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The Orlando Magic are headed to Las Vegas.
The Magic clamped the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a 117-108 victory to earn a trip to the NBA Cup East Semifinals. Orlando will play the winner of the New York Knicks-Toronto Raptors game, set to take place later Tuesday. After missing their first seven shots of the game, the Magic launched an offensive avalanche behind Desmond Bane’s 37 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Playing without Franz Wagner, who suffered a high-ankle sprain and will miss extended time, the Magic got a massive contribution from Wendell Carter Jr., who scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and added 10 rebounds.
Miami’s inability to knock down 3s in the second half, and its inability to stop Bane, did the Heat in. Although Miami scored the game’s first 15 points, it shot just 8-of-33 (24.2%) from beyond the arc, with only two 3-pointers converted after halftime.
The Heat (14-11) have lost four consecutive games and have hit a rough patch with their offense. After sprinting out of the gate to start the NBA season, teams have intentionally slowed Miami down, limiting their fastbreak opportunities.
This marked Bane’s third different 37-point performance over his last six games for the Magic (15-11).
The NBA Cup East Semifinal is set for Saturday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Heat vs. Magic highlights
End Q3: Magic 89, Heat 83
This battle for a berth in the NBA Cup East Semifinals is shaping up to be a fantastic finish.
The Magic may have taken moderate control headed into the fourth quarter, but both teams have battled in what has been an entertaining, back-and-forth game. Still, the Heat are struggling to get stops on Orlando, which is slowing down Miami’s transition attack.
The Heat lead the NBA in pace (105.42), but teams have been throwing more zone at Miami and clogging the paint. After a quiet second quarter, Tyler Herro found a rhythm late in the period, and finished with 8 points in the third.
For the Magic, it has been Desmond Bane to spark the offense. After he missed his first two 3-pointers in the game, Bane has flushed four consecutive and dropped 10 in the period. He has a game-high 22 points.
The Magic are shooting 50% from the floor, while Miami is at 43.5%
End Q2: Heat 57, Magic 56
The Heat imploded somewhat in the second quarter, going cold on their shooting, failing to pick up offensive rebounds and having the ball stagnate on offense.
That allowed Orlando to catch fire and outscore Miami by 12 in the period, though Miami clung to one-point lead headed into halftime. The Magic shot 61.5% from the floor in the second quarter, compared to Miami converting shots at just a 45% clip. Orlando also laced half of its 10 attempts from 3-point range to close the gap.
The Magic clogged the paint on defense, slowing Miami’s fastbreak attempts considerably in the second quarter. That slowed pace appeared to affect the Heat’s half-court offense and shot selection.
These teams entered the night tied for fifth in the NBA in defensive rating (111.8), and the team that clamps down better in the second half may come away with a trip to Las Vegas.
Tyler Herro and Norman Powell each lead the Heat with 12 points, while Desmond Bane paces the Magic with 12 of his own.
Magic riding run in second quarter
After committing 7 turnovers in the first quarter, Orlando has protected the ball and hasn’t given it away once in the second period. The Magic are hitting shots, too, and have opened the second on an 18-9 run, closing the deficit to just 4 points.
Miami is up 39-35 with 7:32 to play in the period.
End Q1: Heat 30, Magic 17
After hitting their first seven shots of the game, the Miami Heat cooled off some but still take a 13-point lead into the second quarter. Miami scored the first 15 points of the game and opened on a 20-4 run.
The Heat did it in the paint and on the perimeter, scoring 25 of their 30 points in the paint or from beyond the arc. Miami also protected the ball, committing just 2 turnovers.
It was a different story for Orlando. The Magic missed their first five shot attempts and clearly miss Franz Wagner, who is sidelined with a high-ankle sprain. Orlando’s star player, Paolo Banchero, struggled from the floor and didn’t hit a single field goal and scored only 2 points in the period. The Magic committed 7 turnovers in the first.
All five of Miami’s starters scored and Tyler Herro led the team with 9 points, while Norman Powell added 8.
The Heat come out on fire; Orlando: not so much
Miami opened the game on a blaze, hitting all five of its field goals. The Magic, meanwhile, have missed each of their four attempts and have turned the ball over once, leading to a quick, 13-0 run to start the game.
Early indications clearly show Orlando struggling without Franz Wagner.
What time is Heat vs. Magic NBA Cup game today?
The Orlando Magic will host the Miami Heat on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. ET at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida.
How to watch Heat vs. Magic NBA Cup game: TV, live streaming
The game between the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic will be live streamed nationally on Amazon Prime Video.
- Date: Dec. 9, 2025
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: Kia Center (Orlando, Florida)
- TV: None
- Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Watch NBA Cup games with Amazon Prime
Heat, Magic injury updates
The Miami Heat will have their full complement of players for tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic, with Tyler Herro, Pelle Larsson, Davion Mitchell and Dru Smith all upgraded to available.
The Magic, meanwhile, will be missing Franz Wagner (high ankle sprain), Moritz Wagner (left knee) and Colin Castleton (fractured left thumb).
Orlando Magic starting lineup
Here are the starters for the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup quarterfinal game against the Miami Heat:
- G Jalen Suggs
- G Anthony Black
- G Desmond Blane
- F Paolo Banchero
- C Wendell Carter Jr.
Miami Heat starting lineup
Here are the starters for the Miami Heat in the NBA Cup quarterfinal game against the Orlando Magic:
- G Davion Mitchell
- G Tyler Herro
- F Norman Powell
- F Andrew Wiggins
- C Bam Adebayo
This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Major League Baseball’s winter meetings continued Tuesday as the game’s most powerful people convened in Orlando.
The market for top free agent Kyle Tucker is still unclear and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte is a player whose name has been hot in trade rumors. The Washington Nationals are drawing interest for All-Stars CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore, two of the players the team acquired in the 2022 Juan Soto trade.
The Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s 2026 draft lottery on Dec. 9 at the winter meetings and will have the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1977, and just the club’s third in franchise history.
Here’s a look back at the signings and news from Tuesday:
MLB hot stove boils over with Diaz, Schwarber contracts
ORLANDO, FL — MLB’s free agent damn broke Tuesday when slugger Kyle Schwarber signed a five-year, $150 million contract to return to the Philadelphia Phillies while free-agent closer Edwin Diaz is heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Phillies felt all along they had to have Schwarber back, not only for his prodigious power, but for his veteran clubhouse leadership. The Phillies were offering Schwarber a four-year deal, but once the Pittsburgh Pirates and at least one other team offered a four-year deal for about $120 million, the Phillies knew they had to up the ante.
“He was just too important to us,’ one Phillies executive said. “We had to have him back.’
The Dodgers, who spent $85 million on closer Tanner Scott and setup man Kirby Yates last year, only for them to struggle, pivoted and grabbed the best closer on the market again in Diaz.
– Bob Nightengale
Chicago White Sox win MLB draft lottery
The Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s 2026 draft lottery on Dec. 9 at the winter meetings and will have the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1977, and just the club’s third in franchise history.
The new Pope’s favorite team entered the lottery with the best odds (27.73%) to land the No. 1 pick, baseball’s fourth year with a draft lottery.
Tarik Skubal trade? Tigers are ‘listening’
ORLANDO, FL — Tarik Skubal is the talk of the MLB winter meetings.
The reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season. The 29-year-old left-hander projects to become the first pitcher in MLB history to receive a $400 million contract once he reaches free agency.
‘I can’t do my job without listening,’ Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. ‘I can’t do my job without exploring anything that may or may not have legs. Some are going to be very likely moves, and some are going to be extremely unlikely, but you can’t actually fully vet those opportunities unless you’re willing to listen.’
– Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press
Scott Boras provides Cody Bellinger update
Answering a question about Cody Bellinger’s free agency, agent Scott Boras on Tuesday suggested that the Yankees have competition from the Dodgers, Reds, Angels, Blue Jays, Mets, Giants and Phillies.
Of course, the Phillies might be out after reports of Kyle Schwarber’s five-year, $150 million agreement to remain in Philadelphia, which surfaced as Boras spoke on Tuesday
Out of code, Boras added that he ‘can never predict’ the pace of negotiations for someone like Bellinger, but ‘when owners get involved, they can do things at a moment’s notice with these type of players.”
Boras would not say whether Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner had become personally involved in the Bellinger negotiations.
‘We keep those things private,” said Boras. ‘But the Yankees have reached out about Cody, and we continue to talk.”
– Pete Caldera, NorthJersey.com
Tigers pursuing Ha-Seong Kim
ORLANDO, FL — It’s not Alex Bregman. But it might be a better fit.
The Detroit Tigers have interest in shortstop Ha-Seong Kim in free agency, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The 30-year-old Kim declined his $16 million player option with the Atlanta Braves to return to the open market in the 2025-26 offseason, suggesting he could seek at least two years and $30 million, if not three years, $45 million.
This marks the second straight offseason in which the Tigers have shown interest in Kim.
– Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press
Edwin Diaz signs with Dodgers
In completing their back-to-back World Series championship run, the Los Angeles Dodgers lacked one critical element: A lockdown closer.
They took care of that Tuesday, agreeing to terms with All-Star reliever Edwin Diaz, as first reported by The Athletic.
Diaz, who will be 32 on opening day, spent the past seven seasons with the Mets after beginning his career with the Seattle Mariners.
Diaz’s exit from New York was at least partially sealed when the Mets agreed to a three-year, $51 million contract with two-time All-Star Devin Williams.
Kyle Schwarber back to Phillies
Kyle Schwarber, who hit a National League-best 56 home runs in 2025, is heading back to the Philadelphia Phillies, agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract, according to a baseball official familiar with the agreement. The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized.
Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, closed out his four-year, $79 million contract with Philadelphia in epic fashion, setting a career-high in home runs and leading the major leagues with 132 RBIs to finish second in NL MVP voting. He averaged nearly 47 home runs and posted an .856 OPS in his four years with Philly.
That set him up as one of the most coveted sluggers on the free-agent market this winter, and the Phillies decided they could not live without his peerless slugging ability and clubhouse leadership.
Twins ‘able to move the ball forward’
After a trade deadline fire sale, Minnesota’s intentions this offseason seemed unclear with star outfielder Byron Buxton and right-handed starters Joe Kelly and Pablo Lopez considered trade bait. But the team has indicated all three will be back in 2026 and, per Bobby Nightengale Jr. of The Minnesota Star Tribune, Twins president Derek Falvey says ‘it’s a little more clear that we have been able to move the ball forward.’
Falvey has made presentations to ownership, including the minority investors, about potential payroll plans for this offseason, and it’s still uncertain just how much the Twins might spend. They could reveal their minority ownership investors as early as next week.
‘I anticipate some news on that here in the near term where things are shaking out around ownership,’ Falvey said. ‘But I’m not currently at liberty to speak to any specifics.’
Red Sox looking for infield help
With Alex Bregman’s return to Boston uncertain, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Red Sox have shown interest in Astros infielder Isaac Paredes.
‘Bregman still appears to be the Red Sox’s No. 1 target,’ writes Rosenthal, who adds that Paredes could be Boston’s Plan B or even an option at first base if the Sox were to bring back Bregman.
Paredes was traded to the Astros by the Cubs last December in the deal that sent this year’s prized free agent Kyle Tucker to Chicago. Paredes played 102 games for Houston in 2025, with 89 of those appearances coming at third base. He last played first base with the Rays in 2024.
Rays close to deal with lefty Steven Matz
The Tampa Bay Rays are in the process of finalizing a two-year contract with left-hander Steven Matz, according to multiple media reports.
A starter for most of his 11-year MLB career, Matz transitioned to the bullpen with the Cardinals and was extremely effective in the role last season, especially after the trade to Boston.
Matz, 34, finished with a 3.05 ERA in 53 total appearances, but he had a 2.08 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 21 ⅔ innings with the Red Sox.
The Rays will need to create a spot on the 40-man roster to add Matz once his contract is finalized.
As MLB lockout looms, Dave Roberts would support salary cap
ORLANDO, FL — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who drew the ire of the Major League Baseball Players Association last week when he voiced his support for a salary cap and floor, reiterated Monday that it’s merely his opinion and doesn’t consider his view a potential distraction among players.
“Here’s the thing,’ Roberts said, “I’m entitled to an opinion, as we all are. And so I think that’s one man’s opinion.’
– Bob Nightengale
Mets sure they’ll ‘be in touch’ with Pete Alonso
ORLANDO, FL. — Pete Alonso will be making the short trek from his home in Tampa to the winter meetings this week, but he won’t be entertaining the team where his roots had settled. David Stearns acknowledged that the longtime Mets first baseman would be attending but would let him explore his options unhindered.
‘I think Pete knows us really well. I think we know Pete really well,’ Stearns said. ‘I think he’ll take the time here to perhaps meet with organizations he doesn’t know quite as well, and I’m sure we’ll be in touch.’
– Andrew Treddenick, NorthJersey.com
Yankees-Blue Jays battle carries into hot stove
ORLANDO, FL — The Toronto Blue Jays are the reigning AL champions, and they arrived at the Winter Meetings having already made the biggest splash in free agency, signing Dylan Cease for $210 million.
“They’re really good and they’ve already gotten better,’’ Yankees GM Brian Cashman said, assessing the AL East as “the toughest division in baseball.’
“It typically is, the Beast of the East. We know our work is cut out for us.’
– Pete Caldera, NorthJersey.com
This post appeared first on USA TODAY
The Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s 2026 draft lottery on Dec. 9 at the winter meetings and will have the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1977, and just the club’s third in franchise history.
The new Pope’s favorite team entered the lottery with the best odds (27.73%) to land the No. 1 pick, baseball’s fourth year with a draft lottery.
The Colorado Rockies had MLB’s worst record (43-119) and would have had the best odds but were ineligible for the lottery as they picked in the top six the past two years.
While the White Sox won out, two oof the teams with the worst chances – the San Francisco Giants (1.01%) and Kansas City Royals (0.84%) – defied the odds and snuck into the top six.
Here’s a look at the order for the 2026 MLB draft:
MLB draft lottery results
- 1. Chicago White Sox
- 2. Tampa Bay Rays
- 3. Minnesota Twins
- 4. San Francisco Giants
- 5. Pittsburgh Pirates
- 6. Kansas City Royals
- 7. Baltimore Orioles
- 8. Athletics
- 9. Atlanta Braves
- 10. Colorado Rockies
- 11. Washington Nationals
- 12. Los Angeles Angels
- 13. St. Louis Cardinals
- 14. Miami Marlins
- 15. Arizona Diamondbacks
- 16. Texas Rangers
- 17. Houston Astros
- 18. Cincinnati Reds
When is MLB draft lottery? How to watch, TV channel
- Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
- TV channel: MLB Network
MLB draft lottery odds 2026
- White Sox: 27.73%
- Twins: 22.18%
- Pirates: 16.81%
- Orioles: 9.24%
- Athletics: 6.55%
- Braves: 4.54%
- Rays: 3.03%
- Cardinals: 2.35%
- Marlins: 1.85%
- Diamondbacks: 1.51%
- Rangers: 1.34%
- Giants: 1.01%
- Royals: 0.84%
- Mets: 0.67%
- Astros: 0.34%
- Rockies: ineligible
- Nationals: ineligible
- Angels: ineligible
The Colorado Rockies had the worst record in baseball but are are ineligible for the lottery because a team can’t receive a top-six pick three years in a row, after the team had such picks in 2024 and 2025. The Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels are also ineligible as ‘payor’ teams, unable to receive back-to-back lottery picks.
This post appeared first on USA TODAY
BYU basketball and Clemson find themselves in a back-and-forth clash in an early-season men’s college basketball showcase game at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic.
The Big 12 vs. ACC clash, however, experienced a brief delay in the second half. … And it wasn’t for an injury.
The delay at Madison Square Garden was instead because of a bent rim on BYU’s side of the court that came from an emphatic dunk from BYU forward Keba Keita.
The bent rim led to an extended delay with members of the facility staff at The Garden bringing out ladders to the court to remove the padding on the net to level the rim. For the trouble, BYU and Clemson were given three minutes each to warm up on the court before the second half resumed.
As a result of the delay, the start of Game 2 of the doubleheader at The Garden between Florida and UConn was delayed and didn’t start on time at its original 9 p.m. ET tipoff.
Here’s a look:
Clemson pieced together an impressive first-half performance against BYU, led by its 11 second-chance points and nine points off four caused turnovers.
BYU came out of halftime strong with a 12-1 run to cut the deficit to 10 points at the 15:16 mark, with nine of those points coming from Cougars star freshman AJ Dybantsa. That start to the half was enough for Dybantsa to get going in his Madison Square Garden debut, as he scored 12 of BYU’s next 16 points to force Clemson to call a timeout after he made it a one-point game with a layup at the 5:13 mark of the half.
BYU would go on to win 67-64 behind a Robert Wright game-winner, so every point counted.
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This post appeared first on USA TODAY
The East semifinals in the NBA Cup are set.
The New York Knicks thumped the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a 117-101 victory fueled by a massive night from Jalen Brunson, who scored 20 of his 35 points in the first quarter. And so now New York will play the Orlando Magic in the NBA Cup East semifinal.
New York controlled the game after it held the Raptors to 13 points on 5 field goals in the second quarter. The Knicks outscored Toronto 34-13 in the period and never relinquished control.
The Knicks had six players reach double figures in scoring, with Josh Hart chipping in 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Brandon Ingram recorded 31 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, but the Raptors were only able to get 13 points from Scottie Barnes. The Knicks blitzed Barnes with double teams to force the ball out of his hands, limiting his effectiveness on offense.
The Knicks have won eight of their last nine games, while the Raptors have lost four consecutive.
The Knicks and Magic will play Saturday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m. ET from Las Vegas.
Knicks vs. Raptors highlights
End Q3: Knicks 94, Raptors 79
The good news for the Raptors: they did far better in the third quarter than they did in the second. The bad news: Toronto is still carrying a 15-point deficit into the fourth quarter, and its chances at securing a berth in the NBA Cup East Semis seems unlikely.
The Raptors did cut into New York’s biggest lead in the third (24), but Josh Hart had a massive quarter and heads into the fourth with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, with 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
Jalen Brunson leads all players with 33, while the Raptors have struggled for players beside Brandon Ingram to score; Ingram has a team-high 27 points, and the next closest Raptor, Jamal Shead, has 17. After him, two players are tied for just 10 points.
End Q2: Knicks 69, Raptors 52
There were seven ties and nine lead changes in the first half, but the Knicks opened a monster lead in the second quarter.
Toronto started the period shooting just 1-of-9 from the floor, but the operation could not stabilize even after Brandon Ingram returned to the floor after catching a breather. The Raptors scored just 13 points in the quarter and finished just 5-of-21 (23.8%) from the field in the second.
The Knicks outscored Toronto 34-13 in the period.
After his 17-point first quarter, Ingram added just 2 points in the second, though he started the period on the bench.
The Knicks now have three players — Jalen Brunson (26), Karl-Anthony Towns (10) and OG Anunoby (10) — who have reached double figures in scoring.
End Q1: Raptors 39, Knicks 35
It was a quarter of runs, but the Raptors ended the first quarter of their NBA Cup East Quarterfinal game against the Knicks with a four-point edge.
From 5-0 (New York) to start the game, to a 7-0 (Raptors) run to close the gap, to a 10-3 Knicks spurt to pull ahead, both teams repeatedly found ways to answer. And for New York, the solution, by and large, was Jalen Brunson, who drained 7-of-9 shots in the period to open the game with 20 points.
Not to be outdone, Brandon Ingram continued his hot start to this season with 17 first quarter points of his own, adding 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the period.
Both teams shot the ball incredibly well, with New York flushing them at a 65% clip, while Toronto hit 57.7% of its shots.
With the Magic already clinched, Knicks vs. Raptors is underway
The Orlando Magic took down the Heat to clinch the first spot in the NBA Cup East Semifinal Saturday, Dec. 13 in Las Vegas, and they’ll play the winner between the Knicks and Raptors.
New York started hot, making its first four shots, though turnovers allowed Toronto to claw back into it. The Raptors went on a 7-0 run to take an early 15-11 lead.
Knicks vs. Raptors start time update
The Knicks-Raptors game is slated to tip at 8:47 p.m. ET, the Knicks said.
New York Knicks starting lineup
- Josh Hart
- OG Anunoby
- Jalen Brunson
- Mikal Bridges
- Karl-Anthony Towns
Toronto Raptors starting lineup
- Jamal Shead
- Scottie Barnes
- Ochai Agbaji
- Brandon Ingram
- Jakob Poeltl
What time is Knicks vs. Raptors NBA Cup game today?
The Toronto Raptors will host the New York Knicks on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
How to watch Knicks vs. Raptors NBA Cup game: TV, live streaming
The game between the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks will be live streamed nationally on Amazon Prime Video.
- Date: Dec. 9, 2025
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto)
- TV: None
- Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Watch NBA Cup games with Amazon Prime
Knicks, Raptors injury updates
New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable on the injury report with left calf tightness and will be a game-time decision, while Landry Shamet is out with a right shoulder sprain.
The Raptors, meanwhile, will be without RJ Barrett, who is dealing with a right knee sprain.
This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Thanks to exchange-traded funds (ETFs), investors don’t have to be tied to one specific stock. When it comes to biotech ETFs, they give sector participants exposure to many biotech companies via one vehicle.
ETFs are a popular choice as they allow investors to enter the market more safely compared to investing in standalone stocks. A key advantage is that even if one company in the ETF takes a hit, the impact will be less direct.
All other figures were also current as of that date. Read on to learn more about these investment vehicles.
1. ProShares Ultra NASDAQ Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:BIB)
AUM: US$86.84 million
The ProShares Ultra NASDAQ Biotechnology ETF, launched in April 2010, is leveraged to offer twice daily long exposure to the broad-based NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, making it an ideal choice “for investors with a bullish short-term outlook for biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies.” However, analysts also advise investors with a low risk tolerance or a buy-and-hold strategy against investing in this fund due to its unique nature.
Of the about 250 holdings in this ETF, the top biotech stocks are Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) at 5.33 percent weight, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) at 5.27 percent and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) at 4.89 percent.
2. Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3x Shares (ARCA:LABD)
AUM: US$80.92 million
The Direxion Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3X Shares is designed to provide three times the daily return of the inverse of the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index, meaning that the ETF rises in value when the index falls and falls in value when the index rises.
Leveraged inverse ETFs are designed for short-term trading and are not suitable for holding long-term. They also carry a high degree of risk as they can be significantly affected by market volatility.
Unlike the other ETFs on this list, LABD achieves its investment objective through holding financial contracts such as futures rather than holding individual stocks.
3. Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:GNOM)
AUM: US$52.9 million
The Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF tracks the Solactive Genomics Index, focusing on companies involved in gene editing, genomic sequencing, genetic medicine, computational genomics and biotech.
The ETF holds 48 stocks, with about 90 percent in the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and life sciences sector. Its top three holdings are Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ARWR) at 6.06 percent, Guardant Health (NASDAQ:GH) at 5.5 percent and Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) at 5.05 percent.
4. Tema Heart and Health ETF (NASDAQ:HRTS)
AUM: US$52.53 million
Launched in November 2023, the Tema Heart and Health ETF tracks biotech stocks with a focus on diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. The fund was renamed on March 25 from Tema Cardiovascular and Metabolic ETF, and again on June 27 from the GLP-1 Obesity and Cardiometabolic ETF.
There are 47 holdings in this biotechnology fund, with about 75 percent being large-cap stocks and 22 percent mid-cap. About three-quarters of its holdings are based in the US. Its top biotech holdings are Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) at a 10.25 percent weight, Roche Holding (OTCQX:RHHBY,SWX:ROG) at a 4.54 percent weight and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) at a 4.25 percent weight.
5. Virtus LifeSci Biotech Products ETF (ARCA:BBP)
AUM: US$31.42 million
The Virtus LifeSci Biotech Products ETF tracks the LifeSci Biotechnology Products Index, focusing on US-listed biotech companies with at least one FDA-approved drug therapy.
Launched in December 2014 by Virtus Investment Partners, it provides targeted exposure to firms in the product stage, from startups to large players, through passive, equal-weighted holdings rebalanced semi-annually.
Its top holdings include Travere Therapeutics (NASDAQ:TVTX) at a weight of 3.32 percent, Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IONS) at 3.22 percent and Insmed (NASDAQ:INSM) at 2.97 percent.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
This post appeared first on investingnews.com
Both major and junior gold stocks are seeing heightened interest in 2025 amid a surging gold price, which has climbed more than 50 percent since the start of the year and set dozens of new record highs along the way.
The yellow metal’s staggering rise has been fueled by numerous factors, including economic chaos caused by an ever-changing US trade and tariff policy, uncertainty stemming from geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe and, most recently, the shutdown of the US federal government.
These events have driven investors to look to safe-haven assets like gold as a hedge to provide greater stability to their portfolios, and experts have weighed in on just how high gold could rise.
What does this gold bull run mean for junior gold companies?
Data for this article was retrieved on December 1, 2025, using TradingView’s stock screener, and only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million at that time are included.
1. San Lorenzo Gold (TSXV:SLG)
Year-to-date gain: 641.18 percent
Market cap: C$55.06 million
Share price: C$0.80
San Lorenzo Gold is an exploration company working to advance its Salvadora project in the Chañaral province of Chile. The property consists of 25 exploration and nine exploitation concessions covering an area of 8,796 hectares, and hosts a large copper and gold porphyry system with several significant targets.
According to the project page, the site geology resembles that of the nearby Codelco-owned Salvador copper mine, which has operated since the early 1950s and is expected to continue until the mid-2060s following an expansion.
San Lorenzo’s share price gained significantly in the first quarter starting on March 3, when the company announced a significant discovery hole, the first of three holes drilled at Salvadora’s Cerro Blanco gold-copper target.
The discovery hole demonstrated an average grade of 1.04 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold over a broad 153.5 meters starting at a depth of 229 meters, including an intersection grading 12.78 g/t gold over 3.8 meters.
The same day, it also released partial results for the first of three holes drilled at its Arco de Oro gold target. They returned multiple instances of high-grade gold, including 5.61 g/t gold over 6.6 meters at a depth of 15.7 meters and 4.8 g/t gold over 23.3 meters 174.4 meters from surface.
Assays for the remaining holes were released in mid-March and April, respectively. San Lorenzo released the most recent results from exploration on August 6, reporting that an induced polarization geophysical survey at Salvadora identified multiple prospective anomalies that would be the focus of its upcoming drill program.
San Lorenzo announced on September 24 that it initiated the aforementioned drill program, with plans in place for a minimum of three holes at Cerro Blanco and four holes at Arco de Oro.
After leveling out in Q2, company shares began gaining momentum in early August, largely continuing to move through the rest of Q3 and into Q4. Shares of San Lorenzo jumped to a year-to-date high of C$0.86 on October 23.
2. Prospector Metals (TSXV:PPP)
Year-to-date gain: 833.31 percent
Market cap: C$129.56 million
Share price: C$1.12
Prospector Metals is exploring its flagship ML gold project near Dawson City in Yukon, Canada.
The 10,869 hectare property is located within the Tintina Gold Belt, which hosts significant historic mining operations and current exploration and development projects. The ML project’s Skarn Ridge and North Vein targets were the focus of significant historical work through 2008, including 117 diamond drill holes. According to Prospector, historical work also led to the discovery of more than two dozen untested high-grade gold surface occurrences.
A maiden drill program at the site commenced on June 23, with the primary focus on the Bueno target, which delivered rock samples with grades up to 156 g/t during May 2025 exploration. The program will include testing of six targets, including Bueno, identified during the company’s 2024 exploration program.
After trending upwards throughout the year from their start of C$0.12, shares of Prospector surged from C$0.31 to C$1.17 when it reported the discovery of the new TESS gold-copper zone on October 1. The company reported a drill hole intersected the broad, high-grade zone, with an average grade of 13.79 g/t gold from 62 meters to 106 meters downhole, including 288 g/t over 1 meter within 21.93 g/t over 24.65 meters. The hole also intersected the North Vein zone from 138 meters to 145.36 meters downhole, over which it had an average grade of 5.69 g/t gold.
Prospector CEO Rob Carpenter said, “The discovery represents an exciting new style of gold mineralization for the ML project. The high-grade and near surface intercept occurs within a distinct zone that is coincident with a diagnostic surface geochemical signature.” He indicated that the company has traced the trend on the surface for at least 500 meters.
Shares of Prospector reached a year-to-date high of C$1.30 the following day.
On November 26, Prospector reported the final assays from its drill program, including an interval at the TESS Zone grading 7.29 g/t gold and 0.91 percent copper over 14 meters, as well as one in the Skarn Ridge Zone that graded 2.04 g/t gold and 0.42 percent copper over 27 meters. Carpenter said the company is planning a fully funded drill program to extend the zones along trend and test new targets.
3. PPX Mining (TSXV:PPX)
Year-to-date gain: 785.71 percent
Market cap: C$219.63 million
Share price: C$0.31
PPX Mining is a precious metals company that is focused on its Igor project, which contains the operating Callanquitas underground mine, located in the Otuzco province of Northern Peru.
An updated resource estimate for Callanquitas released by the company in January 2024 showed a measured and indicated oxide resource of 81,090 ounces of gold and 2.9 million ounces of silver. The inferred resource as sulfides stands at 34,450 gold equivalent ounces from ore grading 4.63 g/t gold equivalent.
According to a prefeasibility study for Igor amended in January 2022, the 1,300 hectare site previously hosted small-scale mining operations and holds a 50 MT per day gold-processing plant from the 1980s.
In November 2024, PPX started construction of a 350 metric ton per day carbon-in-leach and flotation plant that will be used to process oxide and sulfide ore from Callanquitas.
The latest construction update came on September 24, when the company said development was continuing at an accelerated pace while it worked on parallel activities. These advancements included the installation of leach tanks and the assembly of the crushing line. In all, the PPX reported that construction was 55 percent complete.
Meanwhile, exploration at Callanquitas carried on during the third quarter, with PPX reporting assay results on August 20. In that release, the company said it had encountered a highlighted grade of 3.55 g/t gold over 4.2 meters, which included an intersection of 5.16 g/t gold over 2 meters.
Additionally, PPX announced on September 11 that it had closed an upsized non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$2.58 million, which will be used for ongoing exploration at Callanquitas.
The following month, the company announced a binding letter of intent with Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) for a strategic investment, offtake agreement and technical collaboration, which it closed in December.
The investment results in gross proceeds of C$19.92 million for PPX, which will be used to advance a variety of work at the project, including the construction, commissioning and start-up of the plant. Additionally, under the agreement, Glencore has the right to acquire 100 percent of precious metals concentrate from the Igor project and plant beginning once the plant is commissioned.
Shares of PPX Mining reached a year-to-date high of C$0.48 on October 8.
4. Pelangio Exploration (TSXV:PX)
Year-to-date gain: 728.57 percent
Market cap: C$56.03 million
Share price: C$0.29
Pelangio Exploration is a gold exploration company with projects in Ghana and Canada. In Ghana, it owns two large-scale gold projects, the Manfo property and the Obuasi property. The latter is located 4 kilometers along strike and adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti’s (NYSE:AU,JSE:ANG) high-grade Obuasi mine.
Much of Pelangio’s market moving news came in the second half of the year.
In July, the company kicked off a high-resolution aeromagnetic drone survey at its Manfo and Nkosuo deposits. The following month, Pelangio announced the completion of an updated mineral resource estimate for Manfo covering four gold deposits, including the Nkasu deposit, which was not included in the maiden resource estimate.
The updated resource shows a total indicated mineral resource of 441,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 1.16 g/t gold, up 126 percent from the maiden resource estimate, and a total inferred mineral resource of 396,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 0.77 g/t gold, up 395 percent.
In September, Pelangio shared its plans for a US$7.6 million staged exploration program including up to 45,000 meters of drilling. Then, on October 22, the company closed the last tranche of a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$4.5 million.
Shares of Pelangio reached a year-to-date high of C$0.29 on December 1.
5. Kirkland Lake Discoveries (TSXV:KLDC)
Year-to-date gain: 650 percent
Market cap: C$49.97 million
Share price: C$0.30
Kirkland Lake Discoveries is a gold and copper exploration company focused on projects in its district-scale land package located in the Kirkland Lake area of Ontario, Canada.
Its holdings span an area of approximately 38,000 hectares in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and are broadly divided into KL West and KL East, which contain the Goodfish-Kirana and Lucky Strike gold projects, respectively, among others.
On April 29, the company expanded KL West’s southern portion by entering into a mining option agreement with Val-d’Or Mining (TSXV:VZZ) to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Winnie Lake and Amikougami properties, and mining claim purchase agreements with two vendors for further claims around the Winnie Lake Pluton.
On August 6, Kirkland Lake initiated the inaugural diamond drill program at the site, designed to follow up on historic drill results and recent surface exploration. Early results from the program came on August 12 when the company reported the discovery of an intrusion-related system at KL West’s Winnie showing.
Next, on August 26, Kirkland expanded the mineralized system after intersecting semi-massive and massive sulfide mineralization across three additional holes at KL West, with assay results pending.
On September 23, Kirkland Lake announced a C$7 million private placement with a significant portion coming from investors Eric Sprott, Rob McEwen and Crescat Capital. It had been upsized to C$14 million as of October 3.
Drilling at KL West resulted in a new gold discovery 2 kilometers northeast of the Winnie Shaft, the company reported on October 27, which Kirkland says is an intrusive-related mineralizing system centered on the Winnie Pluton with a 17 kilometer perimeter. The testing confirmed a distinct and coexisting copper-rich massive sulfide system as well.
In late November, Kirkland commenced a fully funded 25,000 diamond drill program focused on KL West and ‘surrounding structures associate with the Winnie Lake Stock.’
Shares of Kirkland Lake reached a year-to-date high of C$0.39 on October 28.
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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After 2024’s rapid rise, the U3O8 spot price remained more constrained through 2025, fluctuating between a relatively short range of US$63.17 (March 13) and US$83.33 (September 25) per pound.
Entering the year, the price was sitting at US$74.56 before economic and geopolitical uncertainty pushed values to a year-to-date low of US$63.71 in mid-March. Long-term positivity in the demand forecast began pushing the price upward in April through to the end of June, when spot U3O8 touched US$78.93, an H1 high.
Following a brief dip to an H2 low of US$70.98 in mid-July, investor appetite, supply concerns and government support converged, driving the price to US$83.33 on September 25, a year-to-date high. Starting December at US$76.36, U3O8 appears to have found a floor at the US$75 level, holding above the threshold since the end of August.
U3O8 spot price, December 5, 2024, to December 5, 2025.
Chart via Trading Economics.
Despite a subdued stretch for the price, uranium’s long-term drivers remain firmly intact, and arguably have only improved over the course of the year. Combined with renewed investor appetite, that strength has helped lift uranium equities throughout 2025, reinforcing confidence in the sector’s long-term thesis.
Uranium investment demand surges
For Joe Kelly, CEO of Uranium Markets, one of the most compelling uranium market trends in 2025 was the growth in investor demand, particularly for physical uranium.
SPUT had added 7.8 million pounds, growing its uranium holdings to 74.04 million pounds, as of December 2, a 12 percent increase from 2024’s tally. Its net asset value had increased to US$5.68 billion.
Kelly explained that SPUT’s momentum was the result of broader investor enthusiasm, allowing the trust to purchase millions of pounds from the spot market, which “drove the price considerably higher.”
That dynamic extended beyond institutional vehicles.
“You also had investors buying uranium directly because they thought it was cheap and a good investment,” he said.
The result was a layer of financial demand on top of utility needs. According to Kelly, this speculative interest created demand outside of the nuclear power plants in the world. “That drove the price up a little bit higher than it would have been otherwise, without that enthusiasm from the investing community,” he added.
SPUT’s aggressive accumulation has become a clear market signal.
The trust’s growing holdings highlight how institutional investors increasingly view uranium as scarce, tightening available supply by removing material from the open market. As inventories shrink, upward pressure on prices builds.
At the same time, SPUT’s rising net asset value reflects renewed investor confidence tied to reactor buildouts, energy security priorities and the broader clean energy shift.
If the trust keeps buying while mine output lags and utilities lock in long-term contracts, the market could be moving toward a structural deficit, drawing even more attention to uranium equities and physical vehicles.
Uranium term price underscores market momentum
Often described as a more accurate barometer of market activity and sentiment, the long-term contract price displayed less volatility in 2025, starting the 12 month period at US$80 and reaching US$86 at the end of November.
Tiggre stressed that the uranium sector’s “real market is the long-term contract price,” not the day-to-day noise of the spot price. Long-term contracting, he said, is where “actual buyers, sellers, users and suppliers” negotiate prices that determine what it really takes to bring new pounds to market.
The challenge, however, is opacity. “It’s not transparent … they don’t disclose individual contracts,” he said. That leaves analysts to piece together trends from quarterly averages.
Long-term contract price, January 1 to November 30, 2025.
Chart via Cameco.
That underlying market has continued to strengthen from 2024 to 2025.
As Tiggre noted, the long-term price has been “going up, pausing, consolidating, going up,” reaching levels that “clearly do incent production” — yet even the world’s biggest producers have struggled to deliver.
Global uranium majors Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ) and Kazatomprom “both failed to hit their targets and have officially moved their goal posts,” a signal he called “significant and … bullish.”
Meanwhile, would-be junior producers have not stepped in to fill the gap.
“None of them have been able to say, ‘Yeah, we’re going to build this or rehabilitate that’ and deliver on time,” he noted. What looked like low-hanging fruit has proven “thorny,” reinforcing that supply remains constrained.
At the same time, demand momentum has only accelerated. Headlines showcasing new reactor builds are now “weekly,” Tiggre said, with BRICS nations expanding aggressively and western governments shifting decisively pro-nuclear. Even in the US, he noted, “Trump has doubled down … he’s strongly pro-nuclear.”
The result: A structurally tight market where volatile spot moves obscure a far more durable trend.
“The fundamentals are just super strong,” Tiggre said. “I’m very bullish.”
Uranium doubles as a tech play
Part of uranium’s demand story is tied to forecast growth in artificial intelligence (AI) data center deployment, a segment where electricity consumption has grown by 12 percent since 2019, as per the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Currently data centers use 415 terawatt hours (TWh), representing 1.5 percent of global electricity demand, and that number is projected to increase rapidly over the next five years.
“Our Base Case finds that global electricity consumption for data centres is projected to double to reach around 945 TWh by 2030 in the Base Case, representing just under 3 percent of total global electricity consumption in 2030,” the IEA’s Energy Demand from AI report reads. “From 2024 to 2030, data centre electricity consumption grows by around 15 percent per year, more than four times faster than the growth of total electricity consumption from all other sectors.”
For Gerardo Del Real, publisher at Digest Publishing, the uranium sector’s momentum has shifted as an unexpected coalition of “tech bros” and “mining bros” reshapes the narrative around nuclear power.
“Who would have thought?” said Del Real, noting that after an 18 month stretch where the uranium trade “seemed stuck in the mud,” sentiment turned sharply once markets began viewing nuclear as a technology story.
“The market is one part fundamentals and the other part psychology,” Del Real explained, adding that the psychological boost from the booming tech sector has been powerful.
While he’s skeptical that every AI-fueled data center proposal will materialize, Del Real argued that even limited progress could supercharge energy demand. If tech companies “fulfill 35 percent to 50 percent of their promises,” he said, the resulting power requirements would be “absolutely spectacular.”
This comes as the uranium market was already heading toward a significant deficit by 2026, a trend Del Real believes has now accelerated. Leaning into his contrarian instincts, he said he has written “more checks than ever” for early stage uranium companies with trusted management teams.
“I am thrilled with the results thus far,” said Del Real.
“I think 2026 is going to be an inflection year where the breakout is really pronounced across the board.”
Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article
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Investor Insight
Sankamap Metals offers exposure to new copper–gold discovery potential in one of the last underexplored regions of the Ring of Fire, with two fully owned, drill-ready assets positioned along a world-class mineral belt.
Company Highlights
- Two 100 percent owned copper and gold properties – Kuma and Fauro – within a highly prospective copper-gold trend in the Solomon Islands.
- Drill-ready targets supported by strong historical sampling, including grab samples up to 11.7 percent copper, 13.5 grams per ton (g/t) gold at Kuma, and 173 g/t gold; plus, drill intercepts of 35 m at 2.08 g/t gold at Fauro.
- Strategically located along the same mineral belt as major deposits, including Newmont’s 71.9 Moz Lihir gold mine.
- Underexplored mining-friendly jurisdiction with strong government support and established local workforce.
- Large-scale system potential, including a km-scale copper-gold anomaly at Kuma and multiple high-grade epithermal and porphyry-style targets at Fauro.
- Inaugural drilling at Kuma, scheduled to begin in January 2026, marking a major catalyst for the project.
- Strong technical leadership, with a management team that has collectively raised over $1 billion and delivered significant shareholder returns.
Overview
Sankamap Metals (CSE:SCU) is a Canadian exploration company advancing the Oceania Project, a high-impact copper–gold opportunity in the mineral-rich South Pacific. The project includes two fully permitted properties – Kuma and Fauro – in the Solomon Islands, one of the last untapped frontiers of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The company’s land package is strategically positioned near world-class deposits, such as Newmont Mining’s 71.9 Moz Lihir gold mine and Bougainville Copper’s historic Panguna deposit with 19.3 Moz gold and 5.3 Mt copper resources.
CEO John Florek investigating mineralized outcrop at Kuma property during the summer site visit
Kuma and Fauro are 100 percent owned and drill-ready. Both assets benefit from compelling historical sampling, large-scale geophysical anomalies, and district-scale geological characteristics that support the potential for major porphyry and epithermal systems.
The company focuses on systematic exploration, delineating high-priority drill targets to unlock discovery opportunities. With strong national support for mining and a leadership team deeply experienced in major global jurisdictions, Sankamap is well positioned to generate early and meaningful shareholder value as exploration advances.
Key Properties
Kuma Property
The Kuma property spans 43 sq km and lies 37 km southeast of Honiara on Guadalcanal Island. The property is considered a highly compelling drill-ready porphyry target. Historical sampling returned values up to 11.7 percent copper and 13.5 g/t gold, accompanied by a kilometre-scale copper-gold geochemical anomaly. Airborne geophysical surveys, including mobile magnetotelluric (MT), reveal resistive and conductive features consistent with porphyry, epithermal and skarn-style mineral systems.
Kuma benefits from year-round access and proximity to the Gold Ridge mine. Lidar, surface geochemistry, and geophysics surveys have advanced target definition toward a 2026 drill program. Alteration mapping defined a 2 km lithocap, indicating a potential significant porphyry below that’s not yet tested by drilling.
Kuma is positioned for discovery potential on a scale comparable to other major systems in the region.
Current work at Kuma is focused on refining priority drill targets through ongoing analysis of newly released geophysical and geological datasets. A field visit in November was aimed at ground-truthing these targets, confirming interpretations, and finalizing on-the-ground logistics. Pad and camp construction began in late November, ahead of the inaugural drilling campaign set for January 2026, an important milestone in advancing the Kuma property toward discovery.
Fauro Property
The 147 sq km Fauro property encompasses a high-grade epithermal gold target with indications of a porphyry system at depth. Formed by the collapse of the Fauro calc-alkaline volcano, the property hosts seven prospects, three of which are drill-ready. Historical results include a grab sample of 173 g/t gold, trench results of 8 m at 27.95 g/t gold, and drilling intercepts such as 35 m at 2.08 g/t gold. Multiple zones, including Meriguna, Ballyorlo and Kiovakase, exhibit robust soil anomalies and magnetic highs, underscoring the property’s potential to host a large-scale deposit comparable in setting to the Lihir gold system.
Since 2024, new sampling has confirmed continued high-grade potential, with assays returning up to 19.25 g/t gold and up to 4 percent copper, expanding evidence for a hybrid epithermal-porphyry system. With year-round drilling access and efficient transport via helicopter and boat, Fauro represents a major exploration opportunity with multiple existing gold intercepts and untested porphyry indicators.
Management Team
John Florek – Chief Executive Officer
John Florek has more than 35 years of experience with major and junior mining companies, including BHP, Placer Dome, Barrick, Teck, and Detour Gold/Kirkland Lake Gold/Agnico Eagle. He has identified and advanced significant mining assets from early exploration through development and currently sits on the board of McEwen Mining. He is also CEO, president and director of Emperor Metals.
John Williamson – Chairman, Co-founder and Director
A professional geologist with more than 35 years in the global mining sector, John Williamson founded more than 20 successful companies and the Metals Group. He has raised more than $1 billion across public and private markets, delivering strong returns to shareholders.
Sean Mager – CFO and Director
With 30+ years in the global mining sector, Sean Mager brings extensive experience in corporate development, stakeholder relations, regulatory affairs, finance and operations. He is a co-founder of the Metals Group.
Krystle Adair – Vice-president, Exploration
A geologist with more than 13 years of exploration experience across the Americas, Krystle Adair has managed projects across multiple deposit types. She has worked extensively with Metals Group companies and is a registered professional geoscientist in British Columbia.
Hannett – Director
A Bougainville Island national and professional engineer with 17+ years of experience, Arthur Hannett has worked with major operators including Placer Dome, Barrick, Glencore and Agnico Eagle.
Donald Marahare – Director
A seasoned legal professional with 20+ years of experience in the Solomon Islands, Donald Marahare is the principal at DNS & Partners Law Firm, admitted to the High Court in 2000. He also serves as president of the Solomon Islands Football Federation.
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