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It's been rough sailing for the market over the past three weeks. We have seen three straight weekly declines, and declines in six of the past seven weeks, in the major indices. Sentiment is just about as poor as it has ever been, with new record levels in put option ownership from the largest investors (in dollar terms) and investor sentiment surveys plumbing all-time lows. The feeling that seems to permeate Wall Street is that of waiting for the next shoe to drop following the failure in the UK pension system earlier this month. Pension funds in the UK were holding leveraged swap contracts collateralized with UK Gilts at the long end of the curve. When UK bonds started to dive off their latest fiscal stimulus bill (which came with 10% UK inflation), those swap deals hit thresholds and triggered a cascade of margin calls, which could only be met by selling more Gilts. Investors are asking themselves how many other major international markets are booby-trapped by trading strategies that can't handle a little more volatility in bonds? What's going to break next? The upshot is the odd phenomenon of the BoE doing QE and QT at the same time, while it pretends it is still ready to be tough on inflation. Talk about losing credibility. The upshot is also the continued threat of a parabolic rise in the US Dollar, which puts a strain on global growth and the ability of emerging market debtors to service dollar-denominated notes and bills. Next up for the market is the beginning of Q3 earnings season, where the rubber will seriously start to meet the road. MX, META, MU, NKE, and RCII all provided dire warnings about upcoming results and the operating environment in play. Consumer spending has started to drop precipitously. Questions are being raised on the valuation front as earnings get set to roll out. Questions -- and rumors -- are also swirling about the potential for a major bank failure, with Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) in the spotlight. Read More... The sentiment backdrop, the rumors, the pessimistic expectations for upcoming earnings -- it all adds up to an environment laced with fear. But it also adds up to an interesting context for contrarian success if each aspect of this equation were to work out better than expected. We start October with Great Things Afoot. Fortunes will be made and lost. Fasten your seatbelts! Read the full article

Hard money lending, also called “private money” lending, is a vital niche in the real estate market and for many diversified investment portfolios. There has been some confusion in the industry about reaching consensus over using “hard” versus “private” money, as the industry went through an evolution following the Great Recession and housing market collapse over a decade ago. When there’s some industry confusion, it’s easy to understand why investors have a difficult time grasping the roadmap for an emerging company like Gold Quest Capital Inc. (OTCPINK: AVVH). Simply put, it’s a relatively easy strategy and straightforward path. The thing is, “hard” money is engrained in industry nomenclature as the process of non-conforming loans for commercial or investment properties funded by individuals or companies, not traditional banks. Historically, the loans were secured exclusively by the real estate and not dependent upon the borrower’s creditworthiness. Borrowers were fine with higher interest rates and short payback periods to expedite the loan process to a few days rather than a month or more with a conventional mortgage. For lenders, deals are favorable because it could be even more profitable if a borrower defaults, for which they take the property as payment. Following the recession in 2008-2009, in combination with the plethora of information immediately available at everyone’s fingertips, lenders started looking a bit more into the borrower, which inspired the name change that has just never really caught on. By any name, hard lending remains instrumental in tens of billions of dollars of real estate transactions across the U.S. annually. Some companies, including Gold Quest Group LLC, specialize in brokering hard money deals, taking an origination fee from every transaction initiated. While the broker makes his cut, the other side of the deal is more lucrative. The lender also makes money off an origination fee in addition to collecting interest on the recurring loan payments every month. That’s where Gold Quest Group Chief Executive Officer Miguel Sanchez wants to position his newest company, Gold Quest Capital, which he brought public via a reverse merger with AVVAA World Health Care Products Inc. completed in January. A name and ticker change are imminent to ditch the AVVAA connection and reflect the new public company. While they share a founder and a similar name, Gold Quest Group (let’s just shorten to “the Group” for clarity) and Gold Quest Capital are separate entities and operate under very different models. The Group will continue its operations as a successful privately-owned broker. Gold Quest Capital is a new real estate mortgage lending firm focused on three primary lines of business: hard money lending, SBA (Small Business Administration) lending, and real estate development and redevelopment. While separate companies, the relationship with the Group is very valuable to Gold Quest Capital, akin to a new tire company having a close relationship with a car manufacturer. Instant business can be available from a company that has been serving as a broker for over 22 years, where it originates, packages, and sells “hundreds of millions of dollars” per year in mortgages. Gold Quest Capital will have the right of first refusal for all commercial and industrial loans that are originated by the Group. Furthermore, Gold Quest Capital has relationships with other loan origination firms, including CBRE Capital, JLL Capital, Meridian, and others throughout the U.S. where it can evaluate additional loan deal flow. To launch its operations, Gold Quest Capital is working on meeting a couple very significant milestones. One, a first-lien mortgage company needs to raise a substantial amount of capital to trigger lines of credit that it will use to fund loans. Two, it needs to complete the requisite documentation and approval process to become a preferred SBA lender. Both processes are currently underway with investors watching for updates. Sanchez has made it known that he is also looking for a small bank to acquire to add to Gold Quest Capital’s portfolio. It’s a savvy business model in that hard money loans are characterized by higher interest rates and strong return on investment for lenders that are relatively safe owing to the collateral. SBA loans also packaged at favorable lending rates and guaranteed by the U.S. government. This should be a steady simmer at first as the hard loans start generating revenue and cashflow that can be re-invested and so on until the laws of compounding interest take over. This content is provided by J Ramsdell Consulting, Inc. (“JRC”), a consultancy firm specialized in social media management, corporate communications solutions, and content creation for public and private companies throughout North America. JRC is not a registered broker/dealer or financial advisor and highly encourages all readers to consult with a qualified professional advisor before making any investment decisions. JRC assumes no responsibility for the investment actions executed by the reader. All content is generated from publicly available information and believed to be accurate. However, the accuracy or completeness of the information is only as reliable as the sources they were obtained from. Any content created by JRC is not to be construed as a solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell securities. All materials created by JRC and released to the public via distribution services, social media, website, or any other means of transmission are not to be regarded as investment advice and are exclusively for informative purposes only. JRC has been compensated to create and manage content for Gold Quest Capital Inc., which inherently creates a conflict of interest in JRC’s ability to remain objective in communication regarding the client company. Furthermore, this article contains forward-looking statements, particularly as related to the business plans of the client company, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by these sections. A full disclaimer is available for viewing at https://jramsdell.com/33-2/. Read the full article

Last week's FOMC meeting set off another round of selling in risk assets as investors finally seem to have accepted the notion that this is a hawkish Fed. Chair Jay Powell hammered that point home repeatedly, reminding investors and analysts that price stability takes strong precedence over growth when the two may be at odds, as they apparently are now. Powell's refrain was intentionally reminiscent of another famous Fed Chair -- Paul Volcker, who chaired the Fed during the early 1980s. Volcker famously stamped out the inflationary bug of the 1970s, taking the US economy into two recessions in the process. Powell has been singing in that key, even going so far as to repeat the phrase, "We will keep at it", over and over during his past several speaking engagements. Former Chair Volcker's memoir of his time at the Fed, in case you are interested, was titled, "Keeping At It". That may offer a hint as to where things are headed. It certainly seemed to for market participants, who sold everything under the sun in response to the rate hike, which is seen as preceding another 75 bps hike next month before a 50 bps hike to close the year, according to Fed Funds Futures pricing. One of the big factors in play this week is centered on the US Dollar Index, which has been exploding higher in a parabolic advance that could be a blow-off move after a long and steady trend. The dollar is the best performing major global asset so far in 2022. While that seems like a good thing for most people with assets held in dollar terms, it spells disaster for global risk assets because global debt among emerging markets is dependent on easy access to dollars. A soaring dollar means, ipso facto, poor access to dollars around the world. That imperils emerging sovereign debt, which is one of the lynchpins of the global economy. This is just one of many wheels turning right now as the bear market gains steam. With the Fed hellbent on stomping out inflation by destroying growth, it's wintertime right now. But Spring is always one surprise away. As we look ahead to the upcoming week, the big day for the market will be Friday, which also happens to be the last day of trade in Q3. Friday will give us the PCE inflation data for August, which is the Fed's preferred inflation gauge. We will also see Personal Income and Spending figures at the same time (8:30 am ET). Just ahead of that, we get the latest Chinese PMI numbers (technically out Thursday night) and the latest CPI data from Europe. Other key economics reads this week will include German Ifo and GfK surveys (Mon and Wed, respectively), U.S. Consumer Confidence number (Tue), and German CPI data (Thu). Traders should also beware the Italian elections, which will be viewed as a referendum on European energy policies and the continent's approach to the Ukraine situation. As far as Fed speakers, keep an eye out for new quips from Powell, Brainard, Williams, Mester, and Collins this week. Some chatter is out there already that the messaging from the Fed has gone too far. We will get the chance to see first-hand whether or not the Fed sees this issue the same way. Read the full article

With the combination of escalating climate change and massive and growing energy supply and distribution challenges all around the world, it's a good bet that the energy grid is set to see increasing attention from investors over coming years. It's a precarious system. And, in the US, unlike most other countries, it's basically all a private sector affair. The "US power grid" is an extremely complex network of well over seven thousand transformers and power plants strung together by more than 160k miles of high-voltage transmission lines, with individual end market customers approaching 150 million. However, as it comes under more and more stress because of rising temperatures and years of underinvestment in fuel production capacity, as well as because of pressures from the transition away from fossil fuels, there's a massive and rapidly growing market just in its early innings -- making the grid smarter. A smart grid is an absolutely essential part of any optimistic view on US energy and power infrastructure, and companies with the potential to move into leadership roles in grid technology and services hold a great deal of promise for long term investors and speculators as we barrel head-long into a critical period. It’s no exaggeration to say that everything hangs in the balance for the world economy and the global geopolitical order. With that in mind, we take a closer look below at some of the most interesting opportunities in the space. Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE:ETN) provides energy-efficient solutions for electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power. It operates through its Electrical Americas and Electrical Global, Hydraulics, Aerospace, Vehicle, and eMobility. The Electrical Americas and Electrical Global segments engage in sales contracts for electrical components, industrial components, power distribution and assemblies, residential products, single and three phase power quality, wiring devices, circuit protection, utility power distribution, power reliability equipment, and service. The Hydraulics segment includes hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment. The Aerospace segment produces aerospace fuel, hydraulics, and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use. The Vehicle segment deals with the design, manufacture, marketing, and supply of drivetrain and powertrain systems and critical components that reduce emissions and improve fuel economy, stability, performance and safety of cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles. The eMobility segment designs, manufactures, markets, and supplies electrical and electronic components and systems that improve the power management and performance of both on-road and off-road vehicles. Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE:ETN) recently announced that it closed an offering of sustainability-linked and senior notes. Eaton’s sustainability-linked notes offering represents a significant step in aligning the company’s long-term financing structures with its ambitious environmental targets. The sustainability-linked notes interest rate is subject to the achievement of a Sustainability Performance Target (SPT) to achieve at least a 40% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by year-end 2027, relative to a 2018 baseline. "Achieving our sustainability goals is as critical to our business as meeting our financial commitments, and this financing aligns both strategies," said Harold Jones, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president, Eaton Business System, Eaton. "Tackling climate change requires innovative solutions, and this offering will enable us to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy and other emissions-reduction efforts." While this is a clear factor, it has been incorporated into a trading tape characterized by a pretty dominant offer, which hasn't been the type of action ETN shareholders really want to see. In total, over the past five days, shares of the stock have dropped by roughly -2% on above average trading volume. All in all, not a particularly friendly tape, but one that may ultimately present some new opportunities. Over the past month, shares of the stock have suffered from clear selling pressure, dropping by roughly -5%. Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE:ETN) managed to rope in revenues totaling $5.2B in overall sales during the company's most recently reported quarterly financial data -- a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of -0.1%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($623M against $9B, respectively). Viking Energy Group Inc. (OTC US:VKIN) is flying under the radar at this point in the power grid narrative, but that could change dramatically given its 51% interest in two entities that own the intellectual property rights to fully developed, patent pending, ready-for-market proprietary Electric Transmission and Distribution Open Conductor Detection Systems. Viking is a majority-owned subsidiary of Camber Energy Inc (NYSE American:CEI) and a growing oil and gas producer. When you have a world increasingly defined by energy shortages and everything riding on defensible smart grid IP, a dirt-cheap under-the-radar OTC stock with real smart-grid IP and significant exposure to returns on energy production could be awfully compelling, especially since VKIN also has exposure to the carbon capture theme through Camber’s recent Exclusive Intellectual Property License Agreement with ESG Clean Energy involving a deal for ESG’s patent rights and know-how related to stationary electric power generation, including methods to utilize heat and capture carbon dioxide. This is a company apparently evolving into something with its hands in every cookie jar related to our battle to power the economy in a world now fully engaged with climate change, the fossil fuel supply cliff, and a power infrastructure crisis in need of game-changing innovations. Viking Energy Group Inc. (OTC US:VKIN) unit Viking Protection Systems most recently filed for a new patent application with the USPTO to secure its next-gen proprietary electric transmission line protection technology. James Doris, President and CEO at both Camber Energy and Viking Energy Group, just put out a video update on the Company’s website to give investors some in-depth perspective through a detailed and highly technical discussion with the founding brain trust behind its new technology, which can be summed up as a potentially revolutionary new way to prevent ground faults in existing three phase electric transmission lines caused by line breakage (open conductor). The tech was invented by industry experts Ron Smith and Bob Stuart with the goal of reducing the risk of wildfires started by downed power lines and faulty conductors and components in the California energy grid. But its true market potential appears to be much wider. The discussion includes coverage of a recent report that verified that the company’s technology functions to shut down a line with an open conductor before it can cause critical damage without shutting down parts of the grid that have faults without an open conductor. In other words, the report provides evidence that the company’s system works reliably when it should without unnecessarily shutting down a power channel that is faulty but poses no risk to its surrounding. This is a possible game changer for safe grid protection. Viking Energy Group Inc. (OTC US:VKIN) has full control of this solution with growing IP protection as it looks to monetize it in a marketplace that includes every utility company, government, energy consumers, hospitals and tax payers, while helping to protect the environment by suppressing the risk of forest fires. The video also notes that the technology’s founders believe no other entity has technology capable of meeting this critical challenge. Watch the video in its entirety here: https://www.vikingenergygroup.com/ National Grid PLC ADR (NYSE:NGG) engages in the transmission and distribution of electricity and gas through its UK Electricity Transmission, UK Electricity Distribution, UK Electricity System Operator, New England, and New York segments. The UK Electricity Transmission segment focuses on the high-voltage electricity transmission networks in England and Wales. The UK Electricity Distribution segment includes networks of WPD in the East Midlands, West Midlands and South West of England and South Wales. The UK Electricity System Operator segment deals with the Great Britain system operation. The New England segment is involved in gas distribution networks, electricity distribution networks and high-voltage electricity transmission networks in New England. The New York segment is composed of gas distribution networks, electricity distribution networks and high-voltage electricity transmission networks in New York. National Grid PLC ADR (NYSE:NGG) recently kicked off Climate Week NYC 2022 by introducing a model to develop and deliver a large-scale, clean and fossil-free energy hub across the entirety of Long Island. This can serve as an innovation beacon for the region and the entire United States. A future where clean energy hubs populate the region, accelerating the clean energy future, is National Grid's Northeast Clean Energy Vision. The Long Island clean energy hub outlined in the vision will contain four key components working together: Developing more clean and carbon-free energy from offshore wind and solar sources; Using renewables to create clean hydrogen to fuel power plants and heat homes; Bringing more battery storage online to store wind and solar energy for later use; and Modernizing and expanding transmission networks to deliver more clean and carbon-free energy to customers and communities. The vision builds on the company's recently announced fossil-free plan to eliminate fossil fuels from its gas and electric systems by 2050. "We believe that innovative regional hubs where clean energy solutions – wind, solar, hydrogen, storage and ways to deliver it – all interconnect to deliver the clean energy customers and communities expect and deserve while drastically reducing emissions in the Northeast," said William Hazelip, President of National Grid Ventures (NGV), US Northeast. "The work is underway to get the right infrastructure in place both on Long Island, which is our initial focus, and throughout the region. Our Northeast Clean Energy Vision is about accelerating the transition to a fossil-free tomorrow affordably, safely, reliably and efficiently." Recent action has seen -6% shed from shares over the past week. However, the name has seen a jump in recent trading volume to the tune of 12% above the average volume levels in play in this stock over the longer term. National Grid PLC ADR (NYSE:NGG) has a significant war chest ($3.3B) of cash on the books, which stands against about $24.8B in total current liabilities. One should also note that debt has been growing over recent quarters. NGG is pulling in trailing 12-month revenues of $33.2B. In addition, the company is seeing major top-line growth, with y/y quarterly revenues growing at 39.5%. Other key players in the energy grid space include Woodward Inc. (Nasdaq:WWD), CleanSpark Inc. (Nasdaq:CLSK), IES Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:IESC), Capstone Green Energy Corp. (Nasdaq:CGRN), and Ocean Power Technologies Inc. (NYSE American:OPTT). Read the full article

With the combination of escalating climate change and massive and growing energy supply and distribution challenges all around the world, it's a good bet that the energy grid is set to see increasing attention from investors over coming years. It's a precarious system. And, in the US, unlike most other countries, it's basically all a private sector affair. The "US power grid" is an extremely complex network of well over seven thousand transformers and power plants strung together by more than 160k miles of high-voltage transmission lines, with individual end market customers approaching 150 million. However, as it comes under more and more stress because of rising temperatures and years of underinvestment in fuel production capacity, as well as because of pressures from the transition away from fossil fuels, there's a massive and rapidly growing market just in its early innings -- making the grid smarter. A smart grid is an absolutely essential part of any optimistic view on US energy and power infrastructure, and companies with the potential to move into leadership roles in grid technology and services hold a great deal of promise for long term investors and speculators as we barrel head-long into a critical period. It’s no exaggeration to say that everything hangs in the balance for the world economy and the global geopolitical order. With that in mind, we take a closer look below at some of the most interesting opportunities in the space. Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE:ETN) provides energy-efficient solutions for electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power. It operates through its Electrical Americas and Electrical Global, Hydraulics, Aerospace, Vehicle, and eMobility. The Electrical Americas and Electrical Global segments engage in sales contracts for electrical components, industrial components, power distribution and assemblies, residential products, single and three phase power quality, wiring devices, circuit protection, utility power distribution, power reliability equipment, and service. The Hydraulics segment includes hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment. The Aerospace segment produces aerospace fuel, hydraulics, and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use. The Vehicle segment deals with the design, manufacture, marketing, and supply of drivetrain and powertrain systems and critical components that reduce emissions and improve fuel economy, stability, performance and safety of cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles. The eMobility segment designs, manufactures, markets, and supplies electrical and electronic components and systems that improve the power management and performance of both on-road and off-road vehicles. Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE:ETN) recently announced that it closed an offering of sustainability-linked and senior notes. Eaton’s sustainability-linked notes offering represents a significant step in aligning the company’s long-term financing structures with its ambitious environmental targets. The sustainability-linked notes interest rate is subject to the achievement of a Sustainability Performance Target (SPT) to achieve at least a 40% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by year-end 2027, relative to a 2018 baseline. "Achieving our sustainability goals is as critical to our business as meeting our financial commitments, and this financing aligns both strategies," said Harold Jones, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president, Eaton Business System, Eaton. "Tackling climate change requires innovative solutions, and this offering will enable us to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy and other emissions-reduction efforts." While this is a clear factor, it has been incorporated into a trading tape characterized by a pretty dominant offer, which hasn't been the type of action ETN shareholders really want to see. In total, over the past five days, shares of the stock have dropped by roughly -2% on above average trading volume. All in all, not a particularly friendly tape, but one that may ultimately present some new opportunities. Over the past month, shares of the stock have suffered from clear selling pressure, dropping by roughly -5%. Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE:ETN) managed to rope in revenues totaling $5.2B in overall sales during the company's most recently reported quarterly financial data -- a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of -0.1%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($623M against $9B, respectively). Viking Energy Group Inc. (OTC US:VKIN) is flying under the radar at this point in the power grid narrative, but that could change dramatically given its 51% interest in two entities that own the intellectual property rights to fully developed, patent pending, ready-for-market proprietary Electric Transmission and Distribution Open Conductor Detection Systems. Viking is a majority-owned subsidiary of Camber Energy Inc (NYSE American:CEI) and a growing oil and gas producer. When you have a world increasingly defined by energy shortages and everything riding on defensible smart grid IP, a dirt-cheap under-the-radar OTC stock with real smart-grid IP and significant exposure to returns on energy production could be awfully compelling, especially since VKIN also has exposure to the carbon capture theme through Camber’s recent Exclusive Intellectual Property License Agreement with ESG Clean Energy involving a deal for ESG’s patent rights and know-how related to stationary electric power generation, including methods to utilize heat and capture carbon dioxide. This is a company apparently evolving into something with its hands in every cookie jar related to our battle to power the economy in a world now fully engaged with climate change, the fossil fuel supply cliff, and a power infrastructure crisis in need of game-changing innovations. Viking Energy Group Inc. (OTC US:VKIN) unit Viking Protection Systems most recently filed for a new patent application with the USPTO to secure its next-gen proprietary electric transmission line protection technology. James Doris, President and CEO at both Camber Energy and Viking Energy Group, just put out a video update on the Company’s website to give investors some in-depth perspective through a detailed and highly technical discussion with the founding brain trust behind its new technology, which can be summed up as a potentially revolutionary new way to prevent ground faults in existing three phase electric transmission lines caused by line breakage (open conductor). The tech was invented by industry experts Ron Smith and Bob Stuart with the goal of reducing the risk of wildfires started by downed power lines and faulty conductors and components in the California energy grid. But its true market potential appears to be much wider. The discussion includes coverage of a recent report that verified that the company’s technology functions to shut down a line with an open conductor before it can cause critical damage without shutting down parts of the grid that have faults without an open conductor. In other words, the report provides evidence that the company’s system works reliably when it should without unnecessarily shutting down a power channel that is faulty but poses no risk to its surrounding. This is a possible game changer for safe grid protection. Viking Energy Group Inc. (OTC US:VKIN) has full control of this solution with growing IP protection as it looks to monetize it in a marketplace that includes every utility company, government, energy consumers, hospitals and tax payers, while helping to protect the environment by suppressing the risk of forest fires. The video also notes that the technology’s founders believe no other entity has technology capable of meeting this critical challenge. You can watch the video in its entirety by visiting their website, https://www.vikingenergygroup.com. National Grid PLC ADR (NYSE:NGG) engages in the transmission and distribution of electricity and gas through its UK Electricity Transmission, UK Electricity Distribution, UK Electricity System Operator, New England, and New York segments. The UK Electricity Transmission segment focuses on the high-voltage electricity transmission networks in England and Wales. The UK Electricity Distribution segment includes networks of WPD in the East Midlands, West Midlands and South West of England and South Wales. The UK Electricity System Operator segment deals with the Great Britain system operation. The New England segment is involved in gas distribution networks, electricity distribution networks and high-voltage electricity transmission networks in New England. The New York segment is composed of gas distribution networks, electricity distribution networks and high-voltage electricity transmission networks in New York. National Grid PLC ADR (NYSE:NGG) recently kicked off Climate Week NYC 2022 by introducing a model to develop and deliver a large-scale, clean and fossil-free energy hub across the entirety of Long Island. This can serve as an innovation beacon for the region and the entire United States. A future where clean energy hubs populate the region, accelerating the clean energy future, is National Grid's Northeast Clean Energy Vision. The Long Island clean energy hub outlined in the vision will contain four key components working together: Developing more clean and carbon-free energy from offshore wind and solar sources; Using renewables to create clean hydrogen to fuel power plants and heat homes; Bringing more battery storage online to store wind and solar energy for later use; and Modernizing and expanding transmission networks to deliver more clean and carbon-free energy to customers and communities. The vision builds on the company's recently announced fossil-free plan to eliminate fossil fuels from its gas and electric systems by 2050. "We believe that innovative regional hubs where clean energy solutions – wind, solar, hydrogen, storage and ways to deliver it – all interconnect to deliver the clean energy customers and communities expect and deserve while drastically reducing emissions in the Northeast," said William Hazelip, President of National Grid Ventures (NGV), US Northeast. "The work is underway to get the right infrastructure in place both on Long Island, which is our initial focus, and throughout the region. Our Northeast Clean Energy Vision is about accelerating the transition to a fossil-free tomorrow affordably, safely, reliably and efficiently." Recent action has seen -6% shed from shares over the past week. However, the name has seen a jump in recent trading volume to the tune of 12% above the average volume levels in play in this stock over the longer term. National Grid PLC ADR (NYSE:NGG) has a significant war chest ($3.3B) of cash on the books, which stands against about $24.8B in total current liabilities. One should also note that debt has been growing over recent quarters. NGG is pulling in trailing 12-month revenues of $33.2B. In addition, the company is seeing major top-line growth, with y/y quarterly revenues growing at 39.5%. Other key players in the energy grid space include Woodward Inc. (Nasdaq:WWD), CleanSpark Inc. (Nasdaq:CLSK), IES Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:IESC), Capstone Green Energy Corp. (Nasdaq:CGRN), and Ocean Power Technologies Inc. (NYSE American:OPTT). Read the full article

Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) has signed a deal with hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer Plug  Power Inc (NASDAQ: PLUG) to employ green hydrogen in powering part of its activities. Amazon to receive 10,950 tons of green hydrogen  According to Amazon, from 2025, Plug Power will provide 10,950 tonnes of green hydrogen annually for its construction and transportation activities. In addition, Amazon anticipates that Plug will produce sufficient renewable hydrogen to run 800 long-haul vehicles or 30,000 forklifts. In exchange for the agreement, Plug claimed to have given the world's largest online retailer a warrant to purchase around 16 common shares at a par value of $22.9841, mainly for the initial 9 million units. Also, Amazon will, over the seven years of the contract, spend around $2.1 billion on Plug Power products. Because burning hydrogen produces no greenhouse emissions, it has potential value in the fight against global warming. However, hydrogen must first be created, which uses energy. Electrolysis which is a process that separates water into oxygen and hydrogen using an electric charge, is the main way of producing hydrogen. Whenever the process is powered by alternative energy sources like wind or solar, eco-friendly hydrogen is created. Experts have a contrary opinion on the issue of stopping climate change  Experts continue to disagree on whether it is successful in halting climate change, and some think it is neither effective nor environmentally friendly enough. Instead, they argue that it would be better to use clean power directly whenever it's accessible and depend on other forms of energy when it is not. Today, a large portion of hydrogen production is known as "gray" hydrogen, which is produced by fossil fuel burning like natural gas or coal. As a result of the deal, Amazon will begin using clean hydrogen instead of gray hydrogen, petrol, and other dirty energy, advancing its sustainability objectives. Using technology like hydrogen cells, Amazon revealed that it aims to use sustainable hydrogen in operations beyond merely powering forklifts. More commercially available hydrogen-powered machinery is required to achieve this. Read the full article

Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd’s (NYSE: BABA) American depositary receipts and those of other Chinese tech firms are facing uncertainty in US markets as they stare at delisting. China and US looking to strike a deal in auditing of US-listed Chinese firms  The news regarding an imminent audit deal between Chinese regulators and US counterparts has been buoying investor and trader sentiment across Asia. In addition, Chinese authorities unveiled an economic stimulus package last week that could also lift investor sentiment. The window of opportunity for Beijing and Washington to come to an agreement to stop the widespread delisting of Chinese firms whose stocks trade on American exchanges is closing. Officials in Beijing have been particularly explicit about their willingness to address what has emerged as a significant drag on US-listed Chinese equities in the past two months. The shift in tone comes as it appears highly probable that Beijing's three-year deadline to conform with the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act of 2020 will be reduced. Alibaba moved its primary listing to Hong Kong Recently following reports that the US SEC will delist Chinese stocks from US exchanges if they can’t allow inspection of their auditors by 2024, Alibaba moved primary listing in the Hong Kong exchange. The US may prohibit dealing in the shares of businesses whose auditors cannot be examined by the US audit watchdog over three straight years according to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act of 2020, which went into force in 2021. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, Alibaba founder Jack Ma intends to give up ownership of Ant Group Co. when the fintech powerhouse separates from Alibaba due to regulatory constraints from the Chinese authorities. Following the publication of their most recent annual reports, three more Chinese corporations were included in the HFCAA blacklist on Friday. The SEC has flagged over 150 businesses as noncompliant thus far. Notable names include  Chinese e-commerce giants Pinduoduo Inc. and JD.com Inc and restaurant chain Yum China Holdings Inc. Read the full article

For the time being, AbbVie Inc (NYSE: ABBV) has dodged a whistleblower suit asserting that its predecessor Allergan Inc. extended its exclusivity on Alzheimer's medications by using false patents, enabling it to defraud Medicaid and Medicare. Silbersher filed a claim using publicly available information  Zachary Silbersher, a prominent associate at the IP rights litigation organization Kroub, Silbersher & Kolmykov, filed a claim, and a three-judge forum of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously decided that the alleged public records bar adhered to the case. The public disclosures forbid whistleblower grievances based on available information. The decision overruled a lower court's conclusion that the bar didn't apply. The decision left Silbersher's argument that he was the "actual source" of the available information and ought t be permitted to proceed open for consideration. Requests for additional information were not immediately answered by attorneys for Allergan, Silbersher, or Adamas Pharmaceuticals Inc., which is additionally listed as a respondent in the litigation and licensed the Namzaric and Namenda XR patents to Allergan. In 2018, Silbersher took the firms to a San Francisco federal district under the False Claims Act (FCA). The Act enables whistleblowers to initiate complaints on the government's behalf and earn a part of any successful settlement. Allergan and Adama said to have distorted findings  He said that after looking through records from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), he discovered that Allergan and Adama had distorted study findings and concealed earlier work to obtain the PTO grant patents for the medications. The firms have refuted the allegations. The FCA's public records bar, which forbids whistleblower lawsuits based on evidence given in federal govt processes, was the basis for the defendant's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. They claimed that the regulatory actions that led to the injunction were the USPTO's initial assessments of the patent claims. According to the FCA, Chief US District Court Judge Joseph Spero dismissed the application in a ruling published in December 2020. He claimed that Silbersher's allegations were not precluded since the federal government was not included as a participant in the USPTO's process. Read the full article

Various cards issue bonus rewards on fuel spending for most Americans. However,  customers of Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER) and Lyft Inc (NASDAQ: LYFT) can also benefit from additional rewards from card issuers With ridesharing skyrocketing over the past decade, most card issuers have introduced card rewards for transactions using Uber and Lyft services. Consider applying for a credit card offering reward points, cash-back rewards, or other benefits if you frequently use ridesharing services or taxis to move around your home city or when traveling. American Express Gold Card is the best card for Uber The cards are best for those who frequently use Uber to move around and you can earn travel rewards. With the card, you receive $120 Uber Cash yearly for Uber East orders in the US plus rides. You will have to add the card to your Uber app to enjoy the Uber Cash reward. American Express Platinum Card for Uber Benefits For regular Uber riders, the card offers annual Uber credit of  $200, which is around $15 per month plus an extra $20 in the last month of the year. Additionally, you receive Uber VIP status giving access to highly rated Uber drivers. Chase Saphire Reserve for Lyft For Lyft, the ideal card is the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offers returns on rides. In addition, you will earn around 10X Chase Ultimate Reward points or each dollar on Lyft spending up to March 2025. Low-fee Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for Lyft If you are an occasional Lyft user looking for a low-annual fee rewards card, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. You will receive 5X points for each dollar used in Lyft rides and 2X points on travel purchases for taxi and Uber rides. American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card is best for taxi This is the ideal card if you are looking for considerable cash-back on purchases with some flexibility. For consumers that love traveling in taxis and ride-sharing services, the card offers 3% cash rewards on travels that include ride-share, taxis, tolls, and parking. Read the full article

Alphabet Inc’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google's top executive told Congress that they would label the medical facilities in the US offering abortion in search engine results and on Google Maps to prevent confusion with anti-abortion facilities. Google to clearly show abortion centers in Google Maps  The company's VP for public policy and government affairs for Canada and the US, Mark Isakowitz stated that when people search for abortion facilities near them, the results will show locations that have been verified to provide the services. According to Isakowitz, the internet giant will also enable users to expand their search to include relevant results from businesses that don't offer abortions. Google's statement comes in response to a letter from Warner and Slotkin, dated June 17, asking Alphabet Chief Executive Sundar Pichai to stop Google searches from tricking people into visiting anti-abortion facilities. Following Roe's overturn, around half of the American states have attempted to outlaw or restrict abortions or are anticipated to do so. In addition, Texas, Idaho, and 11 additional states include "trigger" laws that forbid abortion upon making such a decision. Texas federal courts stop implementation of government guidelines on abortion A federal court prevented the Biden administration in Texas from implementing new guidelines that mandate hospitals offer urgent abortions to women despite state laws on the practice. The US Health and Human Services Department's instruction was unlawful and extended beyond the wording of relevant federal law, according to U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix in Lubbock, who concurred with Republican Texas State Attorney Ken Paxton. Instead of blocking HHS from applying the guidelines and its understanding of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act in Texas as well as against two anti-abortion physician groups, the judge decided not to enjoin them nationwide. Hendrix made his decision prior to a decision anticipated on Wednesday by another court over whether the nearly entire prohibition in Idaho that the Department of Justice is challenging violates the identical constitutional provision in question in Texas' suit. Read the full article

Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) is expanding its ads to new areas of the iPad and iPhone to increase its revenue. The company’s current advertising includes ads in its Stock and News apps. It also displays ads in its App Store. The ATT policy negatively impacted advertisers The decision has been controversial as it comes one year after the company announced its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. This feature allowed users to decide which apps would track their movements across various websites and determine the most appropriate. This will enable advertisers to generate a lot of revenue from showing users only relevant ads. While the decision was met with the consumers’ approval, the move has negatively impacted many businesses as they can’t advertise to relevant consumers. Apple currently reports that about 78% of iPhone users have chosen to utilise the ATT feature. However, Apple's decision to expand its advertising has left many consumers wondering why the company is not held to the same standard as third-party advertisers. The company claims that this is because it doesn’t track users’ movements across websites. Despite this claim, the company could still utilise data from what the user reads, their device type and carrier identity. Many feel that, like other advisers, Apple should also ask for permission before advertising to them. The company is working to improve its advertising unit Apple’s advertising ambitions seem to grow more recently as its team for a foothold within the company. Todd Teresi, the Vice President of the ad group, now reports to Eddy Cue, the service’s chief, rather than Peter Stern, the deputy services head. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook and its Chief Financial Officer, Luca Maestri, discussed the ad business in their last earnings call. The two executives reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted the sector. However, they are still dedicated to the industry and called it a good discovery tool app developers could utilise. Teresa has stated that he intends to double the revenue Apple makes from its advertising business. The company currently makes $4 billion in advertising. Read the full article

A new study has found that digital health companies have been sharing patient information to Facebook to enable targeted advertisements. This information emerged after Light Collective did some research. The research group shared that the move sometimes goes against the companies' privacy policies. Moreover, there were concerns about HIPAA violations. The group published the study on Patterns. It examined how private health-related information was tracked on various websites and then used on Facebook for targeted advertising. For their study, researchers followed ten active people in an online cancer community. How researchers conducted the study The participants used five digital health companies, including Citizen, Health Union, Invitae, Myriad Genetics, and Color Genomics. Researchers discovered that their party trackers on these websites would follow the participants and then target them with ads based on their activity. Furthermore, three of the companies breached their privacy agreement in the process. The study authors later disclosed the issue to the companies. However, only Citizen and Invitae responded. The companies stated that they would investigate the problem with the trackers. Health Union, on the other hand, claims that the researchers have not contacted them. Health Union denies the allegations According to the President of the Health Union, Lauren Lawhon, the company prioritises the health and safety of its clientele and tries to protect their privacy. She adds that the company tries to ensure its privacy policy is transparent and compliant with regulations. Lawson states that the website has privacy management software that shows visitors pop-ups and allows them to reject or accept cookies. It also has a link at the bottom of the page with “Do not sell my information.” She adds that the company collects data on how users engage with its website to know the type of content and advertising its users prefer. This, in turn, helps keep the community engaging and relevant for users. Additionally, Lawhon denies the claims that the company has violated HIPAA as it is not a healthcare provider and thus can’t be held to HIPAA standards. A spokesperson for Meta states that the companies should share patient information on Facebook as it is against the company’s policies. Read the full article

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) announced that it has cut back on delivery waiting time for its Model Y and Model 3 vehicles in China. This announcement comes after the company announced that it had reduced production time at its Shanghai plant by improving production lines. Tesla reduces car wait times Tesla's China buyers previously had to wait 24 weeks after ordering the best-selling model to receive it. The new wait times mean they will receive the model Y vehicles in about 4 to 8 weeks. Model 3 sedans and SUVs will arrive in 12 to 20 weeks. The company first made this announcement on its Chinese website. In addition, the company generally delivers its cars to its Chinese market in the second half of a quarter. However, this change means that the process will also be sped up. The upgrade to the Shanghai plant will also allow the company to increase its output of the model 3 and model Y vehicles to about 22,000 cars weekly. Tesla faces challenges with production According to the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, the company faces a more significant challenge with production than demand. As a result, Tesla is trying to increase its production in Texas and Berlin. He adds that production difficulties in the two months of the Shanghai COVID-19 lockdown hit the company’s revenue. While the upgrade has been good for Tesla, the work that went into it also disrupted production. In July, the company's regional sales went down by 64%. Fortunately, Tesla might recover just in time to leverage the increased demand for electric vehicles in China. Many car makers are trying to transition to electric vehicles as the demand for environmentally friendly products increases. The transition could be simple for Tesla, which was already an electric car maker. Additionally, the Shanghai plant is the company’s most prominent manufacturer, and the upgrade could enable it to produce even more vehicles positioning it as a leader in the electric vehicle space. Due to delivery backlogs, the company hasn’t been taking new orders for the Model 3 Long Range vehicles in the U.S and Canada and the Cyber truck outside North America. Read the full article

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is trying to leverage a credit-market rally by selling green bonds. The company has so far sold debt worth about $1.75 billion that is to mature in ten years and yield about 6.1℅. This debt sale is part of Ford's green bond, which aims to spend $50 billion annually and make 2 million electric cars annually by 2026. Ford will use its proceeds to finance its battery-electric car portfolio and clean transportation projects. The company expects to allocate the funds by the end of 2023 fully. Analysts think the company could tap into the bond market before June on its next round of maturities. Ford had its green bond debut in 2021 This is the company's first junk-rated green sale since its debut in green bond in 2021. Barclay’s is in charge of the latest deal. The news comes after the U.S Treasury Department released a fact sheet and guidance on how to make electric vehicles more affordable for Americans. Ford Electric vehicle initiatives come when more consumers try to make environmentally conscious decisions. More car makers are now transitioning to electric vehicles to take advantage of the emerging market while protecting the environment. Ford hopes to become a leader in the electric vehicle space Ford has put about $22 billion into its electric initiative as part of its move to lead electrification in areas where it is strong. As a result, the company has begun electrifying some of its best sellers, including the Ford F-150, Mustang, and Transit. Ford strives to electrify these cars while maintaining the qualities that made them most popular, including their performance, productivity, and capability. The company also hopes to ensure customers get a reasonable price for the vehicles with a low cost of ownership. Ford offers a home charging solution for electric cars and the most significant public charging network in North America. The network has about 63,000 charging plugs and is expected to increase. It also offers charging solutions like cloud navigation that direct drivers to areas where they can charge their cars. Ford hopes to use its strategy to reduce its carbon footprint significantly by 2050. So far, it is the only U.S carmaker committed to fully transitioning to electric vehicles and achieving carbon neutrality. Read the full article

The U.S Food and Drug Administration has requested Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) to test another round of Paxlovid on patients experiencing rebound COVID-19 after treatment. The regulator also asked Pfizer to produce the first results from a randomisPFEed controlled trial that evaluated the effects of a second oral drug dose. The regulator expects these results by September 30. The order comes after an increased number of cases where patients have recurring symptoms or viral infection after treatment with Paxlovid. While the company claims that the cases are rare, the FDA has started talks with Pfizer over the matter. The FDA has stated the need for a protocol to treat people with recurring infection It is now working with Pfizer to come up with appropriate measures. Famous cases of rebound infection The most famous case of a rebound infection was with U.S President Joe Biden. The President experienced symptoms days after he was treated with Paxlovid. Biden tested positive for seven straight days after his rebound diagnosis. Biden had initially tested positive on July 21. He was treated and then tested negative twice after his isolation. Days later, the president tested positive again and developed symptoms of COVID-19, including a cough. Another famous case for rebound COVID was with Dr Anthony Fauci, Biden’s Chief Medical Adviser. Dr Fauci reports that he experienced worse symptoms after he received treatment due to his first round of infection. Fauci, who is 81 l, received Paxlovid as his age put him at risk for severe disease. He states that the drug served this purpose and protected him from severe illness. The CDC gives guidelines for rebound illness The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advises people with rebound disease after taking Paxlovid to isolate and keep wearing masks for ten days from the reappearance of symptoms. While many still test positive after ten days, they are less likely to shed the virus. Although many people believe the rebound disease only occurs in people who takes Paxlovid, a new study indicates that anyone could experience it. The study indicates that 27% of untreated people experience rebound symptoms a month after the initial infection. However, this research isn’t peer reviewed. Read the full article

Retailers are opposing MasterCard Inc.'s (NYSE: MA) new offering that enables customers to pay for their products in installments. MasterCard to charge merchants 3% of the buying price  The payments industry behemoth has started informing retailers and banks that it plans to charge merchants 3% of the buying price every time a customer chooses to utilize the new scheme. Although they will be given the option to opt-out, merchants will be involuntarily registered in Mastercard's new buy-now, pay-later service. Some of the biggest shops in the nation were taken aback by the pricing, as many of them had previously reached separate agreements with credit card companies and buy-now, pay-later companies that may have prevented them from providing their clients with rival services. While the 3% fee is greater than any of the company's standard rates for credit card acceptance it is still less than what the majority of independent buy-now, pay-later players charge for their goods, which has led some to embrace the new service. The company’s EVP for products and engineering at Purchase Chiro Aikat said, “The promise of BNPL will fully be realized when everyone benefits -- lenders, merchants and, ultimately, the consumer. When we built our program last year, we were deliberate in enabling another seamless and transparent way to pay, with the same levels of trust and security that’s expected from Mastercard.” Merchants in dispute with MasterCard The dispute is the most recent chapter in the protracted conflict between merchants, Mastercard, and competitor Visa Inc. According to the industry magazine The Nilson Report, merchants have become more vocal about the rising cost of receiving money transfers, with processing costs reaching $137.8 billion just last year. As part of the networks' response to an increase in consumer interest in spreading out the value of their purchases, Mastercard launched the installments scheme last year. The decision was made after startups like Afterpay and Klarna, which specialize in financial technology for the buy-now, pay-later market, had already sucked out upwards of $10 billion in yearly revenue from financial institutions. Read the full article

Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) has announced encouraging results from the pivotal US third phase study (NCTO4382326) in infants assessing its 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine candidate for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease attributed to the 20 Streptococcus pneumonia (pneumococcus) serotypes contained in the vaccine for the pediatric population. The study met two co-primary objectives  The two co-primary objectives of the study, related to immunogenicity responses one month following the third and fourth doses of the 4-dose vaccination series, were NI of IgG geometric mean concentrations after Dose-4 and noninferiority of the percentage of participants with predefined serotype-specific immunoglobin G (IgG) concentrations after dose 3 met co-primary endpoint. After Dose 4, all 20 serotypes achieved the co-primary goal of NI of IgG GMCs. Fourteen of the 20 serotypes achieved noninferiority for the primary, secondary objective of IgG GMCs after Dose 3. All serotypes achieved noninferiority for the co-primary goal of NI of the number of subjects with predetermined IgG levels following Dose 3. In the 20-valent vaccine candidate, all 20 serotypes produced strong functional responses (OPA) and improvements in antibody levels after Dose 4. The sum of the findings supports the possible benefits of all 20 serotypes. 20vPnC showed potential in pneumococcal disease  Chief Scientific Officer Annaliesa Anderson said, "We are encouraged by today’s data which show that if approved for a pediatric indication, 20vPnC would have the potential to cover more of the clinically significant remaining burden of infant pneumococcal disease than any other available pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. We are grateful to everyone who made this study possible, including the study investigators and in particular the trial participants and their parents/guardians for their contribution to this important research.” The safety profile of the 20vPnC candidate was consistent with Prevnar 13 provided in the same schedule. In addition, a similar percentage of infants who received either vaccine showed a local reaction, fever, and other systemic reactions. Based on the totality of the encouraging immunogenicity and safety data, Pfizer is planning to submit a supplemental Biologics License Application by the end of the year after engaging the FDA. Read the full article