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Statistics Canada released its second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) figures on Friday (August 29). The data showed that the Canadian economy shrank 0.4 percent in the second quarter and declined 1.6 percent on an annualized basis. The decrease comes following first-quarter gains of 0.5 percent and a 2 percent annualized increase.

Much of the decrease was attributed to a 7.5 percent drop in exports compared to Q1. Canadian exports had risen 1.4 percent in the first three months of the year as US companies increased imports to get ahead of incoming tariffs.Excluding the lower costs at the pumps, CPI remained steady at 2.5 percent, the same increase as May and June.

On an industry level, new monthly data for June shows that the resource sector grew by 0.1 percent after two months of declines, primarily driven by a 2.6 percent gain in the oil and gas subsector, with oil sands extraction rising 6.4 percent over May. However, gains were offset by a 9.7 percent monthly decline in support activities for the resource sector, its largest drop in five years, led by reduced rigging and drilling activities.

South of the border, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis released its second estimate for Q2 real GDP on Thursday (August 28). The data shows that US GDP grew by 3.3 percent during the quarter, 0.3 percent higher than its advance estimate.

According to the agency, the figure reflects a decrease in imports and an increase in consumer spending. The GDP’s upward momentum was tempered by a 13.8 percent decrease in private domestic investment, marking the most significant decline since 2020, during the pandemic.

The growth follows a 0.5 percent decrease in the first quarter of 2025, which saw a significant rise in imports.

This week also saw US President Donald Trump attempt to remove US Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Lisa Cook. Trump justified the decision based on Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte’s claim that Cook claimed primary residence in two mortgage applications submitted weeks apart in 2021. She was confirmed to the Fed Board of Governors in May 2022.

Cook is fighting the move in court, with her lawyer stating that Trump’s unsubstantiated allegation of an event prior to Cook’s confirmation does not meet the ’cause’ required by the Federal Reserve Act to remove a governor. By the end of the day on Friday, the judge hearing the case did not reach a decision on whether to issue a temporary restraining order that would allow Cook to remain in her role during the case.

Pulte has previously made similar allegations against other prominent Democrats, including California Senator Adam Schiff, a vocal critic of Trump, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who oversaw a civil suit against Trump that resulted in a US$500 million award.

Trump has been eager to reshape the Federal Reserve Board and has hinted that he would like to replace Chairman Jerome Powell before his term ends in 2026. Trump believes the Fed has not been acting quickly enough to lower interest rates and stimulate the economy.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were largely unfazed by Canada’s weak GDP data. In fact, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) set a new record on Friday, closing the week up 1.73 percent to 28,564.45. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) did even better, climbing 5.36 percent to finish Friday at 829.57. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) fell 0.45 percent on Friday following the StatsCan release, but gained 4.17 percent overall during the week to 166.9.

US equity markets also posted gains this week, but fell from record highs on Friday following a selloff of tech stocks. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) was up 1.19 percent to 6,460.25, while the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rose 0.99 percent to 23,415.42. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gained 1.32 percent on the week to 45,631.73.

The gold price gained 3.19 percent this week on expectations of a September rate cut by the Federal Reserve, reaching US$3,448.15 per ounce by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday. Silver ended the week with a larger gain of 4.2 percent, nearly crossing the US$40 per ounce mark in morning trading before settling at US$39.74 per ounce.

Copper also saw some upward movement, gaining 1.1 percent to US$4.59 per pound. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) commodities index posted an increase of 1.3 percent by close on Friday, finishing at 549.70.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Trifecta Gold (TSXV:TG)

Weekly gain: 117.24 percent
Market cap: C$23.77 million
Share price: C$0.63

Trifecta Gold is a gold exploration company focused on a portfolio of 11 properties in the Tombstone gold belt in the Yukon, Canada.

Its most advanced is its flagship Mt. Hinton gold-silver project, located near Hecla Mining’s (NYSE:HL) Keno Hill silver mine. The company’s project page indicates that vein float samples collected in January 2023 show grades of up to 273 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold.

The company has also been advancing exploration work at its Rye property, which hosts a gold-bismuth soil anomaly, as well as several gold-rich veins.

Shares in Trifecta rose this week alongside news on Thursday that the company had commenced its inaugural drill program at Rye, completing 970 meters across three holes. The announcement reported that the first hole intersected a high density of sheeted quartz veins.

The company said preliminary rock samples collected from the site earlier in 2025 returned multiple assays with greater than 5 g/t gold, including one highlight with 21.1 g/t gold and 8,550 parts per million (ppm) bismuth.

2. Consolidated Lithium Metals (TSXV:CLM)

Weekly gain: 100 percent
Market cap: C$13.98 million
Share price: C$0.04

Consolidated Lithium is an exploration and development company working to advance a portfolio of hard rock lithium projects in Quebéc, Canada.

Its most advanced asset is the Vallée lithium project, a 75/25 joint venture between Consolidated and Sayona Mining (ASX:SAY,OTCQB:SYAXF). The project is located in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt adjacent to and along strike of Sayona’s and Piedmont Lithium (NASDAQ:PLL) North American Lithium mining operation. According to the company’s project page, the Vallée property hosts multiple lithium-bearing pegmatites over a 1 kilometer strike length.

Consolidated announced on Wednesday (August 27) that it signed a letter of intent with the Government of Quebéc-owned Soquem to earn an 80 percent interest in the Kwyjibo rare earth project, located in the Côte-Nord region of the province.

Under the terms of the letter, Consolidated can earn up to an 80 percent interest in the project through two phases, in return for a combination of cash payments, shares in Consolidated and project investments.

A 2017 preliminary economic assessment for Kwyjibo reports project economics including an after-tax net present value of C$373.9 million and an internal rate of return of 17.8 percent, with a payback period of 3.6 years.

3. Electric Metals (TSXV:EML)

Weekly gain: 68.75 percent
Market cap: C$44.34 million
Share price: C$0.27

Electric Metals is a mineral development company focused on advancing its flagship North Star manganese project in Minnesota, US. According to the company, the asset is North America’s highest-grade manganese resource. It plans to produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate for lithium-ion batteries.

The most recent news from Electric Metals was released on Tuesday, when it announced a preliminary economic assessment for the project. The assessment demonstrated a base-case after-tax net present value of US$1.39 billion, with an internal rate of return of 43.5 percent and a payback period of 23 months. and suggested an average annual after-tax cash flow of US$249.6 million.

The report also included an updated mineral resource estimate with an indicated resource of 7.6 million metric tons of ore grading 19.07 percent manganese, 22.33 percent iron and 30.94 percent silicon, and an inferred resource of 3.73 million metric tons of ore grading 17.04 percent manganese, 19.04 percent iron and 30.03 percent silicon.

4. Sage Potash (TSXV:SAGE)

Weekly gain: 58.33 percent
Market cap: C$31.93 million
Share price: C$0.38

Sage Potash is a potash exploration company currently working to advance its portfolio of mineral holdings in Utah’s Paradox Basin in the US.

Historic oil and gas exploration in the basin dating back a century discovered the potential for the potash beds, but they were too deep for mining methods at the time. Sage has since confirmed their presence through its own exploration.

In a revised technical report from February 2023, the company reported an inferred mineral resource estimate of up to 159.3 million metric tons of in-place sylvinite from the upper potash bed and up to 120.2 million metric tons of sylvinite from the lower potash bed.

On August 14, Sage announced that Stockwell Day had joined the company board. Day served several ministerial roles for the Canadian government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, including as President of the Treasury Board and Minister of International Trade.

This was followed by news on Wednesday that Day had been granted 600,000 stock options at an exercise price of C$0.30 per share and would remain valid for a period of five years.

Sage’s share price spiked earlier this week after the US Government added potash in its draft of an updated list of critical minerals.

5. Kincora Copper (TSXV:KCC)

Weekly gain: 58.33 percent
Market cap: C$24.8 million
Share price: C$0.095

Kincora Copper is an exploration company operating under a project generator model and partnering with other companies to advance its portfolio, including copper-gold projects in the Macquarie Arc of New South Wales, Australia.

Among them is the Northern Junee-Narromine Belt (NJNB) land package, which is covered by a May 2024 earn-in agreement that could see AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU,JSE:ANG) earn up to an 80 percent interest in the Nyngan and Nevertire licenses through AU$50 million in exploration expenditures or AU$25 million for exploration and the completion of a pre-feasibility study.

Kincora secured a second agreement with AngloGold Ashanti in April for the Nyngan South, Nevertire South and Mulla licenses with similar terms, bringing the total exploration funding to AU$100 million.

On Monday (August 25), Kincora announced results from the first drilling program at the Nyngan project, noting that assays support the potential for porphyry copper and epithermal gold, and that it saw ‘encouraging results at particularly shallow depths’ from drill targets identified by a ground gravity survey earlier this year.

Additionally, Kincora said that drilling is ongoing at the Nevertire South and Nevertire projects, with the initial program planned for seven holes and 2,150 meters.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of May 2025, there were 1,565 companies listed on the TSXV, 910 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,899 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together, the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

BOULDER, CO – Coach Deion Sanders has been telling everybody for months that his new football team at Colorado this year is better than before, possibly even the “best team we’ve ever assembled,” as he said this week.

Then came their first game on Friday, Aug. 29 at sold-out Folsom Field.

And it turns out he might be a little off, at least for one game.

Georgia Tech beat Colorado 27-20 after Georgia Tech quarterback Hayne King scored the game-winning 45-yard touchdown run with 1:07 to go.

It was Sanders’ first game at Colorado without his two youngest sons playing for him: quarterback Shedeur and safety Shilo. Two-way star Travis Hunter also has moved on to the NFL after winning the Heisman Trophy last season with the Buffaloes.

In their place, Sanders fielded a new-look band of Buffaloes, who didn’t fully capitalize on Georgia Tech’s three turnovers in three possessions to start the game. They netted only an 8-yard touchdown pass from new quarterback Kaidon Salter, a transfer from Liberty.

Salter finished 17-for-28 for 159 yards and had that passing touchdown. He added 43 more yards on the ground on 13 carries and scored another touchdown.

But King for Georgia Tech was more prolific. He was 13-for-20 passing for 143 yards and had an interception, but he rushed 19 times for a career-high 156 yards and scored all three Georgia Tech touchdowns, including the 45-yard game-winner with just over a minute to go.

Georgia Tech gained 463 total yards, including 320 rushing yards, before Colorado’s Hail Mary pass fell flat to end the game in front of the announced crowd of 52,868.

Georgia Tech vs. Colorado highlights

Final: Georgia Tech 27, Colorado 20

Colorado’s Hail Mary falls incomplete. There was some questionable time management there in the final minute.

Haynes King gives Georgia Tech late lead

King bursts through the line and cruises the rest of the way for a 45-yard rushing TD. Georgia Tech leads 27-20 with 1:07 to go.

The QB has rushed 19 times for 156 yards and three touchdowns. He’s added 143 yards passing.

Colorado answers, ties game again

Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter engineered his best drive of the game, capped by his 7-yard scramble for a touchdown with under nine minutes left in the game. The score helped tie the game at 20-20 after Salter drove the Buffs downfield 75 yards in 15 plays as coach Deion Sanders implored him to “be you” during an in-game interview with ESPN.

Game officials initially called Salter down at the 1-yard line on his third-down run. But replay review showed he had pushed the ball across the goal line before his knee was down.

End of third quarter: Georgia Tech 20, Colorado 13

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King busted loose for a 17-yard touchdown run after faking a handoff. He moved his team downfield 75 yards on 11 plays. The touchdown put the Yellow Jackets up 20-13 with 14 seconds left in the third quarter.

The drive chewed up 5:46 of game clock and included five first downs for the Yellow Jackets.

Colorado then ran one play – a completion for 16 yards – as time expired in the third quarter. 

King has 99 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 15 attempts. He also has completed 11 of 17 passes for 115 yards with one interception.

Colorado ties it up again

Colorado has tied the game at 13-13 with six minutes left in the third quarter. Kicker Alejandro Mata drilled a 29-yard field goal after the Buffs drove to the Georgia Tech 5-yard line but got stuffed on three plays before the kick. The scoring drive went 39 yards on eight plays, including a 21-yard pass from Kaidon Salter to receiver DeKalon Taylor on the drive’s first play.

Quiet start to third quarter

Both teams opened the second half with punts, with Georgia Tech still leading 13-10 with 10:15 left in the third quarter. Colorado opened the half with three straight runs by running back Micah Welch, including a 22-yarder to the left on the first play after halftime. But the Buffs stalled at the Georgia Tech 45-yard line.

Welch has eight carries for 65 yards. 

Halftime: Georgia Tech 13, Colorado 10

Georgia Tech responded to Colorado’s field goal with a 43-yard field goal of its own as time expired in the first half. The Yellow Jackets lead at halftime 13-10.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders told ESPN at halftime that quarterback Kaidon Salter has been having communication issues but otherwise has had a “solid game.”

Salter has completed 6 of 10 passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King has completed 9 of 13 passes for 97 yards. He added a rushing touchdown in the second quarter.

Both teams have reason to be disappointed. Georgia Tech gave up three turnovers to start the game, but Colorado only came up with one touchdown to show for it.

Georgia Tech has outgained Colorado 279-119 in total yards and 18-5 in first downs.

Colorado gets the ball to open the second half.

Colorado ties it up

Colorado rediscovered a little bit of offense to tie the game at 10-10 with 1:39 to go until halftime. The Buffs went 51 yards in eight plays, including a 39-yard pass from quarterback Kaidon Salter to receiver Omarion Miller on third-and-10. That catch on the left side brought the Buffs to the Georgia Tech 25-yard line, but then they had to settle for a 42-yard field goal from kicker Alejandro Mata. 

Georgia Tech takes the lead

The momentum has swung back to Georgia Tech after Colorado failed to fully capitalize on the Yellow Jackets’ three turnovers to start the game. They now lead 10-7 with 4:33 left in the second quarter after going 80 yards in 10 plays, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Haynes King.

Georgia Tech has outgained Colorado 230-63 in total yards. The Yellow Jackets have 16 first downs, compared to three for the Buffs. 

Colorado offense stuck in neutral

Colorado’s offense has fizzled after scoring a touchdown on its first possession. Since then, it’s been three straight punts, including two three-and-outs. Quarterback Kaidon Salter is 4-for-8 passing for 12 yards, including his 8-yard touchdown pass. Georgia Tech has outgained Colorado 150-63 in total yards with 10:30 left before halftime. 

Georgia Tech settles for field goal

The Yellow Jackets settled for a 32-yard field goal after driving from their 2-yard line all the way to the Colorado 8. But a holding penalty pushed them back from there, and now it’s 7-3 with 13:31 left before halftime. They ran 13 plays for 84 yards before the field goal by Aidan Birr. 

End of first quarter: Colorado 7, Georgia Tech 0

Colorado leads 7-0 after one quarter of play but Georgia Tech is threatening to score at the start of the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets finally settled down on their fourth possession of the game, chipping away at Colorado’s defense with a drive that started at its own 2-yard line.

Georgia Tech has outgained Colorado after one quarter, 144-45 yards. The Yellow Jackets have the ball inside the Colorado 20-yard line.

Georgia Tech turns the ball over again

Now it’s three turnovers in three possessions to start the game for Georgia Tech. This time Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King threw to the left on first down in Colorado territory, only to be intercepted by Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney. The interception gave the Buffs possession at their own 34-yard line. 

But the Buffs squandered the opportunity for the second straight time and punted the ball back. 

Georgia Tech fumbles again

Two possessions, two fumbles for Georgia Tech. This time a high snap from center ended up on the ground and was recovered by Colorado defender Keaten Wade, putting the Buffaloes in good field position again at its own 48-yard line early in the first quarter. 

The Buffaloes went three-and-out and had to punt, however.

Colorado turns turnover into touchdown

Colorado has struck first and is up 7-0 after recovering a fumble and scoring after going 36 yards in five plays. Quarterback Kaidon Salter threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to newcomer DeKalon “TrackHawk” Taylor with 12:08 left in the first quarter.

Linebacker Martavius French took the ball away from Georgia Tech on the Yellow Jackets’ second play from scrimmage to set it all up.

When is Colorado vs Georgia Tech?

Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET Friday, Aug. 29 from sold-out Folsom Field in Boulder.

How to watch Colorado vs Georgia Tech

The game will be televised on ESPN and also is available on Fubo.

Colorado vs Georgia Tech odds

The latest odds can be found below. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

Rain falling at Colorado before game

With less than an hour before kickoff, rain is falling on the field, but not too heavily. It’ll make for wet conditions on Colorado’s new artificial turf field, even if the rain stops after kickoff, as has been forecasted. The rain also has kept the seats from filling at the stadium so far. It’s mostly empty except for students wearing white shirts as part of a coordinated color scheme for Colorado.

Portable toilet on sideline for Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders wasn’t joking when he talked about having a portable toilet on the sideline. A Colorado official confirmed that the black tented box near the 20-yard line is Sanders’ bathroom if he needs it. It is sponsored by Depend, the adult underwear brand. Sanders has a partnership with Depend after having his cancerous bladder removed in May. He has discussed his incontinence and bladder issues openly since then in his effort to remove the stigma around the issue.

What happened to Colorado’s bison mascot?

Raphie VI, Colorado’s live mascot, has retired after four seasons, as was announced earlier this week. Colorado is training a new bison for the job, but she won’t be ready to run on the field before the game.

“We all saw that coming,” Deion Sanders said on the ‘Colorado Football Coaches Show’ Aug. 27.

He was referring to Ralphie VI’s slow trots and seeming lack of interest in the job. Prior Ralphie mascots charged out of the gate down and around the field before kickoff.

“I’m hating the point that we are missing a Ralphie for this game,” Sanders said on the show.

What is the history between Colorado and Georgia Tech?

They’ve never played. But they shared the national championship for the 1990 season after the Associated Press picked Colorado No. 1 to finish the season and the UPI Coaches’ Poll coronated Georgia Tech. It came down to a single point in the Coaches’ Poll. Then-Nebraska coach Tom Osborne previously declined to talk about it but revealed in a recent interview with USA TODAY Sports that he picked Georgia Tech No. 1 instead of Big Eight Conference rival Colorado. Georgia Tech finished 11-0-1 that year. Colorado finished 11-1-1.

Who is replacing Travis Hunter for Colorado?

It takes a village to fill the shoes of the two-way star. On defense, cornerback DJ McKinney was the “other” cornerback last year and is NFL draft material. He’ll be the guy to take on the other team’s top receiver. On offense, the Buffs have a stacked set of fleet feet to catch passes, including a transfer from Incarnate Word who goes by the moniker of “TrackHawk.” That’s DeKalon Taylor, a running back/receiver who is the fastest player on the team.

Why is Colorado wearing a new jersey patch?

The Buffs will wear their traditional home uniforms from the 1990s: gold helmet, black jersey, gold pants, white socks and black shoes. This is to honor former Colorado coach Bill McCartney, who died in January. McCartney led the Buffs to the national championship in 1990 before retiring abruptly after the 1994 season, when his team finished No. 3 nationally.

“We’re going to give some love to Coach McCartney,” Deion Sanders said earlier this week.

The team also will wear a patch on their jerseys to honor “Coach Mac.”

Who will walk with Deion Sanders before the game?

In his first two seasons at Colorado, Sanders would take part in a ritual with his son Shedeur and sometimes his safety son Shilo. They would walk and talk together down the field as father, coach, sons and players. Now that his sons have left the program, another player on the current team offered to walk the same walk with him before the game, which Sanders found touching. But Sanders didn’t say who it was.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Aliyah Boston produced a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Indiana Fever on the road against the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on Friday night.

Boston shot 11-of-18 from the field and created opportunities for Indiana with six steals. Odyssey Sims added 21 points and six rebounds in the victory.

Kelsey Plum and the Sparks held a lead throughout most of the game but weren’t able to hold on to it in the second half, including the final seconds of the fourth quarter.

Sims put the game away in the final seconds, scoring the final five points for the Fever, including a 10-foot jumper off an assist from Lexie Hull.

The Fever took their first lead of the game when Hull made a two-point shot to move the team ahead 50-49 with 6:41 left in the third quarter.

The two squads went back and forth in the final period. Plum had the ball in her hands near the basket and a chance to help facilitate a go-ahead shot, but Boston intercepted a bad pass by Plum to secure the victory.

Highlights: Fever vs. Sparks

Final: Fever 76, Sparks 75

Aliyah Boston produced a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Fever. Odyssey Sims contributed to the victory with 21 points and six rebounds.

3Q: Sparks 58, Fever 57

The Sparks did enough to hold on to the lead at the end of the third quarter. Rae Burrell made a two-point shot off an assist from Sarah Ashlee Barker with 4.5 seconds left in the quarter to retake the lead.

The Fever took their first lead of the game when Lexie Hull made a two-point shot to move the team ahead 50-49 with 6:41 left in the third quarter.

Kelsey Plum continued to be the Sparks’ only double-digit scorer after three quarters of play. Plum has shot 5-of-10 from the field for 12 points in 26 minutes of play.

Aliyah Boston has a game-high 16 points and eight rebounds for the Fever. Odyssey Sims and Kelsey Mitchell each have 12 points.

Halftime: Sparks 47, Fever 44

Kelsey Plum had 12 points in the first half to lead the Sparks against the Fever. Azura Stevens and Rickea Jackson added eight points in the first half.

The Sparks compiled nine assists in the first quarter but just one in the second quarter.

Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston each scored 12 points for the Fever.

1Q: Sparks 31, Fever 24

The Sparks finished out the opening period with the lead against Indiana at home. Azura Stevens had eight points and two assists for the Sparks in the first quarter. Dearica Hamby added six points and two assists. Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with seven points. Aliyah Boston had six points, three rebounds and two assists against L.A.

Sparks starting lineup vs. Fever

Rickea Jackson, Dearica Hamby, Azura Stevens, Kelsey Plum and Julie Allemand started for the Sparks at home against the Fever on Friday.

Fever starting lineup vs. Sparks

Odyssey Sims, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston make up the Fever’s starting lineup for Friday’s game against the Sparks.

What time is Indiana Fever vs. Los Angeles Sparks?

The Los Angeles Sparks will host the Indiana Fever at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on Friday, Aug. 29, at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The game will be broadcast nationally on ION.

How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Los Angeles Sparks: TV, stream

  • Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
  • Location: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)
  • TV channel: ION
  • Streaming: Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

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

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NEW YORK — American Ben Shelton, thought to be one of the favorites for the US Open outside of top-seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner and No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz, retired from his third-round match against Adrian Mannarino on Friday, Aug. 29, because of a shoulder injury.

Shelton, the No. 6 seed, gutted it out for the three-hour match and had to retire with the match square at two sets a piece. It was the first time in 178 career matches that Shelton was forced to retire.

Shelton said he couldn’t pinpoint when he got hurt, as he was healthy going into the match.

‘Really high,’ Shelton said after the match when he asked what his level of pain was. ‘I’m not sure. You know, I never retired before. I’m not a guy who would retire if I could continue. Even though I was in pain, I was just kind of in that competitive mindset of trying to find a way and push through it.’

Shelton was the first of two ranked American men to fall at the US Open on Friday. A short time after Shelton’s loss, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe was stunned by qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) in his third-round match.

Mannarino, a 37-year-old from France and ranked No. 77 in the world, advances to the fourth round to face No. 20 seed Jiri Lehecka, a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 winner over Raphael Collignon. It was Mannarino’s first win against a top-10 player in a Grand Slam tournament in 23 attempts.

“When he started to have pain, he was leading in the match,” Mannarino, who is the oldest man to break into the Top 20 in ATP Rankings history at age 35, after achieving a career-high No. 17 in 2024, said after his victory. “Honestly, he probably would’ve won that match. That’s unfortunate for him, and lucky for me. I don’t really know what to say right now. I’m happy to be through, but I wish him the best, of course.”

The 22-year-old Shelton was leading in the second game of the fourth set when he screamed in pain during a forehand shot. He called for a trainer and received treatment on the shoulder, and was in obvious discomfort and emotional on the bench.

“I did something to my shoulder. I don’t know what it is,’ Shelton could be heard saying to his coach’s box.

After losing the fourth set, and during the changeover before the fifth set, he was again visited by medical staff, and, in tears, he decided he couldn’t continue.

‘Usually I’ll play through anything and just kind of find a way. And whether it’s sickness or injury, like, if I can stay out there, I can stay out there. I never felt anything like this before,’ Shelton said.

Shelton made the semifinals of the 2023 US Open and reached the semifinals of the 2025 Australian Open in January.

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Miami linebacker Adarius Hayes was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving in connection with a two-car crash on May 10 that killed three people.

Hayes was arrested after he turned himself into authorities on Friday, Aug. 29, the Largo Police Department in Florida announced, two days before Miami begins its 2025 season against Notre Dame.

The crash happened in the city of Largo, Hayes’ hometown about 20 miles west of Tampa. Police said initial reports showed Hayes ‘was traveling at a high rate of speed and maneuvering aggressively through traffic’ before his Dodge Durango collided with a Kia Soul at an intersection.

The 78-year-old driver of the Kia and two children, ages 10 and 4, were killed, and a 58-year-old man in the passeger of the Kia was hospitalized with serious injuries. Hayes was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and eventually released.

Police said an investigation into the crash discovered Hayes ‘made a rapid and dangerous maneuver’ of crossing three lanes of traffic five seconds before the crash before he quickly crossed lanes again without signaling. He reached a maximum speed of 78 miles per hour in 40 mph zone when he crashed into the Kia, which police added was lawfully executign a left-hand turn.

‘The investigation concluded that Adarius Hayes’ egregious speed, aggressive and reckless lane changes, and complete disregard for surrounding traffic conditions demonstrated a willful and deliberate disregard for the safety of others, constituting reckless driving. These actions directly led to the tragic deaths of the three victims,’ officials said.

Hayes was booked Pinellas County Jail and was released on $350,000 bond four hours later, according to jail records.

Miami said Hayes is ‘indefinitely suspended from all athletic related activities per athletic department policy’ and declined further comment.

A four-star recruit in the 2024 class, Hayes played in 12 games for the Hurricanes last season, mostly on special teams. He made four tackles and recorded one interception.

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The NFL world wasn’t the only one shocked by the Micah Parsons trade on Thursday evening – Kenny Clark was too.

Less than 24 hours after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys in the blockbuster deal that sent Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, Clark detailed the life-changing call he received while getting some ice cream for his daughter, Kenaii. Clark was informed of the trade that would end a nine-year run for him in Green Bay – the only NFL team he has played for.

‘I was shocked, but once Jerry and all those guys called me, Schotty and everybody, I just felt wanted. It’s a blessing, I’m appreciative of it.’ Clark said, via the Cowboys’ official site.

The three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is ready to introduce himself to the Cowboys defense, saying he is prepared to be the best version of himself.

‘No nonsense, you’re going to get a dawg, somebody that’s just all about football,’ Clark said. ‘I’m here to ball. I’m here to be my best self. I feel like when I’m my best self, there’s nobody messing with me. That’s what I bring to the table, I’m here to play my (expletive) off.’

He won’t have a long time to do that, however, with the Week 1 kickoff set for Thursday, Sept. 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Clark will have to cram an entire offseason’s worth of preparation into just a few days as he prepares for his Dallas debut.

‘First and foremost, just establishing myself by how I play,’ Clark said. ‘And just being myself, establishing myself as a leader. I lead by example, I truly believe in being a pro and doing things the right way.’

Jerry Jones pointed out during a press conference following the deal that stopping the run would be a point of emphasis for the team going forward and Clark is a big reason for that. The 29-year-old explained what it will take for the Dallas defense to accomplish that goal.

‘When it all comes down to stopping the run, it’s all about physicality and setting edges,’ Clark said. ‘I think as long as we’re doing our job as a defense, it all takes 11. It takes all of us understanding how to stop the run and it takes all of us holding each other accountable every day to know our responsibilities and play the run so we can be able to rush the passer.’

While Clark won’t be getting to the quarterback at will like Parsons, there is still some potential for sacks with the former Packer.

He set a career-high with 7.5 sacks in 2023 and has 35 for his career, noting that is part of his game.

‘I pride myself on being an all-around defensive tackle, but I’m primarily a nose tackle. That’s my bread and butter…’ Clark added. ‘I can slide out to three in pass rushing situations or whatever the case may be, but wherever they put me, I’m going to make plays.’

From one historic franchise to another, the goal remains the same – no matter the place.

‘It’s a historic franchise, I wouldn’t want no other thing other than to be sitting here,’ Clark said. I’ve got a chance to win a Super Bowl here and that’s all I could ask for. That’s what I want to do, I want to bring a Super Bowl back to the Cowboys.’

While the trade hasn’t drawn rave reviews from analysts, it will come down to what happens on the field. And if there’s one thing for certain about the NFL, it’s that anything can happen.

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It’s been a busy week for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store’s marketing team.

The restaurant chain announced a rebrand and new logo last week, faced widespread criticism from social media users, including President Donald Trump, and proceeded to walk back its plan to change the logo.

In that span of time, the company lost and regained almost $100 million in market value, bringing it about back to where it started. The stock gained 8% on Wednesday.

The Cracker Barrel saga is just the latest example of a consumer-facing company making big branding decisions, then pulling back after alienating its customer base.

“It’s very tricky to be a brand for everyone today,” Carreen Winters, president of reputation at the global public relations firm MikeWorldWide, said in an interview. “Legacy brands are particularly tricky, because you have to figure out what is cherished and authentic from the old and marry it with the new.

“In Cracker Barrel’s case, they’re trying to attract a new, younger customer [which] is no longer sufficient,” she continued. “You need to actually think about all of your stakeholders and how they will react, respond, feel about what you’re doing or the direction you’re taking. And you need to be sure that what you’re doing is consistent with shared values.”

Rebranding failures are not a new phenomenon. One of the most famous marketing blunders of all time happened in 1985 when the Coca-Cola company introduced “New Coke” with a new formula. After a firestorm of outrage from its customers, the company returned to its classic formula a few months later.

But social media has made backlash from consumers faster and more widespread, meaning businesses are usually quicker to walk back on their branding failures.

In 2010, retailer Gap ditched its decades-old blue box logo for a more minimalist design. It faced intense backlash on social media through thousands of engagements and, within less than a week, the company said it was reverting to its original logo.

More recently in May, Warner Bros. Discovery announced its streaming platform would undergo another name change, after switching from HBO to HBO Max to Max and then back again to HBO Max.

Major rebrands don’t always go awry. For example, Kentucky Fried Chicken successfully rebranded to KFC in 1991. Its customers already used the acronym and the rebrand signified that the restaurant chain offers more than just fried chicken.

Dunkin’ Donuts also successfully underwent its name change to Dunkin’ in 2019. It did face some criticism from its loyal customers at the time, but Winters said today the “Dunkin’” name and branding are widely accepted over its original name.

“Dunkin’ rebranded in accordance with the behavior that the customer created,” she said. “It aligned with their strategy of being more than Donuts and really building their coffee business.”

She also mentioned IHOP as an example of a brand that has been able to freshen up its look and stay relevant in culture. She said IHOP’s change has been an “evolution, not a revolution.”

Beth LaGuardia Cooper, chief marketing officer at Advantage, The Authority Company, added during an interview that Starbucks had subtle changes to its logo over time, which allowed it to hold the base of its identity close.

While some social media users disliked Cracker Barrel’s new branding simply because they said it lacked substance and was too “sterile” or “soulless,” others, especially conservatives, claimed the new logo leaned into “wokeness” and diversity efforts.

Cracker Barrel is widely considered a classic American restaurant chain. It began in Tennessee in 1969 and its branding evokes Southern charm and nostalgia for its consumer base.

Eric Schiffer, chairman of the firm Reputation Management Consultants, said the new branding, without the iconic “Uncle Herschel” figure, suggested to conservatives that having a white man featured on the logo was wrong or politically incorrect.

He said that pushback represents a larger trend where conservatives are feeling under attack by diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

“I think the perspective of conservatives is, don’t ruin Cracker Barrel with the Bud Light meets Jaguar marketing playbook,” said Schiffer, adding that those brands “attempted to disrupt positively and what they did was they nuked brand sentiment and shareholder confidence.”

In November, Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover announced a rebrand that removed its “leaper” big cat imagery from its logo and changed the brand’s font. Its new promotional materials included brightly dressed models, but no cars. The brand faced significant pushback, including tens of thousands of responses on social media.

Elon Musk criticized the company on X at the time, asking Jaguar’s official account: “Do you sell cars?”

Earlier this month, Trump piped in with his insults, calling Jaguar’s ad campaign “stupid” and “seriously WOKE.”

The Telegraph reported in May that Jaguar was searching for a new advertising agency after the public backlash.

Similarly, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Bud Light faced heavy criticism from conservatives in 2023 after a collaboration between the beer brand and social influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender.

“If you’re trying to be a tough, male-focused, football fan-oriented beer, the last thing you want to do is put the wrong spokesperson in front of the brand,” Schiffer said. “It will turn off that audience and it allows competitors to capture that market share.”

“The throughline in all of this is, don’t rip apart and disrespect audiences that brought you to the dance,” Schiffer said. “Find a way, if you’re going to want to expand, do it in a way that doesn’t cut at the core of what the brand stands for — and in the process, create cognitive dissonance and blow up market cap.”

Branding experts told CNBC that at the end of the day, people are talking about Cracker Barrel, which is a win for the company by itself.

“Everybody loves a comeback in America,” LaGuardia Cooper said. “So I would root for them to make this happen, make something good out of it.”

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The de minimis exemption, an obscure trade law provision that has simultaneously fueled and eroded businesses across the globe, officially came to an end on Friday following an executive order by President Donald Trump.

For nearly a decade, shipments valued under $800 were allowed to enter the country virtually duty free and with less oversight. Now, those shipments from the likes of Tapestry, Lululemon and just about any other retailer with an online presence will be tariffed and processed in the same way that larger packages are handled.

In May, Trump ended the exemption for goods coming from China and Hong Kong, and on July 30 he expanded the rollback to all countries, calling it a “catastrophic loophole” that’s been used to evade tariffs and get “unsafe or below-market” products into the U.S.

The de minimis exemption had previously been slated to end in July 2027 as part of sweeping legislation passed by Congress, but Trump’s executive order eliminated the provision much sooner, giving businesses, customs officials and postal services less time to prepare.

“The ending of that under-$800-per-person-per-day rule, from a global perspective, is about to probably cause a bit of pandemonium,” said Lynlee Brown, a partner in the global trade division at accounting firm EY. “There’s a financial implication, there’s an operational implication, and then there’s pure compliance, right? Like, these have all been informal entries. No one’s really looked at them.”

Already, the sudden change has snarled supply chains from France to Singapore and led post offices across the world to temporarily suspend shipments to the U.S. so they can ensure their systems are updated and able to comply with the new regulations.

It’s forced businesses both large and small to rethink not just their supply chains, but their overall business models, because of the impact the change could have on their bottom lines — setting off a panic in board rooms across the country, logistics experts said.

“Obviously it’s a big change for operating models for companies, not just the Sheins and the Temus, but for companies that have historically had e-com and brick-and-mortar stores,” Brown said.

The change also means consumers, already are under pressure from persistent inflation and high interest rates, could now see even higher prices on a wide range of goods, from Colombian bathing suits to specialty ramen subscription boxes shipped straight from Japan.

The end of de minimis could cost U.S. consumers at least $10.9 billion, or $136 per family, according to a 2025 paper by Pablo Fajgelbaum and Amit Khandelwal for the National Bureau of Economic Research. The research found low-income and minority consumers would feeling the biggest impact as they rely more on the cheaper, imported purchases.

Popularized by Chinese e-tailers Shein and Temu, use of the de minimis exemption has exploded in the last decade, ballooning from 134 million shipments in 2015 to over 1.36 billion in 2024. Prior to the recent change to limit its use, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it was processing over 4 million de minimis shipments into the country each day.

A 2023 House report found more than 60% of de minimis shipments in 2021 came from China, but because the packages require less information than larger containers, very little information is known about their origins and the types of goods they contain. That opacity is one of the key reasons why both former President Joe Biden and Trump sought to curtail or end the exemption.

Both administrations have said the exemption was overused and abused and that it’s made it difficult for CBP officials to target and block illegal or unsafe shipments coming into the U.S. because the packages aren’t subject to the same level of scrutiny as larger containers.

“We didn’t have any compliance information … on those shipments, and then that is where the danger of drugs and whatnot being in those shipments” comes in, said Irina Vaysfeld, a principal in KPMG’s trade and customs practice.

The Biden administration particularly focused on how the exemption allowed goods made with forced labor to make it into the country in violation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act. Meanwhile, Trump has said the exemption has been used to ship fentanyl and other synthetic opioids into the U.S. In a fact sheet published on July 30, the White House said 90% of all cargo seizures in fiscal 2024, including 98% of narcotics seizures and 97% of intellectual property rights seizures, originated as de minimis shipments.

Across the globe, it’s common for countries to allow low-value shipments to be imported duty-free as a means to streamline and facilitate global trade, but typically, it’s for packages valued around $200, not $800, said EY’s Brown.

Until 2016, the U.S.’s threshold for low-value shipments was also $200, but it was changed to $800 when Congress passed the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act, which sought to benefit businesses, U.S. consumers and the overall U.S. economy, according to the Congressional Research Service. It said higher thresholds provide a “significant economic benefit” to both business and shoppers and thus, the overall economy.

While well-intentioned, the law came with unintended consequences, said Brown.

The “rise in value, from $200 to $800, just made it kind of like a free for all to say, OK, everything come in,” she said.

Eventually companies designed supply chains around the exemption: They set up bonded warehouses, where duties can be deferred prior to export, in places like Canada and Mexico and then imported goods in bulk to those regions before sending them across the border one by one, duty free, as customer orders rolled in, said Brown.

“Companies have really laid out their supply chain in a very specific way [around de minimis] and that’s really the crux of the issue,” said KPMG’s Vaysfeld. “The way that the supply chain has been laid out now may need to change.”

Until the rise of Shein and Temu, the de minimis exemption was rarely discussed in retail circles. Soon, the e-commerce behemoths began facing widespread criticism for their use of what many called a loophole.

In 2023, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party released a report on Shein and Temu and said the two companies were “likely responsible for more than 30 percent of all packages shipped to the United States daily under the de minimis provision, and likely nearly half of all de minimis shipments to the U.S. from China.”

The revelation sparked widespread consternation among retail executives, lobbyists and government officials who said the companies’ use of the exemption was unfair competition.

However, behind closed doors, companies large and small began mimicking the same model after realizing how it could reduce the steep costs that come along with selling goods online.

Direct-to-consumer companies that only have online presences have relied on it more heavily, so much so that their businesses may not work without it, said Vaysfeld.

“Some of the companies we’ve spoken to, they’ve modeled out, if the tariffs continue for one year, for two years, how does that impact their profitability, and they know how long they can last,” said Vaysfeld. “These aren’t the huge companies, right? These are the smaller companies … Depending on what country they’re sourcing from or where they’re manufacturing, it could really impact their profitability that they can’t stay in business for the long term.”

While smaller, digital companies are more exposed, “pretty much most companies that you can think of” had been using the exemption in some form before it ended, said Vaysfeld.

Take Coach and Kate Spade’s parent company Tapestry: About 13% to 14% of the company’s sales were previously covered under de minimis and will now be subject to a 30% tariff, according to an estimate by equity research firm Barclays.

On the company’s earnings call earlier this month, Chief Financial Officer Scott Roe said tariffs will hit its profits by a total of $160 million this year, including the impact of the end of de minimis. That amounts to about 2.3% of margin headwind, he said.

Shares of the company fell nearly 16% the day that Tapestry reported the profit hit.

In a statement, Roe said Tapestry used de minimis to help support its strong online business, adding it is a practice that “many companies with sophisticated supply chains have been doing for years.”

To help offset its termination, he said Tapestry is looking for ways to reduce costs and is leaning on its manufacturing footprint across many different countries.

Canadian retailer Lululemon is another company that uses de minimis, according to Wells Fargo. Last week, the bank cut its price target on the company’s stock from $225 to $205, citing the end of de minimis. In the note, Wells Fargo analyst Ike Boruchow said the equity research firm sees a potential 90 cent to $1.10 headwind to Lululemon’s earnings per share from the de minimis elimination.

Lululemon declined to comment, citing the company’s quiet period ahead of its reporting earnings.

The National Retail Federation, the industry’s largest trade organization, has not taken a position in favor of or against the exemption. It has members who both supported and opposed the policy, said Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at NRF.

Retailers of all sizes, including independent sellers with digital storefronts, have used the approach as “a convenient way to get products to the consumer” for less, Gold said.

“Their costs are going to go up and those costs could be passed on to the consumer at the end of the day,” Gold said.

The most acute impact of the end of de minimis is expected to be felt on online marketplaces where millions of small businesses sell goods like Etsy, eBay and Shopify and used de minimis to defray costs when sending online orders from other parts of the globe to the U.S.

American shoppers have gotten used to buying artwork, coffee mugs, T-shirts and other items from merchants outside the country without paying duties. With that tariff exemption gone, consumers could face higher costs and a more limited selection of items to choose from.

Etsy, eBay and some other retailers sought to defend the loophole prior to its removal, submitting public comments on proposed de minimis regulation by the CBP. An eBay public policy executive said the company was concerned that restrictions to de minimis “would impose significant burdens on American consumers and importers.”

Etsy’s head of public policy, Jeffrey Zubricki, said the artisan marketplace supports “smart U.S. de minimis reform,” but that it was wary of changes that could “disproportionately affect small American sellers.”

“These exemptions are a powerful tool that help small creators, artisans and makers participate in and navigate cross-border trade,” Zubricki wrote in a March letter to CBP.

An Etsy spokesperson declined to comment on the policy change. Etsy CFO Lanny Baker said at a Bernstein conference in May that transactions between U.S. buyers and European sellers comprise about 25% of the company’s gross merchandise sales.

EBay didn’t immediately provide a comment in response to a request from CNBC. The company warned in its latest earnings report that the end of de minimis outside of China could impact its guidance, though CEO Jamie Iannone told CNBC in July that he believes eBay is generally “well suited” to navigate the shifting trade environment.

Some eBay and Etsy sellers based in the UK, Canada and other countries are temporarily closing off their businesses to the U.S. as they work out a plan to navigate the higher tariffs. Blair Nadeau, who owns a Canadian bridal accessories company, was forced to take that step this week.

“This is devastating on so many levels and millions of small businesses worldwide are now having their careers, passions and livelihoods threatened,” Nadeau wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “Just this past hour I have had to turn away two U.S. customers and it broke my heart.”

Nadeau sells her bespoke wedding veils, jewelry and hair adornments through her own website and on Etsy, where 70% of her customer base is in the U.S. The de minimis provision had been a “lifeline” for many Canadian businesses to get their products in the hands of American consumers, Nadeau said in an interview.

“This is really hitting me,” Nadeau said. “It’s like all of a sudden 70% of your salary has been removed overnight.”

In the absence of de minimis, online merchants are faced with either paying import charges upfront and potentially passing those costs on to shoppers through price hikes, or shipping products “delivery duty unpaid,” in which case it’s the customer’s responsibility to pay any duties upon arrival.

Alexandra Birchmore, an artist based in the Cotswolds region of England, said she expects to raise the price of her oil paintings on Etsy by 10% as a result of paying the duties upfront.

“At the moment every small business forum I am on is in chaos about this,” Birchmore said. “It looks to me to be a disaster where no one benefits.”

The disruption could end up being a boon for the likes of Amazon and Walmart. U.S. consumers may turn to major retailers if they face steeper prices elsewhere, as well as potential shipping delays due to backlogs or other issues at the border.

Amazon, in particular, has already proven resilient after the U.S. axed the de minimis provision for shipments from China and Hong Kong in May. The company’s sales increased 13% in the three-month period that ended June 30, compared with 10% growth in the prior quarter. Amazon’s unit sales grew 12%, an acceleration from the first quarter.

Both Amazon and Walmart have fulfillment operations in the U.S. that allow overseas businesses to ship items in bulk and store them in the companies’ warehouses before they’re dispatched to shoppers. Shein and Temu largely eschewed the model in the past in favor of the de minimis exception, but they’ve since moved to open more warehouses in the U.S. in the wake of rising tariffs.

Since the exemption ended on Chinese imports in May, the impact on Shein and Temu has been swift. Temu was forced to change its business model in the U.S. and stop shipping products to American consumers from Chinese factories.

The end of de minimis, as well as Trump’s new tariffs on Chinese imports, also forced Temu to raise prices, reign in its aggressive online advertising push and adjust which goods were available to American shoppers.

The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that Temu has resumed shipping goods to the U.S. from Chinese factories and will also increase its advertising spend following what it called a “truce” between Washington and Beijing.

Temu didn’t return a request for comment.

Meanwhile, Shein has been forced to raise prices and daily active users on both platforms in the U.S. have fallen since the de minimis loophole was closed, CNBC previously reported. Temu’s U.S. daily active users plunged 52% in May versus March, while Shein’s were down 25%, according to data shared with CNBC by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

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Spirit Airlines on Friday filed for bankruptcy protection, just months after the budget carrier failed to secure better financial footing when it came out of Chapter 11 protection in March.

The Dania Beach, Florida-based airline said under this bankruptcy, it will reduce its network and shrink its fleet, cuts that it said will reduce costs by “hundreds of millions of dollars” a year.

In a release, Spirit said guests can continue to book, travel and use tickets, credits and loyalty points. Wages and benefits will continue to be paid and honored, including contractors, it said. Spirit intends to pay vendors and suppliers for goods and services provided on or after the filing date in the ordinary course.

“Since emerging from our previous restructuring, which was targeted exclusively on reducing Spirit’s funded debt and raising equity capital, it has become clear that there is much more work to be done and many more tools are available to best position Spirit for the future,” Spirit CEO Dave Davis said in a news release on Friday.

Spirit had just gotten out of bankruptcy in March after four months, only to be dragged down by continued high costs and weaker U.S. domestic demand. The carrier had struggled for years as it dealt with a glut of U.S. flights, a Pratt & Whitney engine recall and a failed takeover by JetBlue Airways, a deal that was blocked in court.

Firms that used Spirit’s aircrafts had reached out to rival airlines in recent weeks to gauge executives’ interest in some of the carrier’s planes, according to people familiar with the matter.

Spirit is the United States’ largest budget airline, followed closely by rival Frontier Airlines which has tried and failed to merge with Spirit repeatedly since 2022. Frontier on Tuesday announced 20 new routes that compete with Spirit to win over its struggling competitor’s customers.

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Genetics is the study of genes, their variations and hereditary characteristics, as well as how these traits are passed on through generations. So what is genetics investing?

When it comes to genetics investing, companies in this niche of the life science sector are mostly focused on four submarkets: DNA sequencing, genetic testing, gene therapy and genomics, which includes gene editing.

This life sciences submarket has gained much attention from investors over the past several years. It has provided a launching pad for a number of biotech firms developing and commercializing novel treatments and drugs addressing a wide range of diseases with unmet needs.

For those looking to dive into the genetics sector, there are numerous investment opportunities to consider. Investing in gene stocks is the most common route, but there are risks due to the market’s volatility, especially when it comes to wins or losses with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are another popular option for gaining exposure to the industry, and come with less risk than investing in a single stock.

In this article

    What are the key areas of the genetics sector?

    Before diving into investment opportunities in the genetics market, it’s important to understand the industry and the key areas of genetics mentioned above.

      What investors should know about the genetics market

      In the biotech sector, gene therapy is one of the more advanced treatment options, and gene therapy pipeline candidates are robust in late-stage clinical trials.

      In terms of what will — and already has — disrupted the genetics industry, CRISPR gene-editing technology has been on the rise for quite some time. It uses short repeating DNA sequences with “spacers” dividing them to treat genetic diseases.

      While the use of the technology is still in its early stages, in the coming years it’s expected to have a big impact on how genetic diseases are treated, and there are a range of clinical trials underway involving CRISPR technology. So far, the only FDA approved CRISPR-based medicine is Casgevy, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) and CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP). It was originally approved in late 2023 for the treatment of sickle cell disease.

      The prominence of gene therapies in the life science sector was a major theme at the 2025 JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in January 2025. Peter Marks, then-director of the FDA’s Center for Biological Evaluation and Research, told attendees that his agency is aiming to accelerate approvals for gene therapies.

      In 2024, the FDA expanded approvals for CRISPR-based Casgevy to beta-thalassemia, and it also approved Pfizer’s (NYSE:PFE) Beqvez and PTC Therapeutics’ (NASDAQ:PTC) Kebilidi.

      Despite experiencing a challenging year in 2024, there is still a lot of optimism in the gene therapy sector. Also speaking at the January conference, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine president Tim Hunt said he believes 10 new cell and gene therapy treatments could reach blockbuster status by 2030.

      “No one’s saying there aren’t headwinds, but we are seeing important signs of growth,” he added.

      Looking at DNA sequencing, this market is driven by advances in biotech, the increasing prevalence of cancer and rising demand for precision medicine, as well as higher investment in research and development. DNA sequencing has become a vital component of this growth and has played a key role in remodeling molecular biology and genomics research.

      Genetic testing is another segment of the genetics industry that is growing at a fast pace. Unsurprisingly, technological breakthroughs have had a huge impact on genetic testing, and so has the fact that governments and regulatory bodies are turning their attention to this market in order to regulate and raise awareness to treat diseases such as cancer, cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.

      Biotech and pharmaceutical companies are also expressing interest in this sector, which is expected to further fuel genetics sector growth in the coming years. Mergers and acquisitions activity is also expected to increase as companies seek to expand their product portfolios new candidates and technologies.

      As can be seen, the genetics industry is vast and complex, but is also ripe with investment opportunities.

      How to invest in gene stocks

      Investors looking to invest in the field of genetics through stocks have many options, from large-cap biotech companies to pure-play gene therapy, gene editing and genetic testing stocks.

      See the list below for genetics companies to consider, and check out the linked stock lists for more options.

      Large-cap gene stocks

      There are a number of large-cap biotech companies that have significant focuses on the field of genomics. Here are a few to consider:

      Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN)
      A global leader in biotech, Amgen uses advanced human genetics to develop and manufacture therapeutics targeting a variety of diseases with unmet medical needs. The company’s subsidiary deCODE Genetics is researching how human genetic diversity influences disease.

      AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV)
      Research-based global biopharmaceutical company AbbVie that addresses several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology and gastroenterology. AbbVie is collaborating with ADARx Pharmaceuticals to develop siRNA therapeutics, viewed as a promising genetic medicine approach for silencing disease-causing genes.

      Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:REGN)
      Regeneron Pharmaceuticals creates medicines for a wide variety of diseases. The Regeneron Genetics Center is conducting one of the world’s largest genetics sequencing efforts in collaboration with health organizations around the world.

      Gene editing (CRISPR) stocks

      There are a variety of options for investors looking to buy in on the field of gene editing stocks, including:

      CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP)
      CRISPR Therapeutics and its partner Vertex Pharmaceuticals co-developed drug Casgevy, a CRISPR/Cas9 genome-edited cell therapy. Casgevy is the first ever treatment based on CRISPR technology to be approved for the US market, as well as by the European Medicines Agency and Health Canada.

      Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NTLA)
      Intellia Therapeutics is a gene editing biotech company developing drugs for patients with genetic and autoimmune diseases. The company’s drug pipeline includes late-stage clinical programs for therapies targeting hereditary angioedema and transthyretin amyloidosis.

      Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX)
      Vertex Pharmaceuticals is the other half of the team behind Casgevy. It also offers exposure to other sectors of genomics, with approved treatments for cystic fibrosis and a pipeline of genetic and cell therapies. Its investigational VX-880 islet cell replacement therapy could restore insulin production in patients with type 1 diabetes.

      Gene therapy stocks

      Gene therapy stocks and stem cell stocks are also popular choices for genetics investing. Here are a few to get you started:

      Novartis (NYSE:NVS)
      Switzerland-based Novartis is focused on treatments for a wide range of diseases, including cancers, malaria, leprosy and sickle cell disease. Novartis is developing adeno-associated-virus (AAV)-based and CRISPR-based gene therapies. Its Kymriah treatment was the first CAR-T cell therapy to be approved by the FDA, and the agency also approved its AAV-based therapy Zolgensma.

      Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD)
      Global biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences is advancing breakthrough medicines to prevent and treat serious diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis and cancer. Its cell-based gene medicine for blood cancer, the CAR T-cell therapy Yescarta, was the second gene therapy approved by FDA.

      uniQure (NASDAQ:QURE)
      Genomic medicine company uniQure develops and markets gene therapy products for patients with severe genetic diseases. The company’s AAV-based gene therapy platform targets liver-directed and central nervous system disorders.

      Genetic testing stocks

      For those interested in genetic testing stocks, these three stocks provide a snapshot on different ways to get exposure to the sector:

      Exact Sciences (NASDAQ:EXAS)
      Exact Sciences focuses on molecular diagnostic tests. The company has developed a molecular screening technology platform called Cologuard that detects a range of cancers, including breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

      Fulgent Genetics (NASDAQ:FLGT)
      A leader in clinical diagnostic genetic sequencing, Fulgent Genetics is a full-service genomics testing company. Its proprietary technology platform, Picture Genetics, allows for the identification of personal DNA health markers in individual patients.

      Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN)
      Illumina develops, manufactures and markets life science tools and integrated systems that enable the implementation of genomic solutions for the healthcare sector. Its focus is on oncology testing, genetic disease testing, reproductive health and research.

      How to invest in genomics ETFs

      For those who would prefer to invest in the genetics industry overall rather than buying shares in an individual gene stock, investing in genomics ETFs is the way to go. Here are some available ETFs that offer exposure to companies in the biotech and genetics sectors to start you off:

      ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARCA:ARKG)
      This ETF tracks firms focused on CRISPR technology, targeted therapeutics, bioinformatics, molecular diagnostics, stem cells and agricultural biology. Its holdings include CRISPR Therapeutics and Guardant Health (NASDAQ:GH).

      Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:GNOM)
      The Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF invests in stocks that are involved in genomic science, which includes gene computational genomics and biotechnology. Its holdings include Illumina and Avidity Biosciences (NASDAQ:RNA).

      iShares Genomics Immunology and Healthcare ETF (ARCA:IDNA)
      The iShares Genomics Immunology and Healthcare ETF focuses on companies involved with genomics, immunology and bioengineering. Its holdings include Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Arcellx (NASDAQ:ACLX).

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

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