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Becky Hammon praises mentor Gregg Popovich, says she’s ‘happy’ in WNBA

Sport 3 Mins Read

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon says her ‘heart’s a little heavy’ for Gregg Popovich, who officially stepped down as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs after 29 seasons.

“My heart’s a little heavy for him because I know how much he loves it,” Hammon said on Friday ahead of the Aces’ preseason matchup against the Dallas Wings. She said Popovich, who will transition into the role of the Spurs’ president of basketball operations, is ‘one of the greatest to do it. Arguably, the greatest to do it.” 

Hammon said she texted Popovich following the news, telling her 76-year-old mentor that she’s ‘thinking about him and love(s) him’ because she’s sure it was ‘a heavy, heavy decision for him’ to step away. Hammon said she has no doubt that Popovich will ‘crush this new role just as much.’

‘I know he’ll still be running around that facility and be heavily involved with the everyday decisions. He will always be the most competitive person in the building, whatever building he’s in,’ Hammon said. ‘That part doesn’t change just because you get a little bit older.’

GREGG POPOVICH STEPS DOWN: Six ways he left his footprint on the Spurs and NBA

Hammon got her start in coaching after Popovich hired her as an assistant coach in August 2014, making her only the second female coach in NBA history. Hammon coached the Spurs to a Summer League title in 2015, the first woman to do so. When Popovich was ejected in the second quarter of the Spurs’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 30, 2020, Hammon became the first female acting head coach in league history.

Hammon interviewed for the Milwaukee Bucks’ general manager position in 2017 and the Portland Trail Blazers’ head coaching vacancy in 2021, before accepting the Las Vegas Aces’ head coaching job in December 2021.

“He’s a huge reason why I got this job,” said Hammon, who won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023 and is 87-29 in three seasons as the head coach of the Aces. ‘That’s who mentored me. That’s who spent literally thousands of hours with me.’

Hammon said Popovich’s leadership always stood out to her during the eight years she spent on his staff.

‘I think what was always so amazing about Pop was how he led,’ she said. ‘People have different leadership styles, but I thought he got the absolute most out of his roster. Whatever his roster looked like. Turns out, he had some really good players.’

After news of Popovich stepping down hit the airwaves, many sports reporters endorsed Hammon as his successor and recommended she be named the Spurs’ next head coach to continue his legacy. The job is going to Mitch Johnson, who has served as the interim head coach since Popovich suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2.

Hammon said she’s ‘super happy where I’m at.’

‘This opportunity for me, I couldn’t pass on it. … I bet on myself instead of, maybe waiting it out for a maybe (in the NBA). I’ve enjoyed being back on the women’s side. You guys know I’m effusive about my love for this team and being back in the women’s game,’ Hammon said. ‘If I were to ever make that jump again, it would just have to be the right fit, right time and for the right people with the right team.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Who will win Stars vs. Avalanche Game 7? Predictions, how to watch

Sport 2 Mins Read

The Dallas Stars have an advantage besides home-ice advantage when they host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 on Saturday night.

They have coach Peter DeBoer.

DeBoer has an 8-0 record in Game 7s. If the Stars win Saturday, he would set a record for most Game 7 victories by either a coach or a player.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, meanwhile, has never won a Game 7, going 0-3.

DeBoer is also 3-0 in playoff series against the Avalanche. Colorado has never won a Game 7 on the road since moving from Quebec in 1995.

USA TODAY Sports offers its predictions on whether the Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche will win Game 7 and advance to the second round:

Game 7 predictions

Jason Anderson – Avalanche 5, Stars 2: Colorado has created more of the chances throughout the series, and that has to add up to something. Expect a close one that sees Cale Makar dominate, with the Avs finally sealing the series with a late empty-netter.

Mike Brehm – Avalanche 5, Stars 3: DeBoer can’t stay perfect forever, right? I had the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup and I have faith they can pull this one off against a Stars team still missing Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen. Just make sure you don’t give up a goal in the first nine seconds this time.

Jace Evans – Avalanche 4, Stars 3: I picked Avalanche in seven before the series and I’m sticking with it. The Avs have, on balance, been the better team this series, holding a 22-17 advantage in goals and a 214-167(!) edge in shots.

How to watch Stars vs. Avalanche Game 7: TV, stream

  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • Location: American Airlines Center (Dallas)
  • TV: ABC
  • Stream: Fubo, ESPN+
This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Paige Bueckers gets first taste of WNBA action. How did she do?

Sport 3 Mins Read

SOUTH BEND, IN – All basketball eyes Friday were on WNBA rookie Paige Bueckers. 

Except those on former Notre Dame All-American guard Arike Ogunbowale. Or former Irish guards Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young. The three veterans received warm welcome back receptions during the first WNBA game played at Purcell Pavilion, an exhibition Friday between the Las Vegas Aces and the Dallas Wings. 

Bueckers, the top pick by Dallas in last month’s WNBA draft, wasn’t far behind. She was cheered when she was the second Wings starter announced. She was cheered after her first bucket with 6:12 left in the first quarter. 

She was usually jeered during two previous trips to Notre Dame, which both ended in UConn losses. 

“It wasn’t UConn playing Notre Dame so it was a littel bit different energy from the crowd,” Bueckers said. 

Twenty-six days after leading Connecticut to its 12th national championship, the Dallas rookie looked Friday like a rookie. In 22:37 on the court, Bueckers had 10 points, four rebounds and one assist. She made four of seven shots from the floor and two of three from 3. She did not attempt a free throw and finished with a plus/minus of (-23). 

Bueckers left the game for good with 5:31 remaining and Dallas down 94-75. 

“It’s super surreal in terms of the turnaround from where I was two weeks to where I am today,” Bueckers said. “I’m just excited to play basketball again.” 

Las Vegas won 112-78. 

Bueckers matched up much of the night against Young, one of the game’s elite guards. Young, also a No. 1 pick, admitted earlier in the day that it took years to adjust to the speed and style of the WNBA game. It’s nothing like college, something all rookies learn. 

The pace, the flow, the talent level on the other team and the physicality all were adjustments for Bueckers. 

“She’s just very poised and composed all the time,” said Dallas coach Chris Koclanes, also making his WNBA debut on Friday. “Just another game for her.” 

Koclanes’ pre-game message to Bueckers was simple — go and play in the present, don’t worry about being perfect. Nobody is. 

It looked like a game where Bueckers was still trying to figure it all out. Not trying to do too much, she often did too little. The Wings fell into an early eight-point deficit with Bueckers on the floor, then took the lead with her on the bench. 

Not long after she returned, the Aces built a double-digit lead. Dallas trailed by 19 at halftime and by as many as 34. Bueckers settled down a bit in the second half, where she banged in a pair of wing 3-pointers. 

It’s a long year for someone who’s already had a long basketball run. There will be ups and downs, wins and losses. Bueckers will be better for all of it down the line. 

“This is just the start,” she said. “You want to build off that.” 

The construction continues. 

Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Stock

Top 10 Stock Charts For May 2025: Breakouts, Trends & Big Moves!

Stock 1 Min Read

Discover the top 10 stock charts to watch this month with Grayson Roze and David Keller, CMT. They break down breakout strategies, moving average setups, and technical analysis strategies using relative strength, momentum, and trend-following indicators. This analysis covers key market trends that could impact your trading decisions. You don’t want to miss these insights into market dynamics and chart patterns that could impact your trading decisions.

This video originally premiered on May 1, 2025. Click on the above image to watch on our dedicated Grayson Roze page on StockCharts TV.

You can view previously recorded videos from Grayson at this link.

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The Hidden Meaning Behind the Tech Sector’s Rally (And How to Spot It)

Stock 5 Mins Read

When you’re lost in the woods, you reach for a compass to find true north. In the markets, it’s not so simple, as the landscape is always shifting. If there is a “true north” in this terrain, it might be better understood as a characteristic—strength and momentum over time, rather than a single stock or sector.

With sentiment muddled and signals mixed, how do you cut through near-term noise and find the “true north” in a shifting market landscape? This is where StockCharts’ MarketCarpets comes in. You can think of it as a visual compass that can help you reorient and recalibrate.

What MarketCarpets is Saying Now

All MarketCarpets readings use the five-day setting, since shorter time frames are particularly susceptible to noise in the current context.

FIGURE 1. MARKETCARPETS S&P VIEW. Lots of green, but I want to see a reduction.

On Thursday morning, there were more bullish greens than bearish reds. They represent S&P 500 stocks performing better relative to others—specifically from a ‘long only’ (bullish) perspective. But what do those greens have in common?

The answer is that most, if not all, are Information Technology sector funds.

Technology Sector Leads the Charge in S&P 500

If you select the S&P Sector ETFs group, Technology is the strongest among all 11 S&P sectors.

FIGURE 2. MARKETCARPETS SECTORS. Technology is far ahead of most other sectors, which read bullish.

If you follow financial news, you’re probably well aware of how certain tech companies are performing, especially in light of the current earnings season.

But not every investor wants to risk allocating capital toward individual stocks, given the volatility of today’s geopolitical environment, where news on a given day can cause markets to soar or slump. So, conservative investors, particularly those in or nearing retirement, might want to opt for a sector ETF instead, like the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK).

Why is technology outperforming?

Six Reasons Tech Stocks are Outperforming in 2025

Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s going on:

  • AI and cloud boom. Enterprise-focused giants are thriving due to surging AI demand.
  • Earnings confidence. Big tech’s strong earnings are keeping investor sentiment positive despite market volatility.
  • Tariff mitigation. Tech companies are proactively shifting supply chains to soften tariff impact.
  • Tariff relief. Temporary exemptions on key tech products give hardware makers a short-term boost.
  • Long-term innovation appeal. Investors see AI, chips, and automation as long-term growth drivers.
  • Stable revenue streams. Tech firms with enterprise and software services offer more stability than consumer-driven sectors.

Technology Sector Overbought? Market Breadth Says Maybe

That’s a lot of fundamental talk, but what does the technical picture look like? Let’s start by analyzing market breadth with the S&P Technology Sector Bullish Percent Index ($BPINFO) chart.

FIGURE 3. TECH SECTOR BPI. Most tech stocks in the sector are ultra-bullish, but that can also signal overbought conditions.

The Bullish Percent Index (BPI) is at 85, meaning 85% of all stocks within the sector are triggering Point & Figure Buy Signals. Above 50% is bullish, but above 70%, let alone 85%, XLK is straddling ultra-bullish to overbought.

If you look at the magenta rectangle, you can see where XLK’s trend is situated—at the point of recovery following a two-month tumble. However, it’s still below its 200-day simple moving average (SMA), and, as the saying goes, nothing good happens below the 200.

XLK’s Price and Volume Action: A Closer Look

Let’s zoom in on a daily chart.

FIGURE 4. DAILY CHART OF XLK. It broke above resistance, but can it sustain upward momentum?

XLK’s recovery effort gained momentum with a notable gap up on Thursday. Positive momentum is reinforced by a rising Relative Strength Index (RSI) above the 50 level, suggesting XLK still has room to run.

From a volume perspective, the On Balance Volume (OBV) indicator is trending higher, signaling increased buying pressure. A 20-day SMA is overlaid to show how OBV is performing relative to its average. However, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF), hovering flat near the zero line (see blue circle), indicates accumulation with hesitation.

Key Support Levels to Watch If You’re Bullish on XLK

If you’re considering a long position in XLK, keep an eye on these key technical levels:

  • Initial Support – $205. The breakout level around $205 (marked by the blue dotted line) should act as the first line of support on any pullback.
  • Secondary Support Zone – $185 to $187.50. If $205 fails, the yellow-shaded zone becomes the next support range. But note: if price falls here, the $205 breakout level may flip into resistance.
  • Critical Support – $172.50. A drop toward $172.50 could signal deeper technical weakness. That’s why the area is shaded red—to underscore its importance.

In each case, monitor the CMF for confirmation. A rising CMF, especially in the first two support zones, would suggest continued buying pressure—a bullish signal. Conversely, if CMF dips below the zero line, it would signal growing selling pressure, reinforcing a more bearish outlook.

At the Close

The tech sector is leading the charge, but you have to estimate whether momentum is real or just generating noise. MarketCarpets works like a compass, helping you visually navigate market conditions and spot patterns. Pair it with tools like RSI, OBV, CMF, or any other preferred tool in your analytical toolbox to create well-defined setups and exits. In a market environment driven by sentiment, headlines, fear, and FOMO, having a solid technical foundation is more important than ever.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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Investing

Halcones Precious Metals Closes Non-Brokered Offering

Investing 5 Mins Read

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

Halcones Precious Metals Corp. (TSX-V: HPM) (the ‘ Company ‘ or ‘ Halcones ‘) announces it has closed, on an upsized basis, its previously-announced non-brokered private placement of units (the ‘ Offering ‘) of the Company (the ‘ Units ‘) pursuant to which the Company issued 10,204,153 Units at a price of $0.07 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $714,290.71. Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (‘ Common Share ‘) and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.10 per Common Share for a period of 36 months following the date hereof.

The Company plans to use the net proceeds of the Offering to continue the exploration work on its Polaris Project as well as for general corporate working capital purposes.

Insiders of the Company participated in the Offering and were issued an aggregate of 2,571,428 Units. Such participation in the Offering is a ‘related party transaction’ as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘ MI 61-101 ‘). The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities issued to insiders nor the consideration for such securities by insiders exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.

In connection with the Offering, the Company paid cash finder’s fees of $9,099.30 and issued 129,990 finder’s warrants (the ‘ Finder Warrants ‘) to eligible finders. Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.07 for a period of 36 months following the date hereof. The Offering remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About Halcones Precious Metals Corp.

Halcones is focused on exploring for and developing gold-silver projects in Chile. The Company has a team with a strong background of exploration success in the region.

For further information, please contact:

Vincent Chen, CPA
Investor Relations
vincent.chen@halconespm.com
www.halconespreciousmetals.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information

This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, regarding the Offering, the Company’s intended use of proceeds from the Offering, the approval of the Offering by the TSXV, the Company’s ability to explore and develop its Polaris project and the Company’s future plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’ or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’, ‘forecasts’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, or ‘believes’, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will be taken’, ‘occur’ or ‘be achieved’. Forward- looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Halcones, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; risks associated with operation in foreign jurisdictions; ability to successfully integrate the purchased properties; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the mining industry. Although Halcones has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Halcones does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

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.

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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Trump Administration Strikes 50/50 Minerals Deal with Ukraine

Investing 5 Mins Read

The Trump administration has finalized a profit-sharing agreement with Ukraine that will give the US a 50 percent stake in future revenues from the war-torn country’s stores of critical minerals.

At the heart of the deal, announced on Wednesday (April 30), is a set of materials that are foundational to both economic growth and national security, including graphite, lithium, titanium, beryllium and uranium.

The deal also covers the 17 rare earth elements, which are key components in the manufacturing of clean energy technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and modern weapons systems.

According to US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, the deal is part of Washington’s broader vision for “a peace process centred on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”

“President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine,” Bessent added in a statement.

While emphasizing a commitment to peace in Ukraine, he also issued a warning: any entity ‘who financed or supplied the Russian war machine’ will be barred from taking part in Ukraine’s reconstruction, a thinly veiled reference to Russia’s state-backed energy and mining sectors, as well as Chinese firms with close ties to Moscow.

The US currently imports many key minerals. The US Geological Survey states that of the 50 minerals it classifies as “critical,” the country is 100 percent import-dependent on 12 of them, and more than 50 percent dependent on 16 others.

Meanwhile, China has established near-total dominance over global rare earths production and refining, raising alarms in western capitals about overreliance on a strategic rival.

Ukraine, in contrast, is sitting on a potential treasure trove. The Ukrainian government says it has deposits of 22 of the 50 critical minerals the US deems critical, including some of the world’s largest graphite and lithium reserves.

Many of these resources are located in the country’s eastern and southern regions, some of which remain under Russian occupation and are worth an estimated US$500 billion in untapped reserves.

A deal born of conflict and eventual compromise

The minerals deal has a fraught history, with Trump originally pitching it as a way for the US to be “repaid” for military assistance provided to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Trump claims the US has sent over US$350 billion in aid, a figure far higher than the official tally of US$183 billion listed on the US government’s own Ukraine Oversight webpage.

That early version of the agreement collapsed after a tense Oval Office meeting on February 28, during which Trump blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for failing to prevent Russia’s invasion.

Negotiations were revived following a more conciliatory conversation between the two leaders during Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome. Since then, Trump has softened his public rhetoric toward Kyiv while sharpening criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has dismissed Trump’s ceasefire overtures.

Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting on the day the deal was signed, Trump defended the agreement as a necessary course correction after years of what he described as “throwing money out the window.”

“We had no security, we had no nothing — just pouring money there, unsecured money,” Trump said. “So I said, ‘Well, we want something for our efforts beyond what you would think to be acceptable.’”

The final version of the deal, confirmed by Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, establishes a joint development fund with equal 50/50 profit sharing. “It is important that the agreement will become a signal to other global players that it is reliable to cooperate with Ukraine in the long term — for decades,” she said in a post on X, also emphasizing that Kyiv will retain sovereign control over resource management.

Still, the negotiations came down to the wire. Bessent admitted that Ukrainian officials had proposed last-minute changes, delaying the signing until the afternoon.

The precise terms of the final accord remain under wraps, and the treasury department has declined to release a full copy, despite reporting from the Washington Post and the Kyiv Independent on key provisions.

Opportunities and risks moving forward

While Trump has portrayed the agreement as a personal victory and proof of his commitment to “peace through strength,” some analysts caution that the US-Ukraine minerals partnership could be vulnerable to future instability.

Ed Verona, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, has warned that “few serious US investors will put their shareholders’ money at risk based on such a clearly unbalanced ‘deal.’”

Verona cited Russia’s own resource history as a cautionary tale. “Production sharing agreements signed during the difficult transitional period of the 1990s were subsequently repudiated by Putin’s regime, with Western partners forced to surrender control and majority ownership in major projects,” he said.

Moreover, with no security guarantees attached to the deal, Ukraine’s ability to develop its resource sector could still be jeopardized by continued fighting, especially as some of the most mineral-rich regions remain under Russian control.

As the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, approaches, where Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Zelenskyy are expected to meet again, western unity on Ukraine’s reconstruction will be under scrutiny.

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

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Top 5 Manganese Reserves by Country

Investing 5 Mins Read

Manganese, a key ingredient for the steel market, is also seeing growth in demand from the electric vehicle battery sector, particularly when it comes to high-purity manganese chemical products.

Manganese investors are often interested to hear which countries produce the most of the metal. After all, if a nation is producing a lot of manganese, many companies are likely operating there, and investment opportunities may thus be available.

However, what investors sometimes fail to consider is manganese reserves, or how much economically mineable manganese a country holds, and which companies are working to bring those reserves into production.

Here’s an overview of the five countries with the highest manganese reserves. Data for this list of manganese reserves by country comes from the US Geological Survey’s 2025 report on manganese.

1. South Africa

Manganese reserves: 560 million metric tons

At 560 million metric tons, South Africa holds the highest manganese reserves in the world by a long shot. The nation is also the world’s top producer of the metal, with 2024 output of 7.4 million metric tons.

South32 (ASX:S32,LSE:S32,OTC Pink:SHTLF) is a major presence in the South African manganese space. Its South Africa Manganese operation is located in the manganese-rich Kalahari Basin and consists of the open-pit Mamatwan mine, the underground Wessels mine and the Metalloys manganese alloy smelter.

Another ASX-listed manganese miner, Jupiter Mines (ASX:JMS,OTC Pink:JMXXF) is also operating in the area at its Tshipi Borwa mine, considered the largest manganese mine in country and one of the largest in the world.

2. China

Manganese reserves: 280 million metric tons

The country with the next highest manganese reserves is China at 280 million metric tons of manganese. The Asian nation is also the sixth largest producer of manganese ore, the largest producer of refined manganese and the largest consumer of the metal. Unsurprisingly, China’s economy and government regulations have an outsized impact on the global manganese market.

There have been several significant manganese discoveries in China over the last decade. In late 2023, new manganese deposits were discovered in the southeast province of Jiangxi during government-led exploration work, and manganese deposits were discovered in the southwest province of Guizhou in 2017. More recently, in March 2025, Chinese government geologists confirmed an inferred resource estimate of 6.07 million tons of manganese ore in the Maowanli manganese project in the Sichuan province.

Looking further down the value added chain, Australian miner Firebird Metals (ASX:FRB,OTC Pink:FRBMF) has partnered with a subsidiary of China National Chemical Engineering Co. (SHA:601117) to build a high-purity manganese sulphate plant in China, which has entered pilot production. Firebird has an ore supply agreement in place with Eramet (EPA:ERA) for manganese ore to feed the plant, and it could potentially be supplied by Firebird’s Oakover manganese project in Australia in the future.

3. Brazil

Manganese reserves: 270 million metric tons

Brazil hosts a total of 270 million metric tons of manganese reserves as of 2024. The country produced 590,000 metric tons of the metal in 2024, making it the seventh-largest manganese-producing country.

Buritirama Mining, a subsidiary of Grupo Buritipar, is Brazil’s leading producer of the metal. The company invested US$200 million in 2023 to expand operations at its Para state mine.

Major miner Vale (NYSE:VALE), previously the largest manganese miner in the country, offloaded its Brazilian manganese and iron ore assets to J&F Investimentos in 2022. Going forward, J&F has said it plans to invest more than US$1 billion in increasing the iron ore and manganese output from the mines it purchased from Vale.

4. Australia

Manganese reserves: 110 million metric tons

At 110 million metric tons, Australia holds the fourth highest manganese reserves in the world. The nation is also the world’s third largest producer of the metal. In 2024, Australia’s manganese output came in at 2.8 million metric tons.

Australia’s largest manganese ore producer is Groote Eylandt, a 60/40 joint venture between South32 and Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF), in the nation’s Northern Territory. In mid-March 2024, operations at Groote Eylandt were negatively impacted by Tropical Cyclone Meghan — the second strongest cyclone to hit the area in the past two decades.

The storm damaged critical infrastructure at the site, including a haulage bridge between the mine and processing facilities, as well as the wharf from which manganese ore is shipped. South32 is currently conducting engineering studies to determine a schedule and capital costs to make the repairs needed to restore operations at Groote Eylandt.

As of mid-April 2025, South32 had completed construction at the wharf and expected to start export sales again in May.

5. Gabon

Manganese reserves: 61 million metric tons

Gabon hosts the fifth largest manganese reserves in the world at 61 million metric tons; however, the Central African nation is the second largest producer of the metal with an output of 4.6 million metric tons in 2024.

Gabon is also the largest source of US manganese imports at 63 percent in 2024 compared to 23 percent from South Africa.

Eramet’s Moanda mine is a centerstone of the country’s manganese mining sector and it is based on one of the world’s richest manganese deposits. Eramet is the world’s second largest miner of high-grade manganese ore and operates the mine through its subsidiary COMILOG. In response to an oversupplied market, Eramet temporarily paused production at Moanda in the fourth quarter of 2024, but it has since recommenced.

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

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Crypto Market Recap: Trump’s US$2B Stablecoin Deal with UAE Sparks Ethics Debate

Investing 6 Mins Read

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (April 30) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$93,992.22 as markets closed for the day, down 1.3 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range has seen a low of US$93,333.62 and a high of US$94,464.34.

Bitcoin performance, April 30, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Cryptocurrencies have fallen slightly after the US Department of Commerce revealed that US gross domestic product declined by 0.3 percent in Q1, in contrast to economists’ expectations for a 0.4 percent gain.

Wednesday’s reading marks the first decline since Q1 2022. “Multiple indicators are now showing a recession to be the base case expectation in 2025,” according to the Kobeissi Letter.

Ethereum (ETH) ended the day at US$1,782.75, a 1.9 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$1,750.28 and reached its daily high as the markets wrapped.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) ended the day valued at US$145.18, down 2.5 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$141.31 and peaked at $145.61.
  • XRP traded at US$2.19, reflecting a 4.3 percent decrease over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency recorded an intraday low of US$2.15 and reached its highest point at US$2.20.
  • Sui (SUI) was priced at US$3.41, showing a decreaseof four percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$3.32 and a high of US$3.46.
  • Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.6808, down 3.6 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price on Wednesday was US$0.6711, with a high of US$0.6862.

Today’s crypto news to know

Grayscale launches Bitcoin Adopters ETF

On Wednesday, Grayscale announced the launch of the Grayscale Bitcoin Adopters ETF on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol BCOR. The fund is based on the Indxx Bitcoin Adopters Index.

The launch of this exchange-traded fund (ETF) represents the growing interest in Bitcoin among corporations. According to Rahul Sen Sharma, president and Co-CEO at Indxx, public companies’ Bitcoin holdings increased by 16.1 percent in the year’s first quarter, valued at approximately US$57 billion. Roughly 3 percent of Bitcoin’s total supply is now held by companies globally, indicating a major shift in corporate treasury management.

Tether announces plans for US dollar stablecoin

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino announced in a CNBC interview on Wednesday afternoon that his company plans to launch a US dollar stablecoin in the US as early as the end of this year or in early 2026.

Tether’s existing USDT stablecoin is the leading US dollar exporter with a market cap of nearly US$150 billion; however, it is overshadowed in the US by Circle’s rival product, USDC.

Ardoino told CNBC that USDT was created for smaller, developing economies, and that its new product will be designed with features that cater specifically to the US market.

SEC postpones decisions on XRP and DOGE ETFs

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has extended its review period for two proposed spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to XRP and Dogecoin, delaying any decision until mid-June.

The agency cited a need for more time to evaluate the filings, specifically the Bitwise DOGE ETF and the Franklin XRP Fund, and the legal issues they raise.

Under federal securities law, the SEC is allowed up to 90 days from the initial publication to make a decision, and this delay appears to fall within that window. Analysts speculated that the delay was anticipated and aligns with broader expectations that most final rulings will land in the fall.

While DOGE and XRP prices saw little immediate movement, the delay signals the SEC’s continued caution around expanding ETF offerings beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Kraken launches ‘Embed’ service to let banks offer crypto trading

Crypto exchange Kraken is opening a new front in institutional crypto adoption with the launch of “Embed,” a plug-and-play crypto trading service for fintechs, neobanks, and traditional financial institutions.

Announced on Wednesday, the service enables companies to integrate crypto trading directly into their apps and websites using Kraken’s APIs, bypassing the need to build costly infrastructure or secure their own licenses.

Amsterdam-based digital bank Bunq is the first to roll out the new service, debuting ‘Bunq Crypto’ to let European users trade digital assets within its existing app.

According to Kraken’s head of payments, Brett McLain, the goal is to offer access to a wide range of tokens and fast asset listings, which he says sets Kraken apart from other white-label providers like Bitpanda.

Embed customers will pay variable service fees and share a portion of trading revenues with Kraken.

KuCoin pledges US$2 billion to Trust project

KuCoin announced a bold US$2 billion investment into what it’s calling the “Trust Project,” a sweeping initiative to restore user confidence and improve transparency across its platform.

The announcement was made during the TOKEN2049 conference in Dubai, where KuCoin executives laid out a roadmap focused on regulatory alignment, user protection, and responsible innovation.

A major component of the project involves giving the exchange’s native token, KCS, a larger role in governance, risk mitigation, and user reward structures. CEO BC Wong said the investment is aimed at securing the “long-term health” of the digital asset ecosystem by strengthening accountability and neutralizing systemic risks.

The initiative arrives as global regulators intensify their scrutiny of centralized exchanges and demand higher standards for custody, disclosures, and user safeguards.

Nasdaq files to list 21Shares Dogecoin ETF

In a fresh bid to tap into retail enthusiasm for meme coins, the Nasdaq has submitted a formal application with the SEC to list the 21Shares Dogecoin ETF, according to a 19b-4 filing released Tuesday.

The ETF is designed to track Dogecoin’s market performance via the CF DOGE-Dollar Settlement Price Index and will hold the token directly, without using leverage or derivatives.

Coinbase Custody Trust has been named as the fund’s official custodian, offering added legitimacy and security to the proposed vehicle. The filing comes in the wake of 21Shares’ S-1 registration and its partnership with the House of Doge — a corporate arm of the Dogecoin Foundation — to promote the fund.

Although the SEC recently delayed a decision on Bitwise’s similar DOGE ETF, Nasdaq’s move signals sustained momentum behind bringing more meme coin exposure to regulated markets.

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

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

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