issue of 2.4-million shares with a deemed price of C$0.50.Principal Technologies settled C$186,100 owed to arm's-length creditors for services provided, and C$1 million owed to two non-arm's-length creditors to satisfy repayment of promissory notes of C$1 million plus accrued interest in the amount of C$29,170.75, it said.The company's shares last traded June 24, closing at C$0.38 on the TSX Venture Exchange.

$PTEC.V