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Gold Price Hits New Record, Breaking US$3,300 for First Time

Investing 3 Mins Read

The gold price reached yet another record high on Wednesday (April 16), breaking US$3,300 per ounce.

The precious metal has gained significant momentum since the beginning of the year. In trading on Wednesday it surged past the US$3,200 mark, climbing as high as US$3,354.10 per ounce. The price retreated below the US$3,300 mark on Thursday (April 17).

The rise comes after statements from US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell made at the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday. In his remarks, he said that he expects US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy to negatively impact US economic growth and further fuel inflation.

In addition to gold climbing to record highs, the US dollar sank to its lowest point in three years with the DXY dollar index falling to 99.3 points on Thursday.

Gold price chart, April 10, 2025, to April 17, 2025.

Gold prices have soared in recent weeks amidst the chaos caused by Donald Trump’s tariff announcements on April 2.

Those measures included a 10 percent tariff on all but a handful of countries, including Canada and Mexico, with more severe reciprocal tariffs to come into effect this week. However, on April 9, Trump announced he would pause the additional tariffs for 90 days, saying more than 70 countries had contacted him to make deals.

Trump may have also been feeling pressure from economic advisors as a surge in treasury yields signaled a potential economic crisis brewing in the US bond market. Normally a safe haven during market volatility, the bond market saw a significant selloff this week as US tariffs and worries about the US economy’s stability spooked traders.

Although the pause gave most countries some breathing room, tariffs against China were left on the table. After much back and forth, US tariffs levied against China have now increased to 145 percent.

The net effect of Trump’s actions has been political and financial turmoil, sparking selloffs in major stock markets and pushing prices for safe-haven assets like gold to fresh records.

Additionally, China, Japan and South Korea agreed on March 30 to seek deeper free trade ties in response to the threat of tariffs from the US government. The deal marks a significant move by the three countries following decades of US diplomacy to maintain close relationships with Japan and South Korea.

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

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Westport Announces Annual General and Special Meeting and Timing of Q1 2025 Financial Results

Investing 2 Mins Read

Westport Fuel Systems Inc. (TSX: WPRT Nasdaq: WPRT) (‘Westport’ or the ‘Company’) announces that the Company will release Q1 2025 financial results on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, after market close. A conference call and webcast to discuss the financial results and other corporate developments will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

Time: 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT)
Call Link: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI73bcac200e5f4652873668cf803d72ed
Webcast: https://investors.wfsinc.com

Participants may register up to 60 minutes before the event by clicking on the call link and completing the online registration form. Upon registration, the user will receive dial-in info and a unique PIN, along with an email confirming the details.

The webcast will be archived on Westport’s website and a replay will be available at https://investors.wfsinc.com .

Annual General and Special Meeting

Westport will host its 2025 Annual General and Special Meeting (the ‘Meeting’) virtually on May 15, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. ET).

To streamline the virtual meeting process, Westport encourages shareholders to vote in advance of the Meeting using the voting instruction form or the form of proxy which has been shared with shareholders with the Meeting materials. Further instructions on voting and accessing the meeting are contained in the Management Information Circular under ‘Section 1: Voting’ – upon receipt, please review these materials carefully.

Registered Shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders can attend the meeting online at https://meetnow.global/MD2JR55 to participate, vote, or submit questions during the meeting’s live webcast.

About Westport Fuel Systems

At Westport Fuel Systems, we are driving innovation to power a cleaner tomorrow. We are a leading supplier of advanced fuel delivery components and systems for clean, low-carbon fuels such as natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane, and hydrogen to the global transportation industry. Our technology delivers the performance and fuel efficiency required by transportation applications and the environmental benefits that address climate change and urban air quality challenges. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, we serve our customers in approximately 70 countries with leading global transportation brands. At Westport Fuel Systems, we think ahead. For more information, visit www.wfsinc.com.

Investor Inquiries:
Investor Relations
T: +1 604-718-2046
E: invest@wfsinc.com

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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Google’s Ad Tech Business Faces Uncertainty After Court Ruling

Investing 4 Mins Read

On April 17 (Thursday), Judge Leonie Brinkema of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled against Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) in the antitrust case concerning its advertising technology business, casting a shroud of uncertainty over the future of the tech giant’s online advertising business.

Brinkema will now need to determine what remedies to impose on Google to restore fair market competition. The plaintiffs sought to force Google to divest its Ad Manager, which includes the company’s publisher ad server and its ad exchange, to restore competition in the market. This outcome is far more likely following Judge Brinkema’s ruling.

This is a developing story happening alongside a similar case against Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), which is being sued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for allegedly monopolizing social media through its acquisition of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.

This trial against Google began in September 2024, and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit comprise the Department of Justice (DOJ) and attorneys general from eight states.

The plaintiffs argued that Google’s dominance in ad tech allowed it to charge higher prices and take a larger share of ad sales. They accused Google of stifling competition by controlling the technology used to place ads on websites across the internet.

The ruling against Google marks a significant step in one of numerous anti-competitive cases brought against Google in the past few years, both in the US and internationally.

It follows an earlier ruling in August 2024 in which Google was found to have an illegal monopoly in the online search market in the US. That case will move into the remedies phase next week, with a court date of April 21, 2025.

“This is a game-changer,” wrote Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, one of the plaintiffs in both cases. “As Judge Brinkema writes in her decision, Google was in direct violation of the Sherman Act by dictating how digital ads are sold and the terms under which its rivals can compete.

‘With this victory in hand, we can hopefully work now towards restoring a fair, free, and competitive digital advertising marketplace. This decision is the first step in opening up competition so that Connecticut businesses and consumers will pay less for advertising – and therefore less for goods and services. We will no longer be under the thumb of a gigantic multinational conglomerate.”

US District Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled against Google in the August 2024 case, has considered imposing structural remedies that could involve forcing Google to divest its Chrome business, although Google has argued divestiture would hurt consumers. Instead, the company has suggested allowing browser companies to have multiple default agreements with various search engines.

Regulators have been digging into various aspects of Google’s business, including its advertising technology, search practices and mobile operating system.

In addition to the current case, Google is also facing scrutiny from antitrust regulators in Europe, the UK and other jurisdictions. The outcomes of these cases could have far-reaching implications for Google’s business model and the tech industry as a whole.

Today’s ruling signifies a major development in the ongoing scrutiny of Big Tech’s market dominance, which echoes efforts to dismantle AT&T’s (NYSE:T) phone monopoly in the 1980s. The eventual outcome of that case led to AT&T’s breakup into seven independent enterprises, which laid the groundwork for some of today’s major telecommunications and internet services providers, including Verizon (NYSE:VZ) and Lumen Technologies (NYSE:LUMN). It also gave cable companies like Comcast room to expand into internet services.

Whatever outcome Judge Brinkema decides, the ruling could reshape the online advertising landscape and have far-reaching implications for both the company and the broader tech industry.

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

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US Capital Gains Tax Guide for Gold and Silver Investors

Investing 8 Mins Read

As gold and silver continue to prove their worth as sound investments, market participants should know how precious metals investments are taxed in the US.

While the majority of gold and silver investing comes with a certain degree of taxation, there are different levels of tax based on how market participants decide to invest in these precious metals, how long the investments are held for and the investors individual tax bracket.

Read on for a breakdown of the taxes associated with investing in gold and silver bullion, ETFs and stocks, as well as the forms involved with reporting precious metals investments.

In this article

    How are physical gold and silver taxed?

    Gold and silver bullion, coins and bars are seen as collectibles by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the US. Thus, physical gold and silver, no matter the form, are subject to a higher rate of capital gains tax when they are sold. The same is true for fellow precious metals platinum and palladium.

    While long-term capital gains would typically carry a top bracket of 20 percent, collectibles can be taxed at a higher 28 percent.

    The total an investor will owe in capital gains tax when selling physical gold and silver is based both on their income bracket and the length of time they held the asset.

    The long-term capital gains tax on physical gold and silver is equal to an investor’s marginal tax rate, up to a maximum of 28 percent due to their status as a collectible, meaning those in higher tax brackets still only have to pay 28 percent on long-term gains from physical precious metals sales.

    It is worth noting that the 28 percent maximum is only for long-term capital gains, which applies to metals that an investor has held for more than one year. Short-term capital gains on precious metals held for less than one year are taxed at ordinary income rates.

    For example, a person in the highest tax bracket purchased 100 ounces of physical gold at US$1,800 per ounce and two years later sold their holdings for US$2,000 per ounce. While they are in the 37 percent tax bracket, they would pay 28 percent tax on the capital gains made from these sales. As they earned US$20,000 in capital gains, that would translate to US$5,600 in income tax.

    However, if the investor sold the gold at the same gain just 11 months after they purchased it, it would count as short-term capital gains, and the investor would be taxed at 37 percent and owe US$7,400.

    Investors who are in one of the tax brackets below 28 percent are taxed at the standard rate of their bracket when selling their solid gold and silver assets, whether they are held short- or long-term.

    Similarly to other investments, precious metals sold at a loss can be used to offset capital gains.

    How are gold and silver ETFs taxed?

    Like all other exchange-traded funds (ETFs), gold ETFs and silver ETFs act in the same manner as individual stocks, meaning that investing in these ETFs is similar to trading a stock on an exchange. There are two main types of gold and silver ETFs: those that track the prices of those metals and those that track gold or silver stocks.

    ETFs that follow metals prices provide exposure to either physical gold or silver, or gold or silver futures contracts. It is important to keep in mind that investing in these ETF platforms does not allow investors to own any physical gold or silver — in general, even an investment in an ETF that tracks physical gold or silver cannot be redeemed for the tangible metal.

    ETFs that invest in gold or silver companies provide exposure to gold- and silver-mining stocks, as well as gold- or silver-streaming stocks.

    In terms of taxation, capital gain taxes from selling gold and silver ETFs is determined by the ETF’s holdings, the investors tax bracket and how long they held the asset for.

    Funds will often supply investors with tax forms that they can use to fill out their income tax. The webpage for a fund should have a document describing how income tax is handled for that fund, which is worth reading before investing in it.

    Long-term capital gains from selling shares of gold and silver ETFs are subject to a 28 percent maximum federal income tax rate if they hold physical precious metals and 20 percent if they hold stocks. While long-term capital gains would typically be capped at 20 percent maximum rate. This is because the holdings are considered collectibles, as described in the section above. Short-term gains made from selling gold or silver ETFs are subject to a maximum federal rate of 37 percent.

    Additionally, these gains could get slapped with a 3.8 percent net investment income tax for high net-worth investors, and a state income tax may also apply.

    Futures-based commodity ETFs can come with their own set of rules that you can learn about here. Briefly, they are often taxed in a 60/40 hybrid, with 60 percent treated as long-term gains and 40 percent treated as short-term gains. Additionally, this is calculated at the end of each tax year, whether a sale is made or not.

    ETFs that hold stocks are taxed in the same way as traditional securities, which you can read more about below.

    How are gold and silver stocks taxed?

    In terms of tax on gold and silver stocks, long-term gains from selling are subject to the standard 20 percent maximum federal rate, while short-term gains will face a maximum federal rate of 37 percent. For investors in higher income brackets, there is the potential for gold and silver stock investments to also be hit with the 3.8 percent net investment income tax as well as state income tax.

    Unlike physical precious metals and ETFs that hold them, precious metals stocks are not classified as collectibles, which is why the long-term capital gains tax is capped at 20 percent instead of 28 percent.

    Stocks sold at a loss are important as well as they can be used to offset capital gains when filing income tax.

    How to report taxes on physical gold and silver investments

    Market participants who sell precious metals in the US for a profit are required to report that profit on their income tax return, regardless of whether or not the dealer has any reporting obligation.

    When selling gold and silver investments in the US, there are two different sets of reporting guidelines — one applies to the dealer through which a person sells and the other applies to the investor who is selling the asset.

    It is important to note that taxes on the sale of gold and silver will not be due the moment that the sale is made, and the tax bill for all of these sales is due at the same time as a standard income tax bill.

    For investors selling precious metals, capital gains or losses need to be reported on Schedule D of Form 1040 when making a tax return.

    Investors will first need to detail their precious metals transactions on Form 8949, including the length of time the investments were held. This form must be filed alongside Schedule D. Investors then use this information alongside the 28% Rate Gain Worksheet included in the Schedule D instructions.

    Depending on the type of metal being sold, Form 1099-B may have to be submitted to the IRS by the broker when the sale closes, as such transactions are considered income. As for when a broker will need to file Form 1099-B, there are specific rules that determine which sales of precious metals require the dealer to file this form that apply to transactions over a 24 hours period.

    For gold sales, reportable items include specific gold coins, including the 1 ounce Canadian Gold Maple Leaf and Gold Kruggerand, and gold bars and rounds of at least 0.995 fineness. As for quantity, only sales of more than 25 gold coins and or more than 1 kilogram in gold bars and rounds will require the form.

    Sales of 0.999 fine silver bars and rounds totaling over 1,000 ounces qualify. For silver coins, US coins with above 90 percent silver are reportable, but Silver American Eagle coins are not. Sales of silver coins exceeding US$1,000 will require a form.

    When it comes to selling gold and silver overseas, market participants must follow the laws as they apply to the sale of gold and silver investments in that particular country.

    The information in this article does not constitute tax advice, and investors should work with a tax professional or program to help them make sure everything is reported accurately.

    Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, currently hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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    Damian Lillard injury update: Bucks star could return for NBA playoffs

    Sport 2 Mins Read

    Bucks guard Damian Lillard is no longer taking blood thinner medication for deep vein thrombosis and is cleared for full basketball activities, the team announced Thursday, opening the door for a potential return during Milwaukee’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.

    Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, the Bucks announced on March 25.

    “We’re thrilled for Dame,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst on Thursday. “Our priority has always been Dame’s health. We’re grateful to our medical team for diagnosing and treating his DVT at an early stage, and for the world-renown hematology specialists at Mayo Clinic. Every step of Dame’s recovery has been at the direction of world-class medical professionals and their specific and strict protocols that have allowed for Dame’s safe and healthy return to play.”

    Lillard will continue to increase his on-court basketball activity in preparation for his return to play.  

    Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 for games for Milwaukee this season, and Lillard and All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo were the highest-scoring duo in the league. The Bucks were 32-26 with Lillard in the lineup and were 10-4 without him in the final three weeks of the season.

    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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    LSU gymnastics star Livvy Dunne out for NCAA championship semifinals

    Sport 4 Mins Read

    The LSU Tigers take the floor at the 2025 NCAA women’s gymnastics championship semifinals Thursday night seeking to defend their national championship.

    Dunne, who is also a social media influencer and the girlfriend of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, has been sidelined for the last month with an avulsion fracture in her kneecap.

    The Tigers, who won the NCAA’s University Park Regional, are appearing in their third consecutive national semifinals. They are also looking to join Oklahoma as teams that have won back-to-back national championships this decade.

    Is Livvy Dunne competing at NCAA women’s gymnastics championship?

    No, Dunne was not listed on the Tigers’ card ahead of Thursday’s Session II semifinal at the 2025 NCAA women’s gymnastics championship.

    Livvy Dunne injury updates

    ‘Hi friends! Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with an avulsion fracture of my patella and will not be able to compete on senior night,’ the story read, according to People Magazine.

    She continued: ‘It absolutely breaks my heart to not get the opportunity to compete in the PMAC one last time. Tiger fans, you’ve been so good to me!’

    She has been out since LSU’s senior night vs. Georgia on March 7, and hasn’t competed in the postseason. As noted by The Daily Advertiser, part of the USA TODAY Network, Dunne was held out of LSU’s opening round of the NCAA Tournament as a precaution and was seen wearing a knee brace.

    ‘It’s about pain. It’s about her pain. It’s an unusual thing,’ LSU coach Jay Clark said at a news conference ahead of the Tigers’ regular season finale vs. Auburn on March 10. ‘I had to look it up. I didn’t even know what the retinaculum in your knee was.

    ‘And generally speaking the little — she put it on social media, so it’s OK I guess for me to talk about it. But the little avulsion fracture that she has, she and I were talking about it yesterday, that generally happens to people who have been in a car accident or some sort of blunt force trauma and she can’t recall anything like that. It’s an extremely unusual thing that she is dealing with and it just hurts.’

    Clark mentioned that Dunne can ‘force herself to function’ while dealing with the pain of her injury, but ‘it’s very painful.’

    What is Livvy Dunne’s injury?

    Dunne is dealing with an avulsion fracture in her kneecap. According to the Cleveland Clinic, an avulsion fracture occurs when ‘a piece of bone attached to a ligament or tendon breaks away from the main part of the bone.’

    The Cleveland Clinic notes that it can take up to 12 weeks to fully heal, adding that it occurs in young athletes who engage in activities involving ‘quick movements and sudden changes in direction.’

    Livvy Dunne scores 2025

    Dunne has seen little competition in her fifth season at LSU this year, competing in only four meets this year. She hasn’t appeared in a meet since Jan. 24 against Arkansas, where she scored a 9.700 in the floor exercise.

    She only competed in nine meets last season for the Tigers, which included recording a career-high score of 9.900 on the floor at both the Podium Challenge and the second round of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional.

    Here’s how Dunne has performed for LSU this season:

    Score in parentheses

    • Jan. 3 vs. Iowa State: balance beam (9.825) | floor exercise (9.875)
    • Jan. 11 in Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad: uneven bars (9.725) | balance beam (9.775) | floor exercise (9.850)
    • Jan. 17 vs. Florida: floor exercise (9.875)
    • Jan. 24 vs. Arkansas: floor exercise (9.700)
    This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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    Report: NHL star settled sexual assault claim by NY Rangers employee

    Sport 3 Mins Read

    New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin was accused of sexual assault by a team employee in December 2023, resulting in financial settlements, according to a new report from The Athletic.

    The 33-year-old forward and the Madison Square Garden Company, which owns the team, each agreed to pay a financial settlement this past August to the employee, while having her sign non-disclosure and no admission of wrongdoing clauses, according to the report.

    The report said the alleged assault occurred following a postgame gathering at a hotel. Panarin was accused of taking the employee’s phone and asking her back to his hotel room, where he allegedly attempted the assault before she pushed him away and left the room.

    There is no record of the employee reporting the alleged incident to law enforcement, and she did not alert the team until roughly three months later, when the Rangers were investigating a separate matter involving the same employee giving ‘anti-anxiety medicine’ to a player on a team flight. That incident was referenced in a report from lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, in a December 2024 story, which noted that the Rangers’ social media employees were no longer permitted to travel with the team as a result.

    Prior to the 2024-25 season, a letter signed by Rangers president Chris Drury, Knicks president Leon Rose and MSG COO Jamaal Lesane was distributed to all team employees issuing “a reminder regarding the expectations of behavior when interacting with the players or coaches of any of our Teams.”

    Staffers were told that “absent written approval from an Executive Vice President (‘EVP’) or above,” they were prohibited from staying at the same hotel as any of the teams under the MSG umbrella, including the minor-league Hartford Wolf Pack and Westchester Knicks, traveling on team flights or buses, or attending team social gatherings or meals, according to the memo obtained by lohud.com.

    Furthermore, it mandated that employees keep as much distance as possible at the rink.

    “Interactions between employees and players or coaches must be strictly limited except as necessary to satisfy the requirements of an employee’s role,” it read. “Failure to comply with the directives set forth in this memorandum may result in disciplinary action, including, without limitation, termination of employment.”

    The team employee was asked to clarify why she left the organization shortly after lohud.com’s story was published in December 2024, which she declined while noting she was ‘legally forbidden.’

    Regarding the accusations against Panarin, who has been the Rangers’ leading scorer for six straight seasons and will be entering the final year of his seven-year, $81.5 million contract next season, an MSG Sports spokesperson issued a statement saying, ‘The matter has been resolved.’

    Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

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    NCAA gymnastics championships results: No. 1 seed knocked out in semis

    Sport 6 Mins Read

    Team USA star Jordan Chiles and the UCLA Bruins will compete for an NCAA title Saturday after advancing out of their semifinal session at the 2025 gymnastics championships in Fort Worth, Texas.

    Chiles, who was part of the U.S. team that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, helped propel the Bruins ahead of No. 1 seed and defending NCAA champion LSU, which failed to advance in a thrilling second semifinal session at Dickies Arena. UCLA will be joined in the finals by Utah, Missouri and Oklahoma, which has won five of the past eight national championships.

    Florida, Michigan State and Alabama joined LSU as the four semifinalists who did not make the cut.

    Thursday’s semifinal sessions also decided the NCAA champions in the women’s all-around competition and the four individual events. Two-time U.S. Olympian Jade Carey, who represents Oregon State, and 2021 Olympic silver medalist Grace McCallum were among the headliners in a crowded field that also featured U.S. alternates Leanne Wong (Florida) and Joscelyn Roberson (Arkansas).

    Ultimately, though, it was Jordan Bowers of Oklahoma who claimed the individual all-around title Thursday, finishing just ahead of McCallum and Sooners teammate Faith Torrez, who placed second and third, respectively. They were followed by Carey in fourth and Chiles in fifth. (Roberson finished 13th and Wong placed 17th.)

    Watch NCAA women’s gymnastics championships with ESPN+

    Here’s everything you might have missed from the NCAA gymnastics championships:

    Jordan Chiles sticks dismount to win NCAA title on uneven bars

    Jordan Chiles finished fifth in the individual all-around competition, but she will still leave Fort Worth with an NCAA title.

    The Olympic gold medalist nailed her dismount on uneven bars en route to a near-perfect score of 9.975, appearing somewhere between shocked and emotional after her feet hit the mat. The routine put her atop the leaderboard, ahead of her 2021 U.S. Olympic teammate Grace McCallum, who finished second.

    It’s Chiles’ third NCAA apparatus title. She also won NCAA championships on uneven bars and floor exercise in 2023.

    NCAA gymnastics championships team results

    That’s a wrap on the NCAA gymnastics semifinals. Here are the final results and standings from the two sessions Thursday:

    1. Utah (Q): 197.7625 (Beam: 49.2125 | Floor: 49.5625 | Vault: 49.3375 | Bars: 49.6500)
    2. UCLA (Q): 197.7375 (Floor: 49.5250 | Vault: 49.2375 | Bars: 49.4250 | Beam: 49.5500)
    3. Oklahoma (Q): 197.5500 (Bars: 49.4000 | Beam: 49.3500 | Floor: 49.5250 | Vault: 49.2750)
    4. LSU: 197.5250 (Bars: 49.3250 | Beam: 49.3250 | Floor: 49.5000 | Vault: 49.3750)
    5. Missouri (Q): 197.3000 (Floor: 49.2225 | Vault: 49.1250 | Bars: 49.4500 | Beam: 49.5000)
    6. Michigan State: 197.3625 (Vault: 49.3875 | Bars: 49.4500 | Beam: 49.2125 | Floor: 49.3625)
    7. Florida: 197.2000 (Beam: 49.3000 | Floor: 49.3500 | Vault: 49.0750 | Bars: 49.4750)
    8. Alabama: 196.8250 (Vault: 49.1250 | Bars: 49.1625 | Beam: 49.2000 | Floor: 49.3375)

    Jade Carey finishes fourth in all-around despite strong showing on beam

    Oregon State’s Jade Carey has won 10 medals at the Olympics and world championships, but an all-around NCAA title has eluded her.

    Carey was in a strong position at the halfway point of Thursday’s semifinal after earning scores of 9.9125 on uneven bars and 9.9500 on balance beam − which was tied for the third-highest score of the day. It all appeared to be leading to a triumphant conclusion on two of her best events, floor exercise and vault.

    Ultimately, though, Carey fell just short of the all-around podium after taking a big step on the landing on vault en route to a score of 9.8500.

    NCAA gymnastics championships apparatus scores, results

    Here are the final results in the individual events at the 2025 NCAA gymnastics championships:

    All-around

    1. Jordan Bowers (Oklahoma): 39.7125
    2. Grace McCallum (Utah): 39.6750
    3. Faith Torrez (Oklahoma): 39.6375

    Vault

    1. Kailin Chio (UCLA): 9.9750
    2. Sage Kellerman (Michigan State) and Grace McCallum (Utah): 9.9500
    3. Amy Doyle (Michigan State): 9.9125

    Uneven bars

    1. Jordan Chiles (UCLA): 9.9750
    2. Grace McCallum (Utah): 9.9625
    3. Six-way tie: 9.9375

    Balance beam

    1. Helen Hu (Missouri): 9.9875
    2. Emma Malabuyo (UCLA): 9.9750
    3. Five-way tie: 9.9500

    Floor exercise

    1. Brooklyn Moors (UCLA): 9.9625
    2. Jordan Bowers (Oklahoma), Grace McCallum (Utah) and Faith Torrez (Oklahoma): 9.9500
    3. Aleah Finnegan (LSU), Skyla Schulte (Michigan State) and Lily Smith (Georgia): 9.9375

    Why didn’t we see a perfect 10 at the NCAA championships?

    Only five routines garnered perfect scores in the regional finals. And we didn’t see one Thursday. The nature of judging at the NCAA championships makes it more difficult.

    No, the code of points doesn’t randomly change at nationals. There are just more judges, which essentially raises the bar for a gymnast to get a perfect score. At regular season meets, each event is scored by two judges. At nationals, however, there are six — with the best and worst scores being dropped, and the other four being averaged.

    Missouri, Oklahoma advance out of first semifinal

    With a clutch performance on balance beam in the final rotation, Helen Hu pushed No. 7 Missouri past No. 3 Florida and into Saturday’s NCAA final for the first time in program history.

    The Tigers and Gators were separated by fractions of a point entering the final rotation when Hu − who was retired from competitive gymnastics a year ago − turned in the best score of the day on balance beam, a near-flawless 9.9875. Florida’s final performer on uneven bars, Riley McCusker, needed to keep pace but scored a 9.8625 to seal the Gators’ agonizing third-place finish.

    The Tigers will be joined in Saturday’s final by No. 2 Oklahoma, which led from start to finish in the first semifinal session. No. 11 Alabama finished fourth and, like Florida, has seen its season end.

    Oklahoma’s Jordan Bowers dominant en route to title

    The Oklahoma Sooners cruised to Saturday’s final − and senior Jordan Bowers took home the all-around NCAA title.

    Bowers was sitting atop the individual all-around leaderboard after the first semifinal session, and she put up the top scores on two of the four apparatuses, uneven bars and floor exercise. Her score on floor of 9.9500 was tied for the best score of the session in any event.

    Despite the big names in the second session, including Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, Bowers’ score of 39.7125 was strong enough to keep her atop the podium.

    Did Livvy Dunne compete at 2025 NCAA gymnastics championships?

    No. Dunne, a member of the top-ranked LSU women’s gymnastics team, was not on the Tigers’ lineup card for the second semifinal session.

    This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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    Packers’ Jordan Love thinks Aaron Rodgers has ‘more years in the tank’

    Sport 2 Mins Read

    Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t made a decision on whether he will play in 2025 or retire. His former backup hopes he keeps playing.

    Green Bay Packers starter Jordan Love told Kay Adams Thursday that he believes Rodgers has ‘got some more years in the tank’ and that he would still love to play his former teammate.

    ‘That was my mentor coming to the league, so I’d hate to see him go out,’ Love said. ‘But he’s had a phenomenal, phenomenal career – definitely a Hall of Famer. We’ll see. I don’t think he’s ready to end it, though.’

    Rodgers joined ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Thursday afternoon and was cagey about his NFL future.

    ‘I’m open to anything and attached to nothing,’ he said. ‘Retirement could still be a possibility.’

    The 20-year NFL veteran went on to say that he was dealing with some personal matters that are playing a significant role in his decision. He said that he plans to take his time and weigh his options – and that he hasn’t been given any kind of deadline by the Pittsburgh Steelers or any other team.

    Rodgers also insisted that he wasn’t ‘holding teams hostage’ as he waits to make a decision.

    In 2024, his second and final year with the Jets, Rodgers had a completion rate of 63% with 3,897 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. New York let Rodgers know the team planned to go in a different direction in February.

    Rodgers’ most likely landing spot is with the Steelers, a team with two quarterbacks on its roster: Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. Pittsburgh currently owns the No. 21 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after a 10-7 regular season and wild-card round loss to the Ravens.

    USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis sent Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders to Pittsburgh in his latest mock draft.

    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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    Stock

    Secure Your Retirement Happiness: Check Your 401(k) Now!

    Stock 4 Mins Read

    With so many articles and videos on popular media channels advising you not to look at your 401(k) during this market downturn, avoiding taking the other side is tough. If you are close to retirement or retired, isn’t a market downturn a good excuse to look at your 401(k)? After all, you’ve stashed away hard-earned money to enjoy those big post-retirement plans.

    The stock market is well-known for its uncanny ability to throw you surprises, but the recent headline-driven price action is especially difficult to navigate. While it’s true that, over the longer term, the broader market tends to trend higher, if you’re not in a position to patiently wait for that to occur, you may want to reevaluate your portfolio sooner rather than later. The “set-it-and-forget-it” strategy can work at times but not always.

    Is the Stock Market Headed Lower?

    Let’s look at where the overall stock market stands by analyzing the S&P 500 ($SPX), starting with the daily chart.

    FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF S&P 500. After falling below its 200-day moving average, the S&P 500 is struggling to remain above its 5400 level. Will it hold? Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

    It’s clear the S&P 500 is trending lower and that the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) has crossed below the 200-day SMA, further confirming the downward trend of the index. After reaching a high of 6147.43 on February 19, 2025, $SPX started its decline, falling below its 50-day SMA and then its 200-day SMA.

    Although the index tried to bounce back to its 200-day SMA, it failed to break above it and fell to a low of 4835.04 on April 7, 2025. Since then, the S&P 500 has been trying to bounce back. It filled the April 4 down gap, but has been stalling around the 5400 level since then, on lower volume. It’s almost as if investors are sitting on the sidelines for the next tariff-related news which could send the S&P 500 higher or lower.

    Going back, the 5400 was a support level for the September 2024 lows, between the end of July and early August, and in mid-June. There have also been price gaps at this level during those times. The chart of the S&P 500 has a horizontal line overlay at the 5400 level. This could act as a resistance level for a while, or the index could soar above it, in which case this level could act as a support level.

    Save the chart in one of your ChartLists and watch how the price action unfolds for the next few weeks.

    Where’s the Breadth?

    It’s worth monitoring the Bullish Percent Index (BPI) of the S&P 500. The chart below displays the S&P 500 BPI ($BPSPX) in the top panel and $SPX in the bottom panel.

    FIGURE 2. BULLISH PERCENT INDEX FOR THE S&P 500. The $BPSPX recovered after falling below 12.5. Even a move over 50 should be eyed with caution. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

    The recent slide in the S&P 500 took the $BPSPX to well below 12.5. It has reversed and is above 30, which is encouraging. A rise above 50 is bullish but, as you can see in the chart, the last time $BPSPX crossed above 50 (dashed blue vertical lines), it turned back lower, only to start its descent to the lowest level in the past year. Save your excitement until the $BPSPX is over 50 and a turnaround in the $SPX is in place.

    This could take a while, which is why, if you’re close to retirement or already retired, you may have to consider selling the rip, or if the situation turns bullish, buy the dip. It may be time to unwind some positions, so evaluate your portfolio and make decisions that are aligned with your lofty retirement plans.

    So, heck yeah! Look at your 401(k) now!

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

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