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The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage dropped 16 basis points to 6.29% Friday, according to Mortgage News Daily, following the release of a weaker-than-expected August employment report.

It’s the lowest rate since Oct. 3 and the biggest one-day drop since August 2024. Rates are finally breaking out of the high 6% range, where they’ve been stuck for months.

“This was a pretty straightforward reaction to a hotly anticipated jobs report,” said Mortgage News Daily Chief Operating Officer Matt Graham. “It’s a good reminder that the market gets to decide what matters in terms of economic data, and the bond market has a clear voting record that suggests the jobs report is always the biggest potential source of volatility for rates.”

Graham said in a post on X that many lenders are “priced better” than Oct. 3 and would be quoting in the high 5% range.

The drop is a major change from May, when the rate on the 30-year fixed peaked at 7.08%. It’s big for buyers out shopping for a home today, especially given high home prices.

Take, for example, someone purchasing a $450,000 home, which is just above August’s national median price, using a 30-year fixed mortgage with a 20% down payment. Not including taxes or insurance, the monthly payment at 7% would be $2,395. At 6.29%, that payment would be $2,226, a difference of $169 per month.

That might not sound like a lot to some, but it can mean the difference in not just affording a home, but qualifying for a mortgage.

Homebuilder stocks reacted favorably Friday, with names like Lennar, DR Horton and Pulte all up roughly 3% midday. Homebuilding ETF ITB has been running hot for the last month as rates slowly moved lower. It’s up close to 13% in the past month.

The big question is whether the drop in rates will be enough to get homebuyers back in the market.

Mortgage demand from homebuyers, an early indicator, have yet to respond to gradually improving rates. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home last week were 6.6% lower from four weeks before, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

“Homebuyers grapple with a lack of affordability, sellers contend with more competition, and builders deal with lower buyer demand,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said Friday in a statement after the release of the August employment report. “These conditions haven’t spelled catastrophe, but have created a cruel summer for the housing market.”

Some analysts have argued that buyers need to see mortgage rates in the 5% range before it really makes a difference. Home prices remain stubbornly high, and while the gains have definitely cooled, they are not yet coming down on a national level. In addition, uncertainty about the state of the economy and the job market has left many would-be buyers on the sidelines.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

NEW YORK — The final that everyone anticipated has come to fruition. The top two seeds will clash for the title at Flushing Meadows.

Jannik Sinner will face Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final in defense of his title on Sunday, Sept. 7 after the top-seeded Italian took down Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night.

Auger-Aliassime, a 25-year-old Canadian making his first appearance in the US Open semifinals in four years, was aiming to become the second men’s singles player from his country to reach a Grand Slam final.

With the victory, the 24-year-old Sinner becomes the fourth and youngest man in the Open Era to play in the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments in one season.

It will be the first time ever two male players have played in three straight Grand Slam finals within one year.

After winning the Australian Open in January over Alexander ZverevAlcaraz beat Sinner in a five-set thriller at the French Open final. Sinner returned the favor by taking home the Wimbledon title in July, and the Spaniard went on to defeat him for the Cincinnati Open championship, serving as a tune-up for the US Open. Alcaraz and Sinner have won each of the seven Grand Slam championships, and the stakes couldn’t be bigger. Not only is a $5 million check at stake, but the winner of Sunday’s match will become the No. 1-ranked player in the world.

Sinner was surgical in the first set, winning 6-1, using a powerful forehand to force Auger-Aliassime into multiple errors, and capitalizing on opportunities to establish a strong lead.

Those opportunities came in the second set, as it was Sinner who was uncharacteristically sloppy, with only two winners as both men played a chess game to see who could get over on each other’s lightning-fast serve, both sometimes topping out at over 120 mph. Auger-Aliassime took control and won the last three games of the set, sending the crowd at Ashe into thunderous applause.

Sinner called for medical personnel to check on him in between the second and third sets. When he returned from the timeout he went straight to work, winning three straight games after the score was tied at two games each and ending the set when Auger-Aliassime’s backhand went into the net.

Sinner, now on a 27-match hard-court winning streak, struggled at times to put away Auger-Aliassime, who didn’t help his cause with five double faults, but finally wrapped up the three-hour, 21-minute affair when Auger-Aliassime committed the last of his 41 unforced errors, a forehand return that hit the net.

Jannik Sinner vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime semifinal highlights

Order restored as Sinner takes the third set

Two down, one to go for Sinner as he methodically put away Auger-Aliassime in the third set 6-3. Between the second and third sets, Sinner called for medical personnel to check on him, and when he returned from the timeout, he went straight to work, winning three straight games after the score was tied at two games each and ending the set when Auger-Aliassime’s backhand went into the net.

Auger-Aliassime wins second set

Auger-Aliassime roared back into the match by taking the last three games of the second set, winning 6-3. Sinner is not getting his first serve over, and Auger-Aliassime punished him, especially in the eighth game, allowing the momentum that Sinner had from the first set to disappear completely. Sinner lost a set for only the second time all tournament.

Auger-Aliassime shows signs of life

Sinner has made some uncharacteristic errors, and Auger-Aliassime has held serve so far. If he can get the set to at least a tiebreak or break Sinner’s serve, there might be a match. Tied at three games each heading down the stretch in the second set.

Sinner takes first set in easy fashion

Sinner is rolling, winning the first set 6-1, and dominating with his forehand. Auger-Aliassime can’t get out of his own way with 11 unforced errors and is getting a workout chasing Sinner’s return all over the court. Mismatch on all levels so far.

Sinner dominant in early going

Sinner has been absolutely surgical so far, breaking Felix Auger-Aliassime and dominating when it is his turn to serve. Sinner’s lead of 3-0 might be insurmountable if the young Canadian can’t put up much of a fight.

How to watch Jannik Sinner vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime

No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner will face off against No. 25 Felix Auger-Aliassime in a U.S. Open men’s semifinal match.

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 5
  • Time: 7 p.m. ET
  • Location: Arthur Ashe Stadium (Flushing, New York)
  • TV: ESPN

Watch the US Open on Fubo

How to watch 2025 US Open: Dates, TV, streaming

  • Dates: Sunday, Aug. 24-Sunday, Sept. 7
  • Location: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York
  • TV: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes
  • Stream: Fubo
This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup involves nearly every sovereign nation on the planet, with every team pursuing one of the 48 berths at next summer’s massive tournament.

While the United States, Mexico, and Canada were all guaranteed places as host nations, the other 45 berths have to be earned the hard way. Qualifying kicked off all the way back on Sept. 7, 2023, with a game between Paraguay and Peru being the first to kick off. From there, each of the six continental confederations work through a sometimes byzantine process to sort out the nations that will take the field at the next men’s World Cup.

Over the last two days, four nations have sealed their places at next summer’s tournament. On Thursday, Uruguay and Colombia both clinched their places with wins in South America, while Paraguay joined them after a scoreless draw against Ecuador (and then declared a national holiday to celebrate). Morocco became the first African nation to qualify, sealing their place with a 5-0 rout of Niger on Friday.

Here’s what to know about who has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, who might join them in the near future, and a breakdown of how many berths each of the world’s regions gets:

Who has qualified for World Cup 2026?

The 2026 World Cup will be the first ever to include 48 nations, a massive jump up from the 32 that competed in Qatar in 2022. The qualifying process varies from confederation to confederation, with 17 nations having clinched their places in next summer’s massive tournament.

Here is a complete list of every country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as of Friday, Sept. 5:

  • Host nations: Canada, Mexico, United States
  • Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan
  • Africa: Morocco
  • Concacaf: None yet
  • Europe: None yet
  • Oceania: New Zealand
  • South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

World Cup qualifying: Who could clinch a 2026 spot next?

World Cup qualifying is going on worldwide, with each confederation’s schedule and process containing variations. However, in the next few days, three countries could claim their places at the 2026 tournament:

  • Algeria: A win on Monday against Guinea (which will be played in Casablanca, Morocco, as Guinea doesn’t have a stadium that meets CAF standards) combined with Uganda failing to beat Somalia in Kampala would send Algeria to their fifth men’s World Cup.
  • Egypt: With three games left to play, Egypt leads Group A by five points over Burkina Faso. Those two meet in Ouagadougou on Tuesday, and a win for the visitors would get ‘the Pharoahs’ back into the World Cup after they missed out in 2022.
  • Tunisia: Tunisia leads Group H by seven points with three games to play, leaving them with several paths to clinch qualifying. A win on Monday at Equatorial Guinea would do the job, as would Namibia failing to defeat São Tomé and Príncipe on Tuesday.

Additionally, there are two high-pressure games in South America, where Venezuela and Bolivia are fighting for the region’s only intercontinental playoff spot. Venezuela holds a one-point lead between the two (as well as a 12-goal edge in the first tiebreaker, goal difference), meaning that a win at home over Colombia will keep their hopes alive.

Bolivia must beat Brazil — something they’ve only done once, back in 2009 — and hope for Venezuela to stumble at the finish line. Otherwise, the ‘Vinotinto’ will begin looking forward to the intercontinental playoff.

World Cup 2026: How many spots for each region?

Here is a complete breakdown of how FIFA sorted out all 48 berths at the 2026 World Cup:

  • Host nations (3): Canada, Mexico, and the United States all qualified as soon as they were picked to host the tournament.
  • Asia (8): Six Asian countries have qualified. The Asian Football Confederation’s fourth round (which will settle who claims the final two automatic bids) begins on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
  • Africa (9): African qualifying sorted 54 countries into nine groups of six (though Eritrea withdrew from Group E before play began). Group winners all qualify, while the best four runners-up will have a pathway to the intercontinental playoff.
  • Concacaf (3): The region’s third round — featuring three groups of four — began on Thursday, Sept. 4. Group winners qualify directly, while the two best runners-up will enter the intercontinental playoff.
  • Europe (16): UEFA qualifying features 54 teams broken up into 12 groups. Group winners qualify for the World Cup, while the second-place finishers (along with the top four teams from the UEFA Nations League who didn’t win their qualifying groups) will enter a playoff for Europe’s final four berths that is set for March 2026.
  • Oceania (1): New Zealand has already claimed Oceania’s only guaranteed berth at the 2026 World Cup.
  • South America (6): CONMEBOL’s marathon qualifying tournament is down to one final round of games, but all six direct spots have already been clinched. The region’s seventh-place finisher (which will be either Venezuela or Bolivia) will go into the intercontinental playoff.
  • Intercontinental playoff (2): New Caledonia is the only team locked into a spot in what will be a six-team tournament scheduled for March 2026.
This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Despite the current low price environment, the long-term demand for battery metals is robust and offers opportunity for those interested in lithium stocks.

Seasoned metals investors who want to look beyond gold and silver are getting involved, while new investors are being drawn into the space by expanding battery market and lithium supply deals between auto makers and lithium producers.

Whatever the reason, it’s important to get familiar with the lithium market before investing in lithium stocks. Here’s a brief overview of some of the basics, including supply and demand, prices and companies.

In this article

    Where is lithium mined?

    Lithium is found globally in hard-rock deposits, evaporated brines and clay deposits. There’s some contention as to which type of deposit is superior, but generally there are challenges and upsides for both.

    The world’s largest hard-rock mine is the Greenbushes mine in Australia, and the bulk of the world’s lithium brine production comes from salars in Chile and Argentina. Most large lithium reserves are in Chile, and the prolific “Lithium Triangle” spans Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. Australia was once again the world’s largest lithium producer in 2024, followed by Chile and China.

    Canada and the United States, ranked as the seventh and ninth largest lithium producing countries, are increasingly becoming hotspots for lithium development and production as North American auto makers seek to secure domestic supply sources.

    What’s the difference between battery-grade and technical-grade lithium?

    Technical-grade lithium is used in ceramics, glass and other industrial applications, while battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide are used to make lithium-ion batteries. These lithium products can also be used for technical applications in a pinch, although battery-grade lithium fetches premium market prices over technical-grade. Those aren’t the only classifications, though. Pharmaceutical grade lithium carbonate is used in medicine.

    How is lithium priced?

    Getting a look at lithium prices isn’t easy, and that can make it difficult for investors who are looking to assess the viability of a given project. Pricing in the lithium industry has always been opaque due to the dominance of a few major producers, with investors having very little pricing information they can trust.

    Simon Moores of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence has emphasized that pricing can be a difficult concept for investors to grasp.

    “The biggest myth surrounding pricing is, ‘What is the price of lithium?’ Because there is no one price,” he said. “The newcomers want one lithium price, but the existing market has a wide range of lithium chemicals and then grades within a specification.’

    There are also distinct prices for lithium on markets in different regions, meaning lithium hydroxide in China will be priced slightly different than in Europe.

    For those looking to invest in lithium who want to learn about lithium prices, it’s best to read reports on lithium price trends from experts to help you understand what is happening in the market.

    What factors drive the lithium market?

    A major driver for the lithium market is its use in the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, energy-storage systems, smart phones and laptops.

    Global EV sales reached 17 million units in 2024, up 25 percent from the previous year, according to International Energy Agency (IEA) data. The figure represents more than 20 percent of all new cars sold worldwide. Looking forward, EV sales are expected to increase by another 25 percent to surpass 20 million in 2025, amounting to about one-quarter of total new car sales for the year.

    Tesla with its Nevada-based gigafactory was the first carmaker to stoke excitement in the lithium space. However, advancements in Chinese battery technologies, strategic pricing and government support led to Chinese EV maker BYD Company (HKEX:1211) overthrowing Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) as the global EV market leader in sales for 2024. That trend has continued into 2025, as Elon Musk’s involvement in US politics has also damaged Tesla’s brand for both sides of the political spectrum.

    The ascension of a Chinese automaker on the global EV stage doesn’t come as a surprise to most market insiders. The IEA is forecasting that China will see more than 14 million new EVs will be sold in 2025, representing 60 percent of all new cars sold in the country. Even more impressive, this figure is more than all EVs sold worldwide in 2023.

    When it comes to the lithium batteries that power electric vehicles, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data shows that in 2023, “China controlled nearly 85% of the world’s battery cell production capacity by monetary value.”

    In the US, the election of Donald Trump to a second term as president has cast a shadow over the North American EV market. On September 30, 2025, the Trump Administration is set to scrap the US$7,500 consumer tax credit for EVs offered under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act. Government incentives to purchase EVs has also evaporated in Canada, despite the mandate that by 2035, 100 percent of new vehicle sales must be zero-emission vehicles.

    “North America, and in particular Canada, is experiencing a slowdown of EV sales in 2025. With Trump’s latest cuts in his ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ the USA could struggle to see any growth in the EV market overall in 2025,” said Rho Motion Data Manager Charles Lester.

    Data centers and artificial intelligence technologies represent another key demand trend for lithium as they require significant investments in battery energy storage systems.

    “Batteries are now essential — not just for EVs, but to balance power systems across sectors,” said Paul Lusty, head of battery raw materials at Fastmarkets, at Fastmarkets’ Lithium Supply & Battery Raw Materials conference in June.

    On the supply side, China has made a major push in recent years to expand its lithium mine production, leading to an oversupplied market. The resulting lithium price slump forced Australian lithium miners to stall development plans, curtail production and even place some operations on care and maintenance.

    Fastmarkets has reported that China is set to surpass Australia as the world’s largest lithium producing country by 2026.

    Lithium mine supply disruptions out of China are already having an oversized impact. In mid-August 2025, Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) (SZSE:300750,HKEX:3750) confirmed it had suspended operations at Jianxiawo, one of the world’s largest lithium mines, after the mine’s permit expired on August 9 and the company failed to obtain an extension.

    The news sent lithium spot prices higher as well as the stock values of ex-China lithium miners such as Lithium Americas (NYSE:LAC), Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) and Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN).

    How to invest in lithium stocks

    So what’s the best way to invest in lithium? How should investors interested in lithium stocks begin? To start, it helps to understand the lithium production landscape.

    For a long time, most lithium was produced by an oligopoly of lithium producers often referred to as the “Big 3”: Albemarle (NYSE:ALB), Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) (NYSE:SQM) and FMC. Rockwood Holdings was on that list too before it was acquired by Albemarle several years ago.

    However, the list of the world’s top lithium-mining companies has changed in recent years. The companies mentioned above still produce the majority of the world’s lithium, but China accounts for a large chunk of output as well. As already discussed, the Asian nation is on track to become the largest lithium-producing country by 2026.

    For now, the biggest producer continues to be Australia, which is home to many lithium mines, including up-and-comer Liontown Resources’ (ASX:LTR,OTC:LINRF) Kathleen Valley operations. The mine entered open-pit production during H2 2024, and the plant hit commercial production in January 2025. The company is currently transitioning Kathleen Valley from an open-pit to underground mining operation, making it the state of Western Australia’s first underground lithium mine.

    In other words, lithium investors need to be keeping an eye on lithium-mining companies in Australia and other jurisdictions in addition to the New York-listed chemical companies that produce the material.

    Of course, smaller lithium stocks are worth watching too — to find out which ones are currently thriving, check out our top global lithium stocks article. You can also check out our articles on the biggest lithium stocks globally, top performing Australian lithium stocks and top Canadian lithium stocks.

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

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

    Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) (OTCMKTS:ALTHF) is pleased to announce that it has received EUR1M in funds from the remaining Bearer Bond facility in place with major shareholder Deutsche Balaton. The original facility was for EUR2.5M and this has now been adjusted by mutual agreement to EUR2M. The full EUR2M has now been drawn down.

    As announced to the ASX on 25 March 2025, the Company advised that it is in the process of selling its Malaysian land to help fund the ongoing development of the CERENERGY(R) battery project and the Silumina Anodes(TM) battery materials project, as well as to support general working capital requirements.

    The Company also announced that it had entered into a binding Bond Note Subscription Deed with its major shareholder Deutsche Balaton AG, under which Altech could drawdown up to EUR2.5M in cash in the form of interest-bearing Bearer Bonds.

    As the Bond Note Subscription Deed involved the Company granting a security interest over the Company’s Malaysian land, shareholder approval was required. The Company convened a General Meeting on 13 May 2025 and shareholders approved all Resolutions put to the General Meeting. The Company then applied to have the Malaysian land security registered with the relevant land authority, being Johor Corp. Although there were no laws or regulations precluding Johor Corp from registering the land security, it considered Deutsche Balaton AG a ‘non-lending foreign entity’ and advised that accordingly it was not comfortable in registering the land security.

    The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. is the holder of the lease agreement over the Malaysian land. The only asset of value within Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. is the lease agreement over the Malaysian land. In order to provide the security to Deutsche Balaton AG so as to drawdown the Bearer Bonds, the Company enforced security over the shares of Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. in favour of Deutsche Balaton AG in lieu of the land security.

    On 20 August 2025, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary Altech Chemicals Australia Pty Ltd (shareholder of Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd.) executed a Share Charge with Deutsche Balaton AG in connection with the Bond Note Subscription Deed. Pursuant to the Share Charge, Altech Chemicals Australia Pty Ltd has offered as a continuing Security for the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed, charged all its rights, title and interest to all of the shares held in Altech Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. in favour of Deutsche Balaton AG. The Security is a continuing security and will extend to the ultimate balance of the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed.

    On 20 August 2025, the Company executed an Amendment Deed to the Bond Note Subscription Deed. Under the terms of the Amendment Deed, the agreed amount of bonds available to be drawdown was reduced from EUR2.5M to EUR2.0M. Additionally, the Company’s Meckering land was offered as additional security for the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed.

    Altech Meckering Pty Ltd, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary and holder of the Meckering land, has entered into a mortgage over the Meckering Land in favour of Deutsche Balaton AG as a continuing Security for the due and punctual payment of all the requirements of the Bond Note Subscription Deed.

    About Altech Batteries Ltd:

    Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS (‘Fraunhofer’) to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

    The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech’s land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.

    Source:
    Altech Batteries Ltd

    Contact:
    Corporate
    Iggy Tan
    Managing Director
    Altech Batteries Limited
    Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
    Email: info@altechgroup.com

    Martin Stein
    Chief Financial Officer
    Altech Batteries Limited
    Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
    Email: info@altechgroup.com

    News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

    Investor Insight

    Brazil’s expanding natural gas market, supported by an attractive and stable regulatory framework and fiscal regime, presents a unique opportunity for Alvopetro Energy to leverage its high-potential upstream and midstream assets. In early 2025, Alvopetro also announced a strategic entry into Western Canada focused on the prolific Mannville stack play fairway in Saskatchewan. With capital investment opportunities in Canada and Brazil, Alvopetro is on the pathway for long-term growth.

    Overview

    Alvopetro Energy (TSXV:ALV;OTCQX:ALVOF) is an independent energy company focused on unlocking onshore natural gas in Brazil while expanding its footprint into Canada. The company is recognized as Brazil’s first integrated onshore natural gas producer, having established a unique model that combines upstream production, midstream infrastructure and long-term sales agreements with stable pricing linked to Brent and Henry Hub benchmarks.

    Since commencing production in 2020, Alvopetro has delivered strong operating results, sector-leading netbacks and consistent dividends. With a disciplined capital allocation strategy, approximately half of the cash flow from operations has been reinvested in organic growth, while the remainder has been returned to shareholders through dividends, debt reduction and share repurchases. This balance has underpinned exceptional shareholder returns, including a cumulative 1,495 percent total shareholder return since 2018.

    Alvopetro’s growth is anchored by two pillars: its high-margin natural gas business in the Recôncavo Basin of Bahia, Brazil, and its newly established Western Canadian heavy oil platform. Together, these assets provide a diversified base of production and reserves, supporting near-term growth and long-term value creation.

    Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, and operating in Salvador, Brazil, Alvopetro is led by a proven management team with extensive international oil and gas experience. The company is committed not only to profitable growth but also to sustainable development, investing in local communities through education, entrepreneurship, cultural programs and biodiversity initiatives.

    Company Highlights

    • Alvopetro is a leading independent upstream and midstream gas operator in the state of Bahia, Brazil.
    • The company’s growth strategy targets opportunities with the best combinations of geological prospectivity and fiscal regime. In Brazil, Alvopetro is focused on unlocking Brazil’s on-shore natural gas potential, building off the development of its Caburé and Murucututu natural gas fields strategic midstream infrastructure. In Canada, four wells have been drilled and are on production and Alvopetro has expanded its land base with potential for over 100 drilling locations.
    • Over 95 percent of Alvopetro’s Brazil production is from natural gas and the company has a 2P reserve base of 9.1 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) with a before-tax NPV10 of $327.8 million.
    • The company generates highly attractive operating netbacks and profitability per unit of production, setting it apart from its Latin American and North American peers. The state of Bahia boasts a favorable fiscal regime with low royalties and Alvopetro’s projects are eligible for a 15 percent income tax rate.

    Key Projects

    Caburé

    The company’s flagship Caburé asset has historically delivered the majority of the company’s production. The project is a joint development of a conventional natural gas discovery across four blocks, two held by Alvopetro and two by its partner.

    Following the first redetermination in 2024, Alvopetro’s working interest in Cabure increased to 56.2 percent, entitling the company to a larger share of production. The unitized area includes eight producing wells and all necessary production facilities. Gross unit production capacity has increased by 33 percent to 21.2 million cubic feet per day (MMcfpd), and an ongoing development program includes five additional wells, four of which have already been drilled.

    Murucututu Gas

    Immediately north of Caburé, Murucututu is a 100 percent owned Alvopetro asset with significant growth potential. Independent reserves evaluators have assigned 2P reserves of 4.6 MMboe, with an additional 4.5 MMboe of risked best estimate contingent resources and 10.2 MMboe of risked best estimate prospective resources.

    The company successfully completed the 183-A3 well in 2024 and drilled the 183-D4 well updip of the 183-A3 well in 2025, bringing the 183-D4 well online in August 2025, which achieved initial production of 953 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd). With field production facilities already in place, Alvopetro plans a multi-year development program targeting both the Gomo and Caruaçu formations, including at least six more development wells.

    Midstream – Infrastructure and marketing

    Alvopetro owns and operates all of the key infrastructure needed to process and deliver its natural gas. Production from Caburé and Murucututu is transported via Alvopetro’s 11-kilometre transfer pipeline to its UPGN gas processing facility, which has a capacity of more than 18 MMcfpd.

    At the UPGN, condensate and water are removed, with condensate sold at a premium to Brent. Processed natural gas is delivered to the Bahiagás city gate, with onward transportation through a 15-kilometre distribution pipeline into Bahia’s Camacari industrial complex. Under the long-term gas sales agreement with Bahiagás, pricing is set quarterly based on Brent and Henry Hub benchmarks. An updated agreement, effective January 1, 2025, increased firm sales volumes by 33 percent, further securing Alvopetro’s cash flow stability.

    Western Canadian Growth Platform

    Beyond Brazil, Alvopetro has expanded its global footprint into North America with the establishment of a new heavy oil growth platform in Western Canada. The company holds a 50 percent working interest in 27.5 sections (8,890 net acres) of Mannville conventional heavy oil lands in Alberta and Saskatchewan, in partnership with an experienced operator, where we are deploying leading edge open hole multilateral drilling technology:

    The diagram above depicts the evolution of drilling technology to develop a ¼ section of land. On the far left, traditional development would have required 32 vertical wells. Technology then advanced to horizontal wells, as depicted in the middle of the diagram with 4 separate wells. Today, multilateral drilling technology (as depicted on the far right) allows for just a single well with 6+ open-hole lateral legs developing the ¼ section of land. Alvopetro’s first 2 wells drilled in Saskatchewan each included 6 lateral legs. A total of 15 km of open-hole horizontal legs were drilled.

    The Mannville stack is a multi-zone fairway with shallow depths, lower geological risk and attractive drilling economics. The first two earning wells were drilled with more than 15 km of open hole and brought into production in April 2025. Two additional wells were drilled in Big Gully in July 2025, with more than 19 km of open hole, with oil sales from the new wells are expected to commence in September 2025.

    With the potential for more than 100 drilling locations, the Canadian platform provides Alvopetro with a complementary source of long-term production growth.

    Management Team

    Corey C. Ruttan – President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

    Corey C. Ruttan is the president, chief executive officer and director of Alvopetro. He was the president and CEO of Petrominerales, from May 2010 until it was acquired by Pacific Rubiales Energy in November 2013. Prior to that, he was the vice-president of finance and chief financial officer of Petrominerales. From March 2000 to May 2010, Ruttan was the senior vice-president and chief financial officer of Petrobank Energy and Resources, and held increasingly senior positions with Petrobank since its inception in 2000. He also served as executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Lightstream Resources from October 2009 to May 2010; served as vice-president of Caribou Capital from June 1999 to March 2000; and manager financial reporting of Pacalta Resources from May 1997 to June 1999. He began his career at KPMG where he worked from September 1994 to May 1997. Ruttan obtained his Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in accounting from the University of Calgary in 1994 and his chartered accountant designation in 1997.

    Alison Howard – Chief Financial Officer

    Alison Howard is a chartered accountant with over 20 years of experience in Canadian and international taxation, accounting and finance. Howard joined Petrominerales in July 2011 as a tax manager and was subsequently promoted to tax director. From May 2008 to July 2011, Howard was the tax manager at Petrobank Energy and Resources. Prior to that, Howard spent a number of years at Deloitte LLP in Calgary. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1999.

    Adrian Audet – VP, Asset Management

    Adrian Audet joined Petrominerales in 2013 and has held increasingly senior roles with Alvopetro since its inception. Audet has spent extensive time in Bahia overseeing the operations, realizing extensive cost savings and improvements in efficiency. Previously, Audet held engineering roles with increasing responsibility in the oil and gas industry. Audet began his career in 2006 and completed his masters and undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta. Audet is a professional engineer registered with APEGA and is a CFA charterholder.

    Nanna Eliuk – Exploration Manager

    Nanna Eliuk is a professional geophysicist (M.Sc.) with over 23 years of diversified petroleum exploration and development experience. She has expertise in conventional and unconventional plays in both carbonate and clastic reservoirs in different depositional and structural settings (including pre-salt) in various basins around the world. Prior to joining Alvopetro, Eliuk was the senior explorationist of Condor Petroleum (Kazakhstan) for two years, and prior thereto, she was the vice-president of geophysics and land for Waldron Energy. Eliuk started her career in 1997, holding progressively senior roles at Husky Energy for five years, and at Compton Petroleum for over six years. Her extensive experience includes geophysical evaluation and analysis for business development opportunities and new ventures in various international basins, along with regional mapping, play fairway analysis, petroleum system evaluation, prospect definition, and seismic attribute analysis. Eliuk holds a masters degree in geology and geophysics, and a BSc. in geology.

    Darcy Reynolds – Western Canadian Business Unit Lead

    Darcy Reynolds, P.Geo is the Western Canadian Business Unit Lead with over 20 years of subsurface and asset evaluation experience across Western Canada. For the past 12 years, Reynolds has focused on heavy oil development, including horizontal multilateral wells, enhanced oil recovery (waterflood, polymer, CO₂), and thermal SAGD projects. He has held senior leadership and technical roles at Rubellite Energy (senior geologist), Cenovus Energy (geoscience director), Husky Energy (geoscience director), and Talisman Energy (geology manager). Reynolds holds a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Alberta and is a registered professional geoscientist with APEGA

    Frederico Oliveira – Country Manager

    Frederico Oliveira has held increasingly senior roles since 2008 and has expertise in regulations, contracts, partnerships, management and cost efficiency. He has held management roles in large private companies in Brazil, performing strategic planning, project implementation, process restructuring, efficiency and productivity improvements, and cost control. Oliveira obtained an MBA from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2004 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Minas Gerais.

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    Investor Insights

    Aurum Resources offers a compelling value proposition through its highly prospective gold assets in Côte d’Ivoire, a fast-emerging gold region in West Africa. Its cost-effective exploration strategy of drill rig ownership also distinguishes it from its peers.

    Overview

    Aurum Resources (ASX:AUE) is a mineral exploration company primarily focused on gold through its Boundiali and Napié gold projects in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.

    Côte d’Ivoire’s gold mining sector is experiencing significant growth and development, with several key projects contributing to the country’s economic expansion. The overall gold mining sector in Côte d’Ivoire is supported by substantial investments in infrastructure and exploration.

    Geopolitically, Côte d’Ivoire outperforms most developing countries in the world in political, legal, tax and operational risk metrics. Additionally, Côte d’Ivoire continues to make notable strides in its political stability and Absence of Violence and Terrorism Index.

    Boundiali Gold Project – BD Target 1 Artisanal Working

    In March 2025, Aurum completed the acquisition of 100 percent of Mako Gold, bringing together its strong balance sheet and industry-leading drilling efficiencies to accelerate resource growth across northern Côte d’Ivoire. The company now holds a 90 percent interest in the highly prospective Napié Project, a 224 sq km land package with a 30 km strike near Korhogo.

    Aurum has delivered a major milestone in 2025 with a +50 percent increase in the JORC Mineral Resource Estimate at its Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, adding 820koz for a total of 2.41Moz. This lifts the company’s group resources to 3.28Moz, including Napié, highlighting the scale and growth potential of Aurum’s portfolio.

    Supported by a seasoned board and management team with deep gold sector expertise—and strengthened by its recent capital raising—Aurum is well-funded to expand resources and advance development plans that drive long-term shareholder value.

    Company Highlights

    • 3.28Moz and Growing in Côte d’Ivoire: Two cornerstone gold projects — Boundiali (2.41Moz) and Napié (0.87Moz) — positioned for rapid growth with multiple resource updates and development milestones in 2025–2026.
    • Outstanding Metallurgy = Simple, Profitable Processing: Boundiali delivers free milling ore with 95 percent recoveries and a straightforward flowsheet, while Napié achieves +94 percent recoveries in tests, showcasing strong economics and low technical risk.
    • Aggressive, Cost-Effective Growth Strategy: In-house drill fleet drives efficiency and scale: 100,000m at Boundiali and 30,000m at Napié planned in 2025.
    • Premier Mining Jurisdiction: Located in Côte d’Ivoire’s prolific Birimian Greenstone Belt, backed by a stable, supportive government and excellent infrastructure—creating the right conditions for mine development success.
    • Leadership with a Proven Track Record: A seasoned management team with a history of value creation, supported by committed shareholders who back the company’s long-term growth vision.

    Key Projects

    Boundali Gold Project

    The Boundiali gold project in Cote d’Ivoire is located within the Boundiali Greenstone Belt, which hosts Resolute’s Syama gold operation (11.5 Moz) and the Tabakoroni deposit (1 Moz) in Mali. Neighbouring assets also include Barrick’s Tongon mine (5 Moz) and Montage Gold’s Kone project (4.5 Moz).

    The Boundiali project area covers the underexplored southern extension of the Boundiali belt, where a highly deformed synclinal greenstone horizon traverses finer-grained basin sediments, and to the west, Tarkwaian clastic rocks lie in contact with a granitic margin. The project benefits from year-round road access and excellent infrastructure.

    The first stage of drilling at Boundiali occurred from late October 2023 to end of November 2024 for both the BM and BD tenements (BM1 and BM2; BD1, BD2 and BD3 targets) and was designed to test below-gold-in-soil anomalies oriented along NE trending structures, define new gold prospects and define maiden JORC resources. With over 63,000m diamond holes drilled during this period, Maiden JORC gold resources estimate was delivered in late December 2024.

    Drilling costs are estimated at US$45 per metre, as Aurum owns all of its eight drilling rigs and employs its operators, representing a significant value proposition relative to peers who use commercial drilling companies that charge upwards of $200 per meter. The company believes there is potential for multi-million ounce gold resources to be defined with hundreds thousands meters of drilling over years within the Boundiali Gold Project’s land holding areas.

    The Boundiali gold project comprises four contiguous granted licenses: PR0808 (80 percent interest), PR0893 (80 percent and earning to 88 percent interest), PR414 (100 percent interest), and PR283 (earning to 70 percent interest). Historic exploration at PR0893 includes 93 AC drill holes and four RC holes. Airborne geophysical surveying, geological mapping and extensive soil sampling have also been performed at PR0893, while PR0808 has had 91 RC holes drilled for 6,229 metres along with geochemical analysis and modeling. Detailed geochemical sampling and drilling at PR414 revealed three strong gold anomalies and returned impressive high-grade results.

    In May 2024, Aurum entered a strategic partnership agreement to earn up to a 70 percent interest in exploration tenement PR283, to be renamed Boundiali North (BN). Aurum, through subsidiary Plusor Global Pty Ltd, has partnered with Ivorian company Geb & Nut Resources Sarl and related party (GNRR) to explore and develop the Boundiali North (BN) tenement which covers 208.87sq km immediately north of Aurum’s BD tenement. Further to this agreement,

    Aurum announced it has earned 80 percent project interest after completing more than 20,000 m of diamond core drilling.

    Boundiali Project JORC Mineral Resource Estimate

    Aurum has announced a maiden independent JORC mineral resource estimate of 1.59 Moz gold for its 1,037 sq. km. The Boundiali Gold Project comprises the BST, BDT1 & BDT2, BMT1 and BMT3 deposits. Drilling is ongoing on these deposits, and Aurum has identified other prospects at Boundiali which have yet to be drilled. Since October 2023, the company has completed an extensive 63,927-metre diamond drilling program. This aggressive exploration campaign has rapidly defined a significant gold resource of 50.9 Mt @ 1.0 g/t gold for 1.6 million ounces.

    In August 2025, Aurum announced a 50 percent increase in the JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). The update adds 820koz, lifting Boundiali’s resource to 2.41Moz and boosting total group resources to 3.28Moz, including Napié. The 2025 MRE covers six deposits, including BST1, BDT1, BDT2, BDT3, BMT1, and BMT3, with drilling ongoing and additional untested targets offering strong growth potential.

    Aurum is working towards completing an open pit PFS for the Boundiali Gold Project by the end of 2025. This will provide an evaluation of the project’s economics and technical feasibility.

    Napié Gold Project

    Aurum holds a 90 percent interest in the Napié Project in north-central Côte d’Ivoire, acquired through its takeover of Mako Gold. Located approximately 30 km southeast of Korhogo, the project covers a 224 sq km land package with a 30 km strike length along the highly prospective Napié Shear Zone.

    As of June 2022, Napié hosts a JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate of 868,000 ounces of gold (22.5 Mt at 1.20 g/t Au), based on the Tchaga and Gogbala deposits—two of four known prospects along the shear. To date, only 13 percent of the Napié Shear has been explored, leaving substantial potential for further discoveries.

    Napié Project – Previous results with detailed mapping area on Komboro Prospect shown in black rectangle

    Project Highlights:
    • Gold Resource: Shallow open pit 0.87Moz JORC Resource at 1.20g/t Au, with mineralisation open along strike and at depth. Maximum resource depth between 160 m – 195m across the two deposits
    • Exploration Upside: Less than 13 percent of the 30 km Napié Shear has been explored, offering significant potential for resource growth.
    • Preliminary Recovery Test Work: Returned more than 94 percent average gold recoveries.
    • Resource Growth Target: First MRE update planned end of 2025, to significantly expand the resource base.
    • Infrastructure: Excellent access to hydroelectricity, roads, and water, supporting future development.

    Management Team

    Troy Flannery – Non-executive Chairman

    Troy Flannery has more than 25 years’ experience in the mining industry, including nine years in corporate and 17 years in senior mining engineering and project development roles. He has a degree in mining engineering, masters in finance, and first-class mine managers certificate of competency. Flannery has performed non-executive director roles with numerous ASX listed companies and was the CEO of Abra Mining until October 2021. He has worked at numerous mining companies, mining consultancy and contractors, including BHP, Newcrest, Xstrata, St Barbara Mines and AMC Consultants.

    Dr. Caigen Wang – Managing Director

    Dr. Caigen Wang founded Tietto Minerals (ASX:TIE), where he led the company as managing director for 13 years through private exploration, ASX listing, gold resource definition, project study and mine building to become one of Africa’s newest gold producers at its Abujar gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire. He holds a bachelor, masters and PhD in mining engineering. He is a fellow of AusIMM and a chartered professional engineer of Institution of Engineer, Australia. Wang has 13 years of mining academic experience in China University of Mining and Technology, Western Australia School of Mine and University of Alberta, and over 20 years of practical experience in mining engineering and mineral exploration in Australia, China and Africa. Other professional experience includes senior technical and management roles in mining houses, including St. Barbara, Sons of Gwalia, BHP Billiton, China Goldmines PLC and others.

    Mark Strizek – Executive Director

    Mark Strizek has nearly 30 years’ experience in the resource industry, having worked as a geologist on various gold, base metal and technology metal projects. He brings invaluable geological, technical and development expertise to Aurum, most recently as an executive director at Tietto Minerals’, which progressed from an IPO to gold production at the Abujar gold project in West Africa. Strizek has worked as an executive with management and board responsibilities in exploration, feasibility, finance, and development-ready assets across Australia, West Africa, Asia, and Europe.

    Steve Zaninovich – Non-Executive Director

    Ateve Zaninovich is a qualified engineer with over 25 years of experience in mining project development, business development, maintenance, and operational readiness, with a focus on gold, base metals, and lithium. He is currently director of operations at Kodal Minerals, where he is responsible for advancing the Bougouni Lithium Project. His previous roles include project director at Lycopodium Minerals for the Akyem Gold Project in Ghana and chief operating officer at Gryphon Minerals. Following Gryphon’s acquisition by Teranga Gold Corporation, he became vice-president of major projects and a member of Teranga’s executive management team.

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    The Indiana Fever’s season is on the line.

    The Fever (21-20) host the Chicago Sky on Friday in a game that has major playoff implications for Indiana. The Fever have dropped four of their last six games, including back-to-back losses to the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday, Aug. 31 and Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, Sept. 2. As a result, Indiana has slid into the eighth and final playoff spot.

    The Fever only have a 1 1/2-game advantage over the ninth-place Los Angeles Sparks (19-20) with three games remaining in the regular season. (The Sparks have four games.) If the Fever and the Sparks were to finish with the same record, the Sparks hold the tiebreaker after taking the regular-season series, 3-1.

    All-Star guard Caitlin Clark (right groin) announced Thursday she is done for the year. Clark is the fifth Indiana player to be ruled out for the season joining Chloe Bibby, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald.

    Fever guard Lexie Hull said all the Fever can do at this point is ‘focus on the win on Friday.’ Kelsey Mitchell added, ‘All we can do is control what we can control and that is Friday. … I believe in every person in that locker room. I believe in our coaching staff and I think Friday is the most important to us.’

    Following Friday’s matchup, the Fever will face the Washington Mystics (Sept. 7) and close the season out against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (Sept. 9).

    The Sky have been eliminated from playoff contention, but can play spoiler. Sky forward Angel Reese, who was assessed her eighth technical foul on Wednesday, will be suspended for the game unless the foul is rescinded. She leads the league in double-doubles (22), averaging 14.6 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this year.

    Friday’s matchup will mark the fifth meeting of the season between the Sky and Fever. Indiana leads the series 4-0 and is going for the regular-season sweep. Here’s everything you need to know about Friday’s game:

    What time is Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky?

    The Indiana Fever host the Chicago Sky at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) on Friday, Sept. 5, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be broadcast nationally on ION.

    How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky: TV, stream

    • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT)
    • Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
    • 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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    You know about the drops. Maybe you saw them. Maybe you only heard about them. They will be talked about and talked about and then talked about some more. You know about those. But did you know what Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb actually said about them?

    That is the most crucial part of the Lamb drops story. Philadelphia beat Dallas, 24-20, to open the season with a crucial win. For Dallas, all that will be talked about for the next few days (and beyond) are the drops. Lamb had three (a fourth was a tough catch) and according to ESPN he has 35 total drops since entering the NFL in 2020, most in the league. The network also said it’s his second career game with three drops.

    “The guys that had a chance to make those plays, will make those plays,’ said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after the game.

    “Don’t worry about CeeDee Lamb,’ said Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer. ‘CeeDee’s going to be fine. What a great player. Again, this was a team defeat and we own that. We understand where we can go as a football team. We understand. I love the competition. I thought guys competed their butts off. I thought that was great, but we’re all about winning and we didn’t win tonight and therefore it’s not good enough.”

    Then came the quote from Lamb. ‘That’s terrible. I can’t point the finger at anybody else. I take full accountability and everything else that comes with it,’ Lamb said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. ‘As a player, I train for moments like that and the ball to come my way. I need to catch the damn ball.’

    Lamb added that if you didn’t think he’ll come back from this moment, you’re wrong.

    Lamb had 7 catches for 110 yards.

    And he’s right. We’ll see Lamb be Lamb again.

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