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As Michigan State prepares for a Big Ten matchup with No. 6 Illinois, Spartans coach Tom Izzo has a big decision in front of him. The problem is, he has no idea how to make it.

That decision centers around MSU guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who is under fire for a series of underhanded plays against Minnesota in a 76-73 loss. Arguably the most notable was a backwards kick while trying to create space from Golden Gophers forward Langston Reynolds, resulting in a technical foul. And all of this came just days after Michigan coach Dusty May called out Fears’ play as ‘dangerous.’

Izzo, after the game, did not mince words. He said he wasn’t sure he was going to start Fears against Illinois in Feb. 7’s prime-time game, but comments on Feb. 6 indicate that threat may have been empty.

“I’ve looked at everything with Jeremy, and I can’t say like you normally do,” Izzo said, per the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY network. “I talked about not starting him and bringing him in, suspending him for a half. And then I looked at the whole situation, and I’m still not sure what I’m gonna do. And that’s the honest-to-God truth. And the only reason I’m not is because I gotta make sure that what is reported is always different than what actually happened.’

Izzo added Fears’ kick was largely retaliatory, something he was taking into consideration during his decision-making process.

‘I did not like the backward kick, OK?’ Izzo said. ‘He was pushed, he did that. Sometimes, those are reactionary.’

Izzo talked about Fears at length, praising his acumen in the classroom and the fact that the passion that got him in trouble is also the passion that makes him a strong player for the Spartans.

The timing, for Michigan State, is poor. A season-ending injury to Divine Ugochukwu has left Michigan State extremely thin at point guard, something Izzo did point out will not be a factor in whatever decision he makes.

With all of that in mind, there’s a very good chance Fears continues to start against Illinois despite the controversy. Which means the college basketball viewing world’s — and Izzo’s — eyes will be fixated firmly on No. 1, to condemn or vindicate the Hall of Fame coach’s decision.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

4 Mins Read

Tech Weekly: Chip Stocks Pop to Close Volatile Trading Week

We also break down next week’s catalysts to watch to help you prepare for the week ahead.

This week’s tech sector performance

Tech stocks extended their selloff into their second week, with the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) posting its steepest two‑day decline since last April.

Monday (February 2) saw an early rotation out of tech ahead of Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) earnings report. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) slipped on news that its proposed OpenAI‑backed investment hit a snag, dragging AI‑chip names like Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD), Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) and other semiconductor leaders.

Palantir’s earnings, which beat expectations and included an aggressive revenue growth guide, lifted shares in an early surge on Tuesday (February 3); however, Nvidia’s OpenAI‑investment‑snag news, plus general AI‑disruption worries and positioning, weighed on the broader tech stack, sparking a tech‑growth selloff that impacted NVIDIA, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and other software‑heavy names.

The Nasdaq fell deeper on Wednesday (February 4) as influential tech names such as AMD and other chip and software stocks reversed post‑earnings gains. AMD saw a sharp intraday plunge following its after‑hours earnings print on Tuesday. Its losses dragged the broader index lower.

Tech selloffs extended into Thursday (February 5), with the Nasdaq closing down 1.6 percent as major tech stocks saw profit‑taking and forward‑looking capex‑related concerns, later crystallized by Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) aggressive 2026 spending plans.

The Nasdaq made an impressive recovery on Friday (February 6) as a rally in chip stocks helped pare earlier week losses, despite ongoing volatility in the mega‑caps.

3 tech stocks moving markets this week

1.Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER)

After reporting Q4 2025 earnings results and strong AI-driven guidance on Monday, the stock rose sharply. The semiconductor‑test and robotics‑automation company makes equipment used to test chips, including AI‑related compute and memory and industrial robots.

2. Skyworks (NASDAQ:SWKS)

The analog and RF‑semiconductor company, which designs and manufactures components used in smartphones, 5G infrastructure, automotive and IoT devices, reported Q1 fiscal 2026 results on Tuesday, beating expectations and guiding up, which helped it outperform the broader tech selloff.

3. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Apple’s strong performance this week was driven by a wave of analyst upgrades and bullish notes that reinforced the positive narrative from last week’s record‑breaking Q1 print, especially around iPhone demand and China‑market strength.

Skyworks Solutions, Teradyne and Apple performance, February 2 to 6, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Top tech news of the week

Canada led an AI delegation to the 2026 World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai this week, led by SCALE AI.

Alphabet Q4 numbers were driven by search revenue growth, which accelerated by nearly 17 percent, and Google Cloud revenue that jumped 48 percent YoY, helping ease fears that AI chatbots would eat into search. Despite the strong print, the stock dipped as the company said it plans to increase capital expenditures to between US$175 billion and US$185 billion, more than its 2025 cash generation.

Palantir’s earnings triggered a pop on Tuesday as it beat revenue expectations and laid out an aggressive 2026 growth guide. The company reported Q4 2025 revenue of US$1.41 billion, up 70 percentYoY, with US commercial revenue surging 137 percent and government revenue rising 66 percent, while guiding full‑year 2026 revenue to about US$7.2 billion

Amazon also posted a solid quarter, but said it will spend roughly US$200 billion this year on capital expenditures, a 56 percent jump from 2025, to fund AI‑related infrastructure, data centers and custom chips for AWS. Revenue rose approximately 14 percent to US$213.4 billion, driven by AWS reaccelerating to 24 percent growth and advertising increasing by 22 percent, despite free cash flow collapsing due to a capex surge.

Tech ETF performance

Tech exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track baskets of major tech stocks, meaning their performance helps investors gauge the overall performance of the niches they cover.

This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) advanced by 1.89 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) advanced by 1.66 percent.

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also increased by 0.75 percent.

Tech news to watch next week

Next week is another earnings‑heavy, tech‑adjacent stretch, with a mix of big‑name reports and key macro data that will like keep markets sensitive to AI capex and earnings.

Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) and Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) will be among the most‑watched names tied to crypto and retail trading. Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) also reports midweek.

In addition to US wholesale inventories, Employment Cost Index and CPI reports, the FOMC minutes will be released on February 11, so rate policy and inflation will stay front‑of‑mind.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

2 Mins Read

Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin Price Ends Week Higher Following Earlier Losses

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (February 6) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

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

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$70,178.66, up by 11.3 percent over 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, February 6, 2026.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin has stopped behaving as an alternative safe-haven asset and has re-aligned with the risk-asset cycle. Its high correlation with traditional financial markets, including a broad sell-off in technology stocks, precious metals, and equities, suggests a scenario of systemic stress and scarce liquidity.

Downward pressure intensified after breaking key technical levels, causing nearly US$770 million in leveraged long positions to be liquidated in 24 hours, suggesting the market’s ‘cleansing phase’ is ongoing. The decline was exacerbated by a strong dollar and rising bond yields, which reduced the appeal of non-yielding assets like cryptocurrencies, prompting a rotation into defensive assets.

In the short term, price action will be limited and vulnerable to renewed selling pressure as long as restrictive financial conditions and a defensive tone prevail in global markets. Stabilization requires an improvement in global financial conditions and Bitcoin’s ability to rebuild solid technical support.

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,052.03, up by 10 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.46, up by 25.2 over 24 hours.

Solana (SOL) was trading at US$87.37, up by 10.4 percent over 24 hours.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

10 Mins Read

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Giant Mining Gains 70 Percent

Statistics Canada released January’s jobs report on Friday (February 6). The data showed that the Canadian workforce shrank by 25,000, or 0.1 percent.

Manufacturing experienced the largest decline, losing 28,000 workers, followed by education with 24,000, and the public sector, which decreased by 10,000. These declines were balanced by increases of 17,000 across information, culture, and recreation; 14,000 in business, building and support services; and 11,000 in agriculture.

Despite the declines, the unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 6.5 percent. While the rate was the lowest since September 2024, the agency notes that the decrease was driven by fewer people looking for work through the month, and coincided with a 0.4 percent drop in the labor force participation rate, which came in at 65 percent.

The release came just a day after the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its job opening report on Thursday (February 5) that showed that labor demand had decreased to its lowest level since September 2020, as December’s figures fell by 386,000 openings.

The report differs from the employment situation summary, which is typically released on the first Friday of each month. The report has been delayed due to the extended US government shutdown in late 2025 and will be released next Wednesday, February 11.

Employment data is an important metric for assessing the overall health of the Canadian and US economies and plays a significant role in helping central banks set interest rate policy.

For more on what’s moving markets this week, check out our top market news round-up.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were mixed this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 1 percent over the week to close Friday at 32,470.98, while the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) shed 5.38 percent to 1,015.34. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 1.22 percent to 167.56.

The gold price gained 4.84 percent to close at US$4,951.69 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST. The silver price didn’t fare as well, closing the week down 1.78 percent at US$77.32 on Friday.

In base metals, the Comex copper price recorded a 0.85 percent rise this week to US$5.93.

On the other hand, the S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was down 3.7 percent to end Friday at 587.55.

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. EST 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. Giant Mining (CSE:BFG)

Weekly gain: 69.57 percent
Market cap: C$27.51 million
Share price: C$0.39

Giant Mining is an exploration company working to advance its Majuba Hill District copper, silver and gold project north of Reno in Nevada, US.

The site consists of 403 federal lode mining claims and four private property parcels that cover an area of 3,919 hectares. Mining at the property took place between 1900 and 1950, resulting in the production of 2.8 million pounds of copper, 184,000 ounces of silver and 5,800 ounces of gold.

Extensive exploration work has been carried out at Majuba Hill, with 89,930 feet being drilled since 2007.

The most recent news from Giant came on January 30, when it reported that it planned to drill up to 10,000 feet in a multi-phase drill program at Majuba Hill, targeting three breccia zones.

Following the first phase of 5,000 feet of drilling, the program will include underground and surface sampling to support follow-up drill targeting for the remaining holes.

2. CGX Energy (TSXV:OYL)

Weekly gain: 64.71 percent
Market cap: C$66.02 million
Share price: C$0.28

CGX Energy is an oil and gas exploration company with 27.48 percent ownership of a portfolio of wells in the Corentyne block off the coast of Guyana. Frontera Energy (TSX:FEC) is the company’s joint venture partner in the Corentyne block and also holds 76.05 percent interest in CGX.

The Kawa-1 exploration well was drilled in 2021 and 2022 and encountered an active hydrocarbon system extending to a depth of 6,000 feet, mirroring trends in the Guyana-Suriname Basin. CGX’s Wei-1 well was drilled in late 2022 and is located on-trend between the Kawa-1 well and Exxon’s (NYSE:XOM) Pluma discovery.

CGX and Frontera are currently in a legal dispute with the government of Guyana, which believes the petroleum prospecting license for Corentyne expired in 2024, a stance the joint venture disagrees with. The most recent update on the matter mentioned plans to meet and discuss the situation, with potential dates in November or December of last year.

Shares in CGX posted gains this week, but the company has not released news since November 13, when it announced its third-quarter financial statements. However, Frontera announced on January 30 that it divested its producing Colombian assets while retaining its interests in Guyana, news that may signal that the Corentyne block permitting situation could still be resolved.

3. Saba Energy (TSXV:SABA)

Weekly gain: 61.11 percent
Market cap: C$12.07 million
Share price: C$0.29

Saba Energy is an oil and gas exploration company with operations in British Columbia, Canada, as well as the Philippines.

The company’s primary Canadian operations consist of the producing Boundary Lake and Laprise oil and gas fields, which have a net present value of C$43 million as of its September quarterly report.

The most recent news from Saba came on January 27, when it announced a heads-of-agreement with Nido Petroleum for a farm-in arrangement on a pair of offshore assets in the Philippines.

Saba will earn 60 percent of Service Contract 54 (SC54). SC54 covers an area of 550 square kilometers to depths of 50 to 110 meters and hosts three discovery wells and one production well, which previously produced 270,000 barrels at 19,000 barrels per day before it was closed due to water encroachment.

The company will also earn a 52.73 percent share in the DPPSC Cadlao, which covers an area of 914 square kilometers to depths of 93 meters. The site has 6.8 million barrels in reserves and produced 11.1 million barrels between 1982 and 1992.

If the transaction is completed, Saba will become the operator of both assets. The company plans to open a US$7.5 million convertible debenture private placement to achieve the requirement of raising US$7 million by mid-April.

4. Copper Giant Resources (TSXV:CGNT)

Weekly gain: 60.66 percent
Market cap: C$157.77 million
Share price: C$0.98

Copper Giant Resources is an exploration company advancing its Mocoa copper-molybdenum project in Southern Colombia. It changed its name from Libero Copper and Gold last year.

The property covers 1,324 square kilometers and hosts a copper porphyry system originally discovered in 1973.

A November 2025 mineral resource estimate significantly increased its resource. Mocoa now holds an inferred resource of 7.6 billion pounds of copper and 1 billion pounds of molybdenum, at 0.31 percent copper and 0.039 percent molybdenum, from 1.12 billion metric tons of ore. The upgrade made the project South America’s largest undeveloped molybdenum deposit.

The most recent news from Copper Giant came on January 29, when it reported results from the first drill hole at the La Estrella target. While assays returned low-grade mineralization, the company noted that the significance was geological, as it confirmed continuity of the porphyry system beyond the established deposit.

The release also reported results from a second hole at the southern edge of the Mocoa footprint, which the company said were stronger than previously interpreted at the southern margin of the deposits. Grades in the hole were 0.13 percent copper and 0.01 percent molybdenum over 804 meters starting from surface, which included an intersection of 0.44 percent copper and 0.05 percent molybdenum over 33 meters.

5. Benz Mining (TSXV:BZ)

Weekly gain: 50.46 percent
Market cap: C$749.9 million
Share price: C$3.25

Benz Mining is a gold exploration company that is focused on advancing projects in Québec, Canada, as well as Western Australia.

Its Eastmain project consists of an 8,000 hectare property located in Central Québec within the Upper Eastmain Greenstone belt. The most recent resource estimate from May 2023 reported an indicated resource of 384,000 ounces of gold from 1.3 metric tons of ore grading 9 g/t gold, and an inferred resource of 621,000 ounces of gold from 3.8 metric tons grading 5.1 g/t.

In 2025, Benz acquired the Glenburgh and Mount Egerton gold projects in Western Australia from Spartan Resources (ASX:SPR). It spent much of 2025 exploring Glenburgh, which covers an area of 786 square kilometers and features 50 kilometers of strike. The site hosts six priority extension targets and 5 kilometers of exploration trend with over 100 parts per billion gold.

A November 2024 resource estimate for Glenburgh showed an indicated and inferred resource of 510,000 ounces of gold from 16.3 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 1 g/t gold.

On January 28, the company announced a shallow, high-grade discovery at the Glenburgh project’s Icon trend. Assays returned grades including 29 g/t gold over 13 meters starting at a depth of 60 meters. Additionally, results showed wide mineralization as well, including 200 meters grading 1 g/t gold starting at 76 meters.

The most recent news from Benz came the next day, when it announced it received firm commitments for a AU$75 million bought deal placement, which it said was led by strong demand from two global institutional fund. The company said the investment increases its pro forma cash position to AU$94 million, which will be allocated across its portfolio, particularly focused on the Glenburgh project.

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 December 2025, 898 mining companies and 71 oil and gas companies are listed on the TSXV, combining for more than 60 percent of the 1,531 total companies listed on the exchange.

As for the TSX, it is home to 175 mining companies and 51 oil and gas companies. The exchange has 2,089 companies listed on it in total.

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

5 Mins Read

Editor’s Picks: Is Gold and Silver’s Price Correction Over?

It’s been a wild couple of weeks for gold and silver.

After surging to record highs at the end of January, prices for both precious metals saw significant corrections, creating turmoil for market participants.

This week brought some relief, with gold bouncing back from its low point and even trading above US$5,000 per ounce for a brief period of time.

Silver, which is known for outperforming gold on both the upside and the downside, was more volatile, but seems to have found support around the US$70 per ounce level.

Why did gold and silver drop, and more importantly, what’s next? As always, there are a variety of different factors at play, but I’ll give you a rundown of what I’ve been hearing.

Starting with the pullback, I spoke with Joe Cavatoni of the World Gold Council, who pointed to speculative players as a key reason for gold’s price decline. Here’s how he explained it:

‘At the end of this, you’re looking at a lot of people who were pushing the price higher — speculative in nature — pulling back and taking money off the table. That’s why I think we’re seeing a correction in the price. I don’t think that we have an issue with, fundamentally, what’s going on in the gold market.’

Gary Savage of the Smart Money Tracker newsletter made a similar comment, saying that there are times when sentiment gets so bullish that eventually there’s no one left to buy.

However, on the silver side he saw signs of market manipulation as well:

‘Some of it is just (that) we got way too bullish, ran out of buyers. We were due for some kind of correction anyway, and I think the banks took advantage of that and coordinated a huge overnight attack that dropped silver … I think it was almost 30 percent, or maybe it was 30 percent, almost overnight. That allowed them to get out of their shorts, because a lot of those contracts were going to stand for delivery, and they were going to have to buy physical silver at US$120 an ounce to to deliver.’

Adding more nuance to the silver story this week was the news that billionaire Chinese trader Bian Ximing has reportedly established the largest net short position on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, with his bet against the white metal clocking in at US$300 million.

Bloomberg analysis of exchange data shows he started ‘ramping up silver shorts’ in the last week of January, although he initially began shifting from a long silver stance this past November.

Aside from silver, Bian is known for his moves in gold and copper.

There’s also been commentary suggesting that the nomination of Kevin Warsh for the US Federal Reserve chair position has weighed on gold and silver prices.

President Donald Trump announced his choice on January 30, with market watchers quickly pointing to Warsh’s hawkish reputation and questioning whether he will fall in line with Trump’s calls for lower interest rates. Rates have been a sticking point between Trump and current Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

However, in the days since the news broke, the tone has shifted, with Trump himself saying that Warsh wouldn’t have gotten the job if he said he wanted to raise rates.

Taking a step back from what’s happening now, I want to emphasize that the majority of the experts I’ve been speaking with recently don’t believe gold and silver are topping.

In a January 25 interview, Adrian Day of Adrian Day Asset Management said exactly that, pointing to previous bull markets where both metals moved steeply down before continuing up. This quote is from before last week’s correction, but I think you’ll see why it’s still relevant:

‘A pullback is always in the cards. And people forget, everybody talks about … 1974 to 1975, when gold dropped almost 50 percent. But people forget, the same thing happened in 2006. Halfway through the bull market, you had a 30 percent correction in gold, which of course means a much bigger correction for gold stocks.

‘So a pullback at some point is always not just a possibility, but it’s almost a certainty. But if we rephrase the question to, ‘Is this a top?’ You know, absolutely not. In my view, we are absolutely nowhere near a top.’

With that said, a point that’s come up repeatedly in my interviews lately is personalization — while it’s valuable to listen to other people’s views, what’s really important is to form your own opinions and understand why you own the assets in your portfolio. If you can do that, you’ll be better equipped to weather any storms, and to buy and sell when it’s time.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

4 Mins Read

Beyond the Pilot: Wiring Wall Street’s New Internet

For years, blockchain had promise in the finance industry, but lacked the liquidity and connectivity to scale.

Yuval Rooz, CEO and co-founder of Canton Network, believes that era is now ending.

The problem: Legacy friction

Traditional banking still depends on millions of costly, slow and error-prone messages as institutions attempt to reconcile fragmented records across systems.

Repurchase agreement (repo) trades highlight the problem. Moving cash and collateral typically requires multiple intermediaries, manual checks and settlement delays that can stretch for days.

Public blockchains such as Ethereum offer speed, but their full transparency creates a different obstacle, exposing sensitive transaction data that banks cannot legally or competitively disclose.

At the heart of the issue is a structural trade off. Banks need shared networks to scale efficiency, yet legacy infrastructure and open ledgers force a choice between operating in isolation or revealing too much information. The result has been a patchwork of private systems that protect data sovereignty, but sacrifice interoperability and efficiency.

Explaining how Canton’s technology removes that trade off, Rooz said:

“Banks built walled gardens because there was no way to share infrastructure without giving up control or privacy. What we’re seeing now is a gradual shift away from isolated systems toward shared rails where institutions retain sovereignty over their data, while still achieving interoperability.

‘That doesn’t mean internal systems disappear overnight, but it does mean the center of gravity shifts toward networks where counterparties can transact in real time.”

Canton’s solution: Privacy-enabled synchronization

Canton has created a shared ledger where institutions maintain private blockchains, yet synchronize seamlessly.

“I think critics misunderstand what financial institutions actually need,” Rooz explained. “Banks don’t want a system where everything is hidden, and they don’t want one where everything is public. They need a way to work together on shared processes, while keeping sensitive details private. That’s what Canton was designed for.”

In practice, JPMorgan keeps its ledger sovereign, while plugging into LSEG for atomic delivery-versus-payment (DvP) settlements, all without revealing private data. Sub-transaction privacy ensures only trade participants see details; to others, it’s invisible. This network of networks lets banks achieve interoperability without sacrificing control.

“(This) gives institutions a shared record they can trust, with configurable privacy at the protocol level to divulge transactional information only with involved parties. And because it’s built to connect different applications, firms can link markets and workflows together without sacrificing confidentiality,’ said Rooz.

“This combination is something traditional systems cannot offer and is why you’re seeing institutions move from pilots into production onchain,’ the expert added.

Live momentum: JPM Coin and tokenized repos

JPM Coin’s native integration is a strong signal that the market is maturing.

JPMorgan’s blockchain rail, with over US$1 trillion in processed volume, has fueled settlements across Canton’s ecosystem. Paired with LSEG’s tokenized deposits, which power live repo activity, there are now synchronized markets where DvP happens in seconds, not days.

Rooz highlighted the deeper impact, commenting, “Everyone notices the speed, but the collateral mobility is the substance beyond the headline. In legacy markets, collateral spends most of its life idle because moving it safely across systems requires messaging, reconciliation and time. Atomic settlement collapses those steps into a single transaction.’

He added, ‘When repos settle in seconds, collateral stops being static and becomes reusable. That improves liquidity, balance sheet efficiency and risk management.”

2026 outlook

JPM Coin and LSEG repos demonstrate Canton’s shift from pilots to production.

“We measure success by utilization,” said Rooz, adding, “Having Canton be the network where real transactions are taking place, and regulated assets are moving.’

He envisions steady expansion powering this transformation. Indeed, similar efforts are already live elsewhere, such as BlackRock’s BUIDL fund, which has tokenized US$1.7 billion in treasuries for 24/7 yields, and DRW Cumberland’s weekend repos, which use tokenized collateral with instant DvP settlements.

“I’d like to see more asset classes brought on to Canton, and the corresponding transaction volume we’re already seeing will continue to grow in the year ahead,’ said Rooz.

He sees this convergence accelerating across markets.

“Our ‘North Star’ is to drive the convergence of TradFi and DeFi onchain to create a new AllFi reality,’ he said.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

4 Mins Read

Olympic snowboarders question mandatory big air-slopestyle double duty

American snowboarder Red Gerard expressed frustration with being required to compete in big air at the Olympics.
Gerard and other U.S. snowboarders prefer slopestyle, which they feel has more ‘flow’ and creativity.
Gerard suggested that big air and slopestyle should have separate qualification paths and teams.

LIVIGNO, Italy – At least Red Gerard was honest.

Asked if he liked competing in big air, the American snowboarder came clean.

“No,” Gerard said Thursday after the big air qualifying, the first competition at Livigno Snow Park during the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. “I’m not a fan of big air at all.”

Easy to say after Gerard and two of his teammates were not among the 12 to advance to Saturday’s men’s big air – in which judges rate one trick off a 16.4-foot jump – finals. Ollie Martin, 17, will be the United States’ lone representative.

Gerard, the 2018 gold medal winner in men’s slopestyle, has a legitimate gripe. Olympic snowboarders automatically qualify for both big air and slopestyle competitions once they make their respective delegation’s roster in either event. The issue for the U.S. men’s snowboard big air/slopestyle team is that, well, the majority significantly prefer slopestyle.

“Honestly, I don’t understand why we’re forced to do this,” said Gerard, who finished 20th out of 30 riders. “I don’t like to do this. It’s not what I enjoy doing. There’s no flow to it. It’s a little frustrating.’

Simply, Gerard wants to be more focused on slopestyle, an event he believes has more “flavor” to it.

The three-time Olympian said a part of him feels more pressure and wants to do better in slopestyle, in which competitors go down a course with multiple jumps and chances to ride the rails. Big air is not why Gerard is passionate about snowboarding.

“I love putting together slopestyle runs, making it as unique as I can,” he said. “That gives me the ‘heeby jeeby’ feeling in my stomach when you land a slopestyle run. Big air doesn’t quite do that for me. I just think it’s more of a show than a lot of other things.”

The halfpipe teams in both snowboarding and free skiing are selected separately from slopestyle and big air. The reason is that big air is a blown-up version of one element of slopestyle, the jumps. For example, the big air jump at the X Games is usually the last jump of the slopestyle course. Meanwhile, halfpipe is considered a different skill set.

Gerard realized it’s easy for him to deride an event that is not his best or his preference. That doesn’t diminish his respect for his fellow competitors.

“They’re amazing,” he said of big air specialists. “Very talented. Just not for me.”

Sean FitzSimons, who finished 25th in big air qualifying, said slopestyle was always his focus.

“Big air, it’s fun to do it. It’s not really my event, I would say,” he told USA TODAY Sports. “It was fun to ride (Thursday). But yeah, it’s kind of always been about slope for me.”

FitzSimons said he “could be down” with the separation of big air and slopestyle teams. He understands the big tricks from the jumps in slopestyle naturally translates to big air.

“But for me, I’m a slopestyle rider,” FitzSimons said. “Big airs I do because it’s there. In the future, I wonder if they will go to different teams for that. For now, I just like riding slope, really.”

Gerard said he has never received an explanation for why the big air and slopestyle events are lumped into one team.

“It’s always just been out of our control,” he said. “Maybe they will look at it differently.”

He thinks there is a simple and logical fix.

“If big air, if this is what they like to do,” Gerard said, “they should just be able to go do that.”

Gerard added having another chance to medal means something and it would be “sweet” to bring home two from one Olympics.

“But then again, if I wasn’t forced to do this,” he said, “I wouldn’t do it.”

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2 Mins Read

Team USA World Baseball Classic roster: Full squad, 2026 WBC schedule

A gaggle of MVPs, Cy Young Award winners and a few others almost certain to be so honored in the future will come together for the USA’s World Baseball Classic squad after rosters were announced Feb. 5.

Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge and two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper, along with both current Cy Young Award winners, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, highlight a star-studded squad that will aim to take home the first WBC title for the USA since 2017.

Cal Raleigh, the 60-home run hitting catcher, and Kyle Schwarber, who slammed an NL-best 56 for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2025, further deepen the lineup.

A look at the full Team USA roster:

Team USA World Baseball Classic roster

Pitchers

David Bednar
Matthew Boyd
Garrett Cleavinger
Clay Holmes
Griffin Jax
Brad Keller
Clayton Kershaw
Nolan McLean
Mason Miller
Joe Ryan
Paul Skenes
Tarik Skubal
Gabe Speier
Michael Wacha
Logan Webb
Garrett Whitlock

Catchers

Cal Raleigh
Will Smith

Infielders

Alex Bregman
Ernie Clement
Paul Goldschmidt
Bryce Harper
Gunnar Henderson
Brice Turang
Bobby Witt Jr.

Outfielders

Byron Buxton
Corbin Carroll
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Aaron Judge

Designated Hitter

Kyle Schwarber

Managers and coaches

Mark DeRosa (manager)
Michael Young (bench coach)
Freddy Gonzalez (assistant)
Brian McCann (assistant)
Sean Casey (hitting coach)
Matt Holliday (hitting coach)
Andy Pettitte (pitching coach)
George Lombard (first base coach)
Dino Ebel (third base coach)
David Ross (bullpen coach)
Jason Brown (bullpen catcher)
Jordan Comadena (bullpen catcher)
Ali Modami (batting practice pitcher)

Team USA World Baseball Classic schedule

Pool play – Daikin Park, Houston

March 6 vs. Brazil
March 7 vs. Great Britain
March 9 vs. Mexico
March 10 vs. Italy

Knockout stage

March 13/14: Quarterfinals in Houston
March 15/16: Semifinals in Miami
March 17: Final in Miami

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1 Min Read

Tiffany Haddish mispronounces Mike Vrabel’s name at NFL Honors

Tiffany Haddish had a bit of an ‘Adele Dazeem’ moment at the 2026 NFL Honors. Or at least a Liam Coen ‘Duval’ moment.

It came when Haddish was announcing the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award for the 2025 NFL season. New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel ended up beating his counterparts to take home the award.

Haddish, however, pronounced Vrabel’s last name like the word ‘verbal’ several times as she announced his victory.

Below is a clip of the comedian’s gaffe:

Unfortunately, Vrabel was not in attendance for the event, as he and the Patriots are preparing to play in Super Bowl 60. As such, it will remain a mystery whether Vrabel would have tried to crack a joke about Haddish’s minor mispronunciation during his acceptance speech.

Vrabel has now won the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award twice. His first victory came following the 2021 season, when he guided the Ryan Tannehill-led Tennessee Titans to the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Now, Vrabel – not verbal – will look to cap off his second Coach of the Year campaign with a Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

13 Mins Read

NFL Honors awards: Full rundown of league’s top individual prizes

Three days ahead of Super Bowl 60, the NFL is wrapping up the 2025 season by recognizing its top individual performers.

Thursday’s NFL Honors in San Francisco will again be the forum for the league to reveal the winners of its most prestigious awards, from Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year to MVP. The Pro Football Hall of Fame will also unveil its 2026 class, which has already been marked by the controversial omission of Bill Belichick, along with Robert Kraft and Eli Manning.

USA TODAY Sports will have live updates with full results for all the notable awards, including voting tallies, so check back throughout the night for all the latest.

NFL Honors awards winner: Full results

NFL MVP: Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
Coach of the Year: Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
Comeback Player of the Year: Christian McCaffey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns
Assistant Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator, New England Patriots
Walter Payton Man of the Year: Bobby Wagner, LB, Washington Commanders
Protector of the Year: Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears

NFL MVP: Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford’s 17^th NFL season faced plenty of uncertainty as he sorted through contract issues and a nagging balk problem in the offseason. It culminated, however, with football’s top honor.

Stafford was voted the NFL’s MVP for the 2025 season, beating out New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye by one first-place vote.

Stafford, who will turn 38 on Saturday, led the NFL with 46 touchdown passes while piloting an offense that paced the league in scoring and total yards.

With the award, the former No. 1 overall pick and longtime Detroit Lions signal-caller added a new chapter to his career renaissance in Los Angeles, where he won a Super Bowl title in 2021.

In his acceptance speech, Stafford confirmed he would be returning for the 2026 season.

NFL MVP voting results

1. Matthew Stafford: 24

2. Drake Maye: 23

3. Josh Allen: 2

4. Christian McCaffrey: 0

5. Trevor Lawrence: 0

(Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert received the remaining first-place vote but did not finish among the top five.)

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has made a habit of securing all passes that come into his orbit. On Thursday, that skill helped him haul in something else.

The Seattle Seahawks wide receiver was voted the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year.

In his third season, Smith-Njigba often served as the engine powering a Seahawks offense that underwent a drastic offseason reimagining. With DK Metcalf traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers and franchise mainstay Tyler Lockett cut, Smith-Njigba reached a new level after being named a Pro Bowl selection in 2024. He repeatedly freed himself from coverage to give Sam Darnold a go-to target capable of delivering the explosive plays necessary to power new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s attack.

He finished the season with a league-high 1,793 yards on 119 catches. Seattle secured the NFC’s top seed before pushing its way to a spot in Super Bowl 60.

Smith-Njigba bested division rivals in San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, as well as Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting results

Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 14

Christian McCaffrey: 12

Puka Nacua: 8

Bijan Robinson: 6

Drake Maye: 5

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Carson Schwesinger

Carson Schwesinger surely couldn’t command the same level of attention as fellow Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders or teammate Myles Garrett did in 2025. Still, his pro debut is hardly going unrecognized.

The second-round linebacker was voted the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Schwesinger recorded a team-high 156 tackles as well as 11 tackles for a loss. While taking over as the starter in the middle of Jim Schwartz’s defense, he quickly earned acclaim for his playmaking range and savvy approach.

He came out ahead of four other finalists: Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, New York Giants outside linebacker Abdul Carter, Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. and Falcons safety Xavier Watts.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting

Carson Schwesinger: 40

Nick Emmanwori: 7

James Pearce Jr.: 2

Xavier Watts: 1

Abdul Carter: 0

Pro Football Hall of Fame 2026 class

Larry Fitzgerald
Luke Kuechly
Adam Vinatieri
Drew Brees
Roger Craig

For more on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class, read Jarrett Bell’s story on the five-man group.

NFL Coach of the Year: Mike Vrabel

One of the NFL’s more hotly debated awards chases has been settled.

Ahead of Super Bowl 60, the New England Patriots’ Mike Vrabel has been voted as the NFL Coach of the Year for the 2025 season.

Vrabel emerged from a highly competitive pool of finalists. Mike Macdonald of the Seattle Seahawks was among the group after leading his own team to a spot in the Super Bowl, while the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Liam Coen and Chicago Bears’ Ben Johnson also led drastic turnarounds. Meanwhile, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan navigated a calamitous run of injuries to lead his team to the divisional round of the playoffs.

Vrabel, however, takes home the award for the second time in his career after sparking a record-tying 10-win improvement in his first season at the helm in New England.

NFL Coach of the Year voting results

Mike Vrabel: 19
Liam Coen: 16
Mike Macdonald: 8
Ben Johnson: 1
Kyle Shanahan: 6 (Shanahan had more first-place votes but finished behind Johnson)

NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey

In a season replete with injury hits to many of their most vital figures, the San Francisco 49ers were able to count on one star, even as he worked his way back from multiple significant setbacks the previous season.

For that effort, running back Christian McCaffrey was voted the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.

McCaffrey missed all but four games in 2024, with his season being waylaid by bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a posterior cruciate ligament injury. This fall, however, he bounced back by reeling off 2,126 yards from scrimmage (second most in the NFL) on a league-high 413 touches.

Despite San Francisco seeing several key starters sidelined for extended stretches, McCaffrey helped push the team all the way to the divisional round of the playoffs.

McCaffrey came out ahead of four other finalists: Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting results

1. Christian McCaffrey 31
2. Aidan Hutchinson 9
3. Dak Prescott 6
4. Trevor Lawrence 2
5. Stefon Diggs 0

(Colts quarterback Philip Rivers and Saints wide receiver Chris Olave each received one first-place vote but did not finish in the top five.)

NFL Protector of the Year Award: Joe Thuney

Call Joe Thuney a trailblazer.

For the first time, the NFL honored an offensive lineman with a Protector of the Year award, and the Chicago Bears guard went home with the trophy.

Thuney knows. Attention for an offensive lineman goes totally against the grain.

Yet the 10-year vet also realizes that the recognition is well deserved for a group that often toils in anonymity — until there’s some egregious mistake.

That’s why Buffalo Bills tackle Dion Dawkins pushed for an O-line honor. And the NFL listened.

‘You know, I think it’s definitely long overdue,’ said Thuney, who won four Super Bowl rings from his previous stops with the Chiefs and Patriots. ‘Credit to the NFL and Dion Dawkins for really being the driving force around it.”

As you’d expect from an O-linemen, Thuney deflected attention from himself in talking about the significance of his fresh honor.

“There’s so many offensive linemen, they’ve given so much to this game, and the qualities of selflessness and toughness and team that overrides everything else, and so I just think those qualities need to be commended and celebrated, and there’s so many names in the NFL that should be up here with me.”

— Jarrett Bell

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tetairoa McMillan

Cam Ward and Ashton Jeanty generated the most attention of all the offensive stars ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. But it was a slightly less-heralded classmate who was granted the top recognition for first-year players.

Down the stretch of the season, the race seemed to lack the consensus front-runner easily established for other awards. McMillan, however, easily beat out quarterbacks Tyler Shough (New Orleans Saints) and Jaxson Dart (New York Giants) as well as running back TreVeyon Henderson (New England Patriots) and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

McMillan, the No. 8 overall pick out of Arizona, finished his debut campaign with 1,014 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on seven catches, bringing a much-needed downfield element to a wobbly Panthers passing attack.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting results

1. Tetairoa McMillan 41 first-place votes
2. Tyler Shough 5
3. TreVeyon Henderson 1
4. Jaxson Dart 1
5. Emeka Egbuka 0

(Seahawks offensive guard Grey Zabel received 2 first-place votes but did not finish in the top five)

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett

The only mystery surrounding Myles Garrett’s candidacy for NFL Defensive Player of the Year was whether anyone would dare vote for another player after the Cleveland Browns defensive end set the league’s single-season sack record.

Turns out, no one did.

Garrett became just the second player in league history to unanimously win the award, following J.J. Watt in 2014.

Garrett claimed the honor for the second time in his career after his bid to surpass the previous sack mark set by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt stretched all the way to the final quarter of Week 18. But with his takedown of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Garrett claimed his 23^rd sack and a place in NFL history.

Fellow edge rushers Will Anderson Jr., Micah Parsons, Nik Bonitto and Aidan Hutchinson were the other finalists.

Shortly after receiving his much-anticipated award, Garrett was already poised to look ahead.

As he held his trophy, the Browns defensive end lamented the sacks that got away and how he still could have reached another level with a few more sacks.

How does it feel to be a unanimous winner?

“The feeling never being satisfied,” he said.

NFL Assistant Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels’ third stint with the New England Patriots is off to an incredibly fruitful start.

The offensive coordinator was voted the NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2025 season.

In returning to New England as part of coach Mike Vrabel’s staff, McDaniels helped the Patriots offense jump from 30th to second in scoring and from 31st to third in total yards. Meanwhile, second-year quarterback Drake Maye emerged as a top MVP candidate while powering the team’s run to Super Bowl 60.

McDaniels beat out Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

NFL Assistant Coach of the Year voting results

Josh McDaniels: 17
Vance Joseph: 10
Brian Flores: 8
Vic Fangio: 4
Klint Kubiak: 3
Matt Burke: 3
Robert Saleh: 2
Anthony Campanile: 2
Aaron Kromer: 1

NFL MVP finalists

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills quarterback
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Drake Maye, New England Patriots quarterback
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers running back
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams quarterback

NFL Offensive Player of the Year finalists

Drake Maye, New England Patriots quarterback
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers running back
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons running back
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver

NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalists

Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans defensive end
Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos outside linebacker
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns defensive end
Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions defensive end
Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers defensive end

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year finalists

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants quarterback
Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots running back
Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers wide receiver
Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints quarterback

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year finalists

Abdul Carter, New York Giants outside linebacker
Nick Emmanwori, Seattle Seahawks safety
James Pearce Jr., Atlanta Falcons defensive end
Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns linebacker
Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons safety

NFL Comeback Player of the Year finalists

Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots wide receiver
Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions defensive end
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers running back
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys quarterback

NFL Coach of the Year finalists

Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks
Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots

NFL Assistant Coach of the Year finalists

Vic Fangio, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator
Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator
Josh McDaniels, New England Patriots offensive coordinator

NFL Protector of the Year finalists

Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos offensive tackle
Aaron Brewer, Miami Dolphins center
Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs center
Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos offensive guard
Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions offensive tackle
Joe Thuney, Chicago Bears offensive guard

When is NFL Honors scheduled to take place?

NFL Honors will be held at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 5.

How can I watch NFL Honors? TV info, channel

NFL Honors will be broadcast live on NBC and NFL Network, and it will also be streamed on Peacock and NFL+.

Who is hosting NFL Honors?

Jon Hamm will be hosting this year’s ceremony.

Which awards will be handed out at NFL Honors?

AP Most Valuable Player
AP Coach of the Year
AP Comeback Player of the Year
AP Offensive Player of the Year
AP Defensive Player of the Year
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026
FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year
Salute to Service Award
Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award
Jim Brown Award
AP Assistant Coach of the Year
NFL Fan of the Year
Protector of the Year

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