Musk’s Neuralink working on new brain implant device

(Reuters) -Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-chip company, is working on a new device that it believes will require half the number of electrodes to be implanted in the brain to make it more efficient and powerful, the company’s executives said. The company is also taking risk mitigation measures such as skull sculpting and reduce the carbon dioxide concentration in the blood to normal level in patients, the executives said in a live stream on social media … Read more…

Global lithium sector eyes Argentina’s salt flats on tech test run

By Daina Beth Solomon and Ernest Scheyder SALAR CENTENARIO, Argentina (Reuters) – In a dusty plain in northern Argentina’s mountains, black tubes stretching two stories high fill a massive tank with salty brine sucked from deep below ground. The brine contains lithium, a silvery white metal essential for making electric vehicle batteries and in high demand as the world shifts to green energy. French miner Eramet is attempting to use an innovative technique, known as … Read more…

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Musk’s xAI, Oracle end talks on $10 billion server deal, The Information reports

(Reuters) -Billionaire Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and tech giant Oracle have ended talks on a potential $10 billion server deal, The Information reported on Tuesday. The startup and Oracle have ended talks to expand an existing arrangement under which xAI has been renting Nvidia’s AI chips from the cloud provider, the report said, citing several people involved in the talks. The AI startup is building a system using Nvidia’s H100 graphics processing units … Read more…

Chile will consider 81 lithium projects proposals from private sector

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chilean officials on Tuesday said they will consider 81 proposals for lithium projects across the South American country, putting the country on track to surpass a goal of launching four new projects by the end of 2026. Chile in April called for proposals in more than two dozen salt flats that contain the battery metal, in line with the government’s aims to boost production. It is currently the world’s No. 2 producer. … Read more…

Nasdaq and S&P 500 hit records, fueled by Nvidia

By Noel Randewich and Lisa Pauline Mattackal (Reuters) -The S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record highs on Tuesday, propelled by gains in Nvidia and other megacaps after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told lawmakers that more “good” economic data would strengthen the case for rate cuts. AI heavyweight Nvidia climbed 1.4%, offsetting declines in other chip stocks, leaving the S&P 500 and Nasdaq with marginal gains for the session. Microsoft dipped 1.4%, leaving the … Read more…

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NATO agency orders Stinger anti-aircraft missiles for $700 million, Stoltenberg says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – NATO has placed an order for Stinger anti-aircraft missiles worth almost $700 million dollars in the name of several member states, the alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday. “Just today, the (NATO procurement agency) NSPA signed a new multinational contract for Stinger missiles worth almost 700 million dollars,” he told a gathering of defence industry leaders on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Mike … Read more…

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Exclusive-Satellite photos show Iran expanding missile production, sources say

By Jonathan Landay and Parisa Hafezi WASHINGTON/DUBAI (Reuters) – Recent satellite imagery shows major expansions at two key Iranian ballistic missile facilities that two American researchers assessed are for boosting missile production, a conclusion confirmed by three senior Iranian officials. The enlargement of the sites follows an October 2022 deal in which Iran agreed to provide missiles to Russia, which has been seeking them for its war against Ukraine. Tehran also supplies missiles to Yemen’s … Read more…

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Citi to cease operations in Haiti after 50 years

(Reuters) -Citigroup will wind up its operations in Haiti due to weak demand from institutional clients and lower international banking activity, ending its presence of more than five decades in the country. The exit is part of a strategic review and will not have a significant economic impact on Citi, the bank said on Monday. Citi, one of the largest banks in the United States, has exited non-core markets since CEO Jane Fraser took the … Read more…

Exclusive-Bain Capital nears deal to buy Envestnet, sources say

By Milana Vinn (Reuters) -Private equity firm Bain Capital is nearing a deal to acquire Envestnet, a U.S. financial software vendor with a market value of about $3.5 billion, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. If the negotiations conclude successfully, a deal with Bain could be announced as soon as this week and would value Envestnet at close to its current stock price, the sources said. Envestnet shares are hovering at around $63. … Read more…

Wall St regulator to re-propose ‘swing pricing’ rule for open-end funds

(Reuters) – Wall Street’s top regulator no longer expects to move ahead with proposed “swing pricing” regulations on the management of liquidity at so-called open-end funds, choosing instead to issue a fresh proposal after facing industry opposition, according to a regulatory agenda on Monday. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2022 issued the proposal which it said would help such funds, in which investors can redeem their shares on a daily basis, better prepare … Read more…