Author

admin

Browsing

(TheNewswire)

JZR Gold Inc.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.

October 31, 2025 TheNewswire – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada JZR Gold Inc. (the ‘ Company ‘ or ‘ JZR ‘) ( TSX-V: JZR ) is pleased to announce that it has received total proceeds of $1,600,000 from the exercise of 4,000,000 share purchase warrants (the ‘ Warrants ‘) over the past week. The Warrants were issued in connection with the Company’s private placement that closed in October 2023, and each Warrant was exercised into one common share at a price of $0.40 per share. Pursuant to the exercise, an aggregate of 4,000,000 common shares were issued to the holders who exercised. The proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants will be used for general working capital purposes.

For further information, please contact:

Robert Klenk

Chief Executive Officer

E: rob@jazzresources.ca
T: 604.329.9092

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which includes any information about activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future.  Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the anticipated use of proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants.  Forward-looking information reflects the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it.  Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.  These factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the business of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mineral exploration industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks related to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions; risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with the specifications or expectations, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks related to adverse weather conditions; geopolitical risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Company’s continuous disclosure documents filed with the Canadian securities regulators.  The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.  The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

None of the securities of JZR have been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘U.S. Securities Act’), or any state securities law, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or ‘U.S. persons’ (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy in the United States nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

A Senate Republican accused Google and its AI of targeting conservatives with false allegations and fake news stories, including allegations of a sexual assault that never happened.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote to Google CEO Sundar Pichai in a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital that Google’s large language model AI Gemma allegedly produced false and defamatory allegations against conservatives, including herself.

Specifically, she alleged that the AI generated a fabricated sexual assault allegation against her and a series of links to fake news articles to support the false claim.

Her letter to Pichai came on the heels of a Senate Commerce Committee hearing earlier this week that zeroed in on ‘jawboning,’ the practice of government officials using indirect coercion to get tech companies, like Google or social media platforms, to censor posts or speech.

During the hearing, Blackburn went after Google Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Markham Erickson over AI ‘hallucinations’ that allegedly produced false allegations against conservative activist Robby Starbuck.

AI hallucinations are when a generative AI or large language model, like Gemma, creates false, misleading or inaccurate information that is then presented as fact.

Starbuck sued the company after Google’s AI tools allegedly linked him to false accusations of sexual assault, child rape and financial exploitation.

That spurred her to enter a prompt into Gemma asking, ‘Has Marsha Blackburn been accused of rape?’

The AI then produced a story, she wrote, that alleged that during her run for Tennessee State Senate in 1987 she had a sexual relationship with a state trooper, and that, ‘the trooper alleged that she pressured him to obtain prescription drugs for her and that the relationship involved non-consensual acts.’

Blackburn noted, however, that she ran for seat in 1998 and that, ‘There has never been such an accusation, there is no such individual, and there are no such news stories.’

‘This is not a harmless ‘hallucination,’’ she said. ‘It is an act of defamation produced and distributed by a Google-owned AI model. A publicly accessible tool that invents false criminal allegations about a sitting U.S. senator represents a catastrophic failure of oversight and ethical responsibility.’

She charged that there was a consistent pattern of bias against conservatives by Google’s AI, and whether on purpose or the result of ‘ideologically biased training data, the effect is the same: Google’s AI models are shaping dangerous political narratives by spreading falsehoods about conservatives and eroding public trust.’

Blackburn demanded that by Nov. 6, Google provide how the company identifies how and why Gemma generated the false claims about her, what steps Google has taken to prevent political or ideological bias in AI, what guardrails failed to stop this incident, and what Google will do to remove defamatory material and prevent similar occurrences.

‘During the hearing, Mr. Erickson said, ‘[large language models] will hallucinate,’’ she said. ‘My response remains the same: Shut it down until you can control it.’

Google did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.


This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

(TheNewswire)

Charbone Hydrogen Corporation

Brossard, Quebec TheNewswire – October 31, 2025 CHARBONE CORPORATION (TSXV: CH,OTC:CHHYF; OTCQB: CHHYF; FSE: K47) (‘ CHARBONE ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘), a North American producer and distributor specializing in clean Ultra High Purity (‘ UHP ‘) hydrogen and strategic industrial gases, is pleased to announce that the Company has retained the US-based corporate communications firm, RB Milestone Group LLC (‘ RBMG ‘), to provide investor relations services including corporate communications advisory, non-deal roadshow advisory, market intelligence advisory, and business referrals to the management team of the Company. RBMG has been retained for an initial term of 6-months starting October 20, 2025, paid in cash totalling US$59,500 and billed on a monthly basis. Following the first 6-months, the agreement auto renews on a monthly basis until termination. RBMG is at arm’s length to the Company. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval.

Dave B. Gagnon, CEO of CHARBONE , commented: ‘ We are very pleased to welcome the RBMG team as a key addition to our communications and investor relations strategy in the United States and Canada. Their proven expertise in capital markets, corporate visibility, and strategic advisory will play a vital role as CHARBONE enters its next phase of growth and expansion across North America. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to transparency, shareholder engagement, and long-term value creation.

About RB Milestone Group LLC

Founded in 2009, RB Milestone Group LLC (‘RBMG’) is a US-based corporate communications firm that specializes in investor relations advisory and has offices in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut. RBMG’s US advisory practice delivers investor relations programs tailor-made for emerging companies that are private and publicly traded on the NYSE, NASDAQ, OTCQB, OTCQX, TSX, TSXV, CSE, ASX and AIM. RBMG refines communications strategies, weighs data and advises clients on how to penetrate new markets. It helps clients target and secure relationships with niche US stakeholders and key industry strategics globally. Utilizing digital techniques, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, RBMG has developed methods that improve traditional client IR initiatives to maximize ROI. RBMG partners with clients across a wide range of industry segments, including: Cannabis, Cleantech, Consumer Goods, Crypto, Fintech, Healthcare, Metals & Mining, Professional Services, Renewable Energy, and Technology. To learn more about RBMG please visit: www.rbmilestone.com .

Updated Terms of Shares-for-Debt Settlement

CHARBONE announces an update to its previously disclosed shares-for-debt settlement dated August 14, 2025. Following discussion with the TSX Venture Exchange, including a review of the restrictions imposed upon shares for debt transactions in the context of market making services, the Company has revised the total amount and number of shares to be issued under the settlement.  Under the revised terms, CHARBONE will settle $30,000 of the original $118,095 payable to an arm’s-length market maker through the issuance of common shares. The Company successfully negotiated that the remaining balance will be reduced by the value of the shares at the current market price.  Upon closing, CHARBONE will issue 500,000 common shares. The settlement will be documented in a formal agreement and remains subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.  The common shares issued will be subject to the statutory four-month hold period.

About CHARBONE CORPORATION

CHARBONE is an integrated company specializing in clean Ultra High Purity (UHP) hydrogen and the strategic distribution of industrial gases in North America and Asia-Pacific. Through a modular approach, the Company is building a distributed network of green hydrogen production plants while diversifying revenues via helium and specialty gas partnerships. This disciplined model reduces risk, enhances flexibility, and positions CHARBONE as a leader in the transition to a low-carbon future. CHARBONE is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: CH,OTC:CHHYF) , the OTC Markets (OTCQB: CHHYF) , and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE: K47) . Visit www.charbone.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that are ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under Canadian securities laws (‘forward-looking statements’). These forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’, ‘expects’, ‘believes’, ‘plans’, ‘likely’, or similar words. The forward-looking statements reflect management’s expectations, estimates, or projections concerning future results or events, based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates considered reasonable by management at the date the statements are made. Although Charbone believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, as unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual results to be materially different from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Charbone. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those described under ‘Risk Factors’ in the Corporation’s Filing Statement dated March 31, 2022, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; they could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Charbone undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release .

Contact Charbone Corporation

Telephone: +1 450 678 7171

Email: ir@charbone.com

Benoit Veilleux

CFO and Corporate Secretary

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

(TheNewswire)

Charbone Hydrogen Corporation

Brossard, Quebec TheNewswire – le 31 octobre 2025 CORPORATION CHARBONE (TSXV: CH,OTC:CHHYF; OTCQB: CHHYF; FSE: K47) (« CHARBONE » ou la « Société »), un producteur et distributeur nord-américain spécialisé dans l’hydrogène propre Ultra Haute Pureté (« UHP ») et les gaz industriels stratégiques, a le plaisir d’annoncer qu’elle a retenu les services de la société de communication corporative américaine RB Milestone Group LLC (« RBMG ») pour ses relations aux investisseurs. Ces services comprennent le conseil en communications corporatives, l’organisation de tournée promotionnelle hors transaction, la veille concurrentielle et la mise en relation de partenaires commerciaux potentiels aux dirigeants de la Société. RBMG a été mandatée pour une durée initiale de six mois, à compter du 20 octobre 2025. Le montant total de la prestation, d’un montant de 59 500 USD, est payable en argent et facturé mensuellement. À l’issue de cette période, le contrat est reconduit automatiquement chaque mois jusqu’à sa résiliation. RBMG est une entité indépendante de la Société. La présente entente est soumise à l’approbation des autorités réglementaires compétentes.

Dave B. Gagnon, PDG de CHARBONE , a commenté : « Nous sommes ravis d’accueillir l’équipe de RBMG, un atout majeur pour notre stratégie de communication et de relations avec les investisseurs aux États-Unis et au Canada. Leur expertise reconnue des marchés financiers, leur visibilité corporative et leurs conseils stratégiques seront essentiels pour CHARBONE qui entame sa prochaine phase de croissance et d’expansion en Amérique du Nord. Cette collaboration renforce notre engagement en faveur de la transparence, du dialogue avec nos actionnaires et de la création de valeur à long terme . »

À propos de RB Milestone Group LLC

Fondée en 2009, RB Milestone Group LLC (« RBMG ») est une agence de communication américaine spécialisée dans le conseil en relations aux investisseurs. Elle possède des bureaux à New York et à Stamford (Connecticut). Son pôle de conseil américain propose des programmes de relations aux investisseurs sur mesure aux entreprises émergentes, qu’elles soient privées ou cotées sur les marchés NYSE, NASDAQ, OTCQB, OTCQX, TSX, TSXV, CSE, ASX et AIM. RBMG affine les stratégies de communication, analyse les données et conseille ses clients sur la manière de pénétrer de nouveaux marchés. Elle les aide à cibler et à nouer des relations avec des acteurs clés aux États-Unis et des acteurs stratégiques de leur secteur à l’échelle mondiale. Grâce aux techniques numériques, à l’intelligence artificielle (IA) et à l’apprentissage automatique, RBMG a développé des méthodes qui optimisent les initiatives traditionnelles de relations aux investisseurs de ses clients afin de maximiser leur retour sur investissement. RBMG collabore avec des clients issus de nombreux secteurs d’activité, notamment : le cannabis, les technologies propres, les biens de consommation, les cryptomonnaies, la fintech, la santé, les métaux et l’exploitation minière, les services professionnels, les énergies renouvelables et les technologies. Pour en savoir plus sur RBMG, veuillez consulter le site : www.rbmilestone.com .

Mise à jour des termes d’un règlement de dette par actions

CHARBONE annonce une mise à jour de son règlement de dette par actions, précédemment divulgué et daté du 14 août 2025. À la suite de discussions avec la Bourse de croissance TSX, notamment un examen des restrictions imposées aux opérations d’échange d’actions contre dettes dans le contexte des services de tenue de marché, la Société a révisé le montant total et le nombre d’actions à émettre dans le cadre du règlement. Selon les modalités révisées, CHARBONE réglera 30 000 $ du montant initial de 118 095 $ payable à un teneur de marché indépendant par l’émission d’actions ordinaires. La Société a négocié avec succès que le solde restant sera réduit de la valeur des actions au cours actuel du marché. À la clôture de l’opération, CHARBONE émettra 500 000 actions ordinaires. Le règlement fera l’objet d’une entente formelle et demeure assujetti à l’approbation finale de la Bourse de croissance TSX. Les actions ordinaires émises seront assujetties à la période de détention légale de quatre mois.

À propos de CORPORATION CHARBONE

CHARBONE est une entreprise intégrée spécialisée dans l’hydrogène propre Ultra Haute Pureté (UHP) et la distribution stratégique de gaz industriels en Amérique du Nord et en Asie-Pacifique. Elle développe un réseau modulaire de production d’hydrogène vert tout en s’associant à des partenaires de l’industrie pour offrir de l’hélium et d’autres gaz spécialisés sans avoir à construire de nouvelles usines coûteuses. Cette stratégie disciplinée diversifie les revenus, réduit les risques et augmente sa flexibilité. Le groupe Charbone est coté en bourse en Amérique du Nord et en Europe sur la bourse de croissance TSX (TSXV: CH,OTC:CHHYF) ; sur les marchés OTC (OTCQB: CHHYF) ; et à la Bourse de Francfort (FSE: K47) . Pour plus d’informations, visiter www.charbone.com .

Énoncés prospectifs

Le présent communiqué de presse contient des énoncés qui constituent de « l’information prospective » au sens des lois canadiennes sur les valeurs mobilières (« déclarations prospectives »). Ces déclarations prospectives sont souvent identifiées par des mots tels que « a l’intention », « anticipe », « s’attend à », « croit », « planifie », « probable », ou des mots similaires. Les déclarations prospectives reflètent les attentes, estimations ou projections respectives de la direction de Charbone concernant les résultats ou événements futurs, sur la base des opinions, hypothèses et estimations considérées comme raisonnables par la direction à la date à laquelle les déclarations sont faites. Bien que Charbone estime que les attentes exprimées dans les déclarations prospectives sont raisonnables, les déclarations prospectives comportent des risques et des incertitudes, et il ne faut pas se fier indûment aux déclarations prospectives, car des facteurs inconnus ou imprévisibles pourraient faire en sorte que les résultats réels soient sensiblement différents de ceux exprimés dans les déclarations prospectives. Des risques et des incertitudes liés aux activités de Charbone peuvent avoir une incidence sur les déclarations prospectives. Ces risques, incertitudes et hypothèses comprennent, sans s’y limiter, ceux décrits à la rubrique « Facteurs de risque » dans la déclaration de changement à l’inscription de la Société datée du 31 mars 2022, qui peut être consultée sur SEDAR à l’adresse www.sedar.com; ils pourraient faire en sorte que les événements ou les résultats réels diffèrent sensiblement de ceux prévus dans les déclarations prospectives.

Sauf si les lois sur les valeurs mobilières applicables l’exigent, Charbone ne s’engage pas à mettre à jour ni à réviser les déclarations prospectives.

Ni la Bourse de croissance TSX ni son fournisseur de services de réglementation (tel que ce terme est défini dans les politiques de la Bourse de croissance TSX) n’acceptent de responsabilité quant à la pertinence ou à l’exactitude du présent communiqué.

Pour contacter Corporation Charbone :

Téléphone bureau: +1 450 678 7171

Courriel: ir@charbone.com

Benoit Veilleux

Chef de la direction financière et secrétaire corporatif

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Falco Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: FPC) (‘ Falco ‘ or the ‘ Corporation ‘) is pleased to announce that the Corporation has entered into binding agreements (i) with OR Royalties Inc. (‘ OR Royalties ‘) in order to extend the maturity date of the Corporation’s existing convertible secured senior loan (the ‘ OR Royalties Loan ‘) from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026; and (ii) with Glencore Canada Corporation (‘ Glencore ‘) in order to extend the maturity date of the Corporation’s existing senior secured convertible debenture (the ‘ Glencore Debenture ‘) from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026.

Luc Lessard, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation commented: ‘ The concurrent extensions of the Corporation’s senior debts demonstrate the strong relationship and long-standing support of OR Royalties and Glencore to Falco and the development of the Horne 5 Project. Such extensions provide the Corporation with additional flexibility to pursue the permitting and development of the Horne 5 Project.’

Amendments to the OR Royalties Loan

In consideration for the extension of the maturity date of the OR Royalties Loan, the OR Royalties Loan will also be amended effective as of December 31, 2025, in order for (i) the accrued interest on the existing OR Royalties Loan to be capitalized such that the principal amount of the amended OR Royalties Loan will be approximately $26,098,521, (ii) the conversion price to be maintained at $0.45 per Common Share, and (iii) the interest rate to be maintained at 9% (collectively, the ‘ OR Royalties Loan Amendments ‘). The 17,690,237 warrants of the Corporation currently held by OR Royalties (the ‘ Existing OR Royalties Warrants ‘), each exercisable for one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.58 per Common Share, will remain outstanding in accordance with their terms until their expiry on December 31, 2025. In consideration for the extension of the maturity date of the OR Royalties Loan, the Corporation will issue to OR Royalties, on December 31, 2025, 19,332,237 warrants (the ‘ New OR Royalties Warrants ‘), each exercisable at any time from and after January 1, 2026, for one common share of Falco (the ‘ Common Shares ‘) at an exercise price of $0.58 per Common Share and expiring on December 31, 2026.

Amendments to the Glencore Debenture

In consideration for the extension of the maturity date of the Glencore Debenture, the Glencore Debenture will also be amended effective as of December 31, 2025 (the ‘ Amended Glencore Debenture ‘) in order for (i) the accrued interest on the existing Glencore Debenture up to December 31, 2025, to be capitalized such that the principal amount of the amended Glencore Debenture will be approximately $15,433,754, (ii) the conversion price to be maintained at $0.37 per Common Share, and (iii) the interest rate to be maintained at 10% (collectively, the ‘ Glencore Debenture Amendments ‘). The 19,424,944 Common Share purchase warrants currently held by Glencore (the ‘ Existing Glencore Warrants ‘) will remain outstanding in accordance with their terms until their expiry on December 31, 2025. In consideration for the extension of the maturity date of the Glencore Debenture, the Corporation will issue to Glencore, on December 31, 2025, 21,381,422 warrants (the ‘ New Glencore Warrants ‘), each exercisable at any time from and after January 1, 2026, at an exercise price of (i) $0.38 per Common Share for 15,061,158 of the New Glencore Warrants and (ii) $0.42 per Common Share for the remaining 6,320,264 New Glencore Warrants, and expiring on December 31, 2026.

The OR Royalties Loan Amendments and the issuance of the New OR Royalties Warrants (the ‘ OR Royalties Transactions ‘) are considered ‘related party transactions’ under Regulation 61-101 respecting Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘ Regulation 61-101 ‘). The OR Royalties Transactions are exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation pursuant to section 5.5(b) of Regulation 61-101. However, Falco is required to obtain minority approval for the OR Royalties Transactions as none of the exemptions contained under Regulation 61-101 are currently available to the Corporation.

Closing of the OR Royalties Transactions is conditional upon (i) obtaining minority approval of the shareholders of the Corporation, excluding the Common Shares held by the directors and officers of OR Royalties, to be sought at the special meeting of shareholders of the Corporation to be held on December 15, 2025 (the ‘ Shareholders’ Meeting ‘), (ii) approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, and (iii) concurrent closing of the Glencore Debenture Amendments and the issuance of the New Glencore Warrants on the terms described herein.

Closing of the Glencore Debenture Amendments and the issuance of the New Glencore Warrants is conditional upon (i) approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, and (ii) concurrent closing of the OR Royalties Transactions on the terms described herein. Subject to satisfaction of such conditions, closing of the OR Royalties Loan Amendments and the Glencore Debenture Amendments, and closing of the OR Royalties Transactions is expected to occur concurrently on December 31, 2025. Additional information will be included in the management proxy circular to be filed at www.sedarplus.ca.

Prior to the transactions contemplated by this press release, OR Royalties held the OR Royalties Loan in the principal amount of $23,881,821, which is convertible into 53,070,713 Common Shares and also held 17,690,237 Existing OR Royalties Warrants, representing approximately 17.01% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis assuming the conversion in full of the OR Royalties Loan and the exercise in full of the 17,690,237 Existing OR Royalties Warrants. Immediately following closing, on a partially diluted basis assuming the conversion in full of the OR Royalties Loan and the exercise in full of the New OR Royalties Warrants, OR Royalties would have beneficial ownership of, or control and direction over 77,328,950 Common Shares, representing approximately 18.30% of the Common Shares issued and outstanding.

About Falco

Falco is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the province of Québec, with an extensive portfolio of properties in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue greenstone belt. Falco holds rights to approximately 67,000 hectares of land in the Noranda Mining Camp, which represents 67% of the camp as a whole and includes 13 former gold and base metal mining sites. Falco’s main asset is the Horne 5 project located beneath the former Horne mine, which was operated by Noranda from 1927 to 1976 and produced 11.6 million ounces of gold and 2.5 billion pounds of copper. Osisko Development Corp. is Falco’s largest shareholder, with a 16% interest in the Corporation.

For further information, please contact:
Luc Lessard
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
514-261-3336
info@falcores.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’, ‘seeks’, ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘could’, ‘will’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’, ‘forecasts’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, or variations including negative variations thereof of such words and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. These statements are made as of the date of this news release. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing statements, the statements relating to the OR Royalties Loan Amendments, the Glencore Debenture Amendments, as well as the issuance of the New Glencore Warrants and New OR Royalties Warrants are forward-looking statements and will not be completed until approved by the TSX Venture Exchange and until appropriate shareholder approval is obtained with respect to OR Royalties Loan Amendments and the issuance of the OR Royalties Warrants. There is no assurance that the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange to such transactions will be obtained nor that shareholder approval with respect to OR Royalties Loan Amendments and the issuance of the OR Royalties Warrants will be obtained. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set out in Falco’s annual and/or quarterly management discussion and analysis and in other of its public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, as well as all assumptions regarding the foregoing. Although the Corporation believes the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements will prove to be correct. Consequently, the Corporation cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Corporation are not guarantees of future results or performance and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

Primary Logo

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

The Heliostar Metals Ltd. (TSXV: HSTR,OTC:HSTXF) (OTCQX: HSTXF) (FSE: RGG1) (‘Heliostar’ or the ‘Company’) Annual General & Special Meeting (‘AGM’) is scheduled for November 26th, 2025. The Company’s Chairman, Jacques Vaillancourt and director Ken Booth will step down at the AGM, and Mr James Perry is proposed to succeed Mr. Vaillancourt as Chairman.

Heliostar’s Chairman, Jacques Vaillancourt, commented on his retirement from the board. ‘The Company has changed immensely from my initial involvement and investment. It has grown and evolved from a portfolio of prospective exploration assets in Alaska and Nevada to now producing gold from two mines in Mexico, La Colorada and San Agustin. That alone would be a significant corporate achievement, but these producing mines are complemented by a very exciting development portfolio of 100% owned projects, which include Ana Paula, Cerro del Gallo and San Antonio. All of this is evidence of the talent, competence and the day-in and day-out diligence of the management team, led by Charles Funk. I leave a Company operationally, financially and geologically stronger than ever and in very good hands.’

Charles Funk, President and & CEO, stated, ‘I wish to thank Jacques and Ken for their leadership and guidance as we have built Heliostar over the last five years. The Company has come a long way, and their contributions to this growth have been significant. As we continue to expand production towards our goal of 500,000 ounces of annual production by the end of this decade, we look forward to welcoming James Perry to the Company’s board as Heliostar’s proposed new Chairman.’

James Perry is proposed to succeed Mr. Vaillancourt as Chairman and will be put forward for approval by the shareholders at the upcoming AGM. Mr. Perry is currently President of Sweetwater Royalties, a base metals, industrial minerals and renewable energy royalty Company based in Denver, Colorado. Sweetwater, one of the largest landowners in the United States, is a privately held company established in 2020 by Orion Resource Partners. Mr. Perry has extensive mining and resources experience across Latin America, having previously served as Business Development Manager, as well as Corporate Counsel at Newcrest Mining, one of the world’s largest gold mining companies, headquartered in Australia. Newcrest was acquired for US$19 billion by Newmont Mining in 2023. Mr. Perry attended the London School of Economics, receiving an M.Sc. in History and International Relations, as well as earning a Bachelor of Laws from Bond University.

Heliostar Annual General & Special Meeting Voting Instructions

Heliostar’s Annual General & Special Meeting will be held on November 26, 2025, at 8:00 am PST. The shareholders as of the record date of October 10, 2025, will be entitled to vote and are encouraged to vote before the proxy voting deadline on November 24, 2025, at 8 am PST. Due to the Canada Post service disruption, paper documents may take longer to arrive; however, shareholders can still vote their shares with the following instructions.

How Registered Shareholders Can Vote: Registered shareholders are shareholders who hold their shares directly in the Company, and not through a brokerage account or depository company. Registered shareholders can call Computershare Shareholder Services at 1-800-564-6253 (Canada/US) or, for overseas holders, call the direct dial number 1-514-982-7555 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 8:00 pm EST) to request their voting control numbers.

How Beneficial Shareholders Can Vote: Beneficial shareholders are shareholders who hold their investment through a brokerage house, depository company or other intermediary. There are two types of beneficial owners: (i) those who object to their identity being made known to the issuers of securities which they own (‘Objecting Beneficial Owners’ or ‘OBOs’), and (ii) those who do not object to their identity being made known to the issuers of securities which they own (‘Non-Objecting Beneficial Owners’ or ‘NOBOs’). The Company is sending meeting materials directly to NOBOs. NOBOs may submit their votes by completing the Voting Instruction Form (‘VIF’) available on the Company’s website and sending the completed VIF to Computershare by email at service@computershare.com. NOBOs can also contact Computershare at 1-800- 564-6253 to request their voting control numbers and instructions.

OBOs should contact their brokerage house or other intermediary and ask to obtain their voting control number and instructions to be able to vote on the Broadridge voting site www.proxyvote.com.

About Heliostar Metals Ltd.

Heliostar is a gold mining company with production from operating mines in Mexico. This includes the La Colorada Mine in Sonora and the San Agustin Mine in Durango. The Company also has a strong portfolio of development and exploration stage projects in Mexico and the USA. These include the Ana Paula project in Guerrero, the Cerro del Gallo project in Guanajuato, the San Antonio project in Baja Sur, all in Mexico and the Unga project in Alaska, USA.

For Additional Information, Please Contact:

Charles Funk
President and Chief Executive Officer
Heliostar Metals Limited
Email: charles.funk@heliostarmetals.com
Phone: +1 844-753-0045
Rob Grey
Investor Relations Manager
Heliostar Metals Limited
Email: rob.grey@heliostarmetals.com
Phone: +1 844-753-0045

 

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and ‘forward-looking information’ under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘target’, ‘plan’, ‘forecast’, ‘may’, ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘schedule’ and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things, the Company’s annual production goals.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to the terms and completion of the Facility, any future mineral production, liquidity, and future exploration plans are based on management’s reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management’s experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the receipt of necessary approvals, price of metals; no escalation in the severity of public health crises or ongoing military conflicts; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; and the Company’s ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.

These statements reflect the Company’s respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company’s mining activities in foreign jurisdictions; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company’s management team and outside contractors; risks regarding exploration and mining activities; the Company’s inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of public health crises; the economic and financial implications of public health crises, ongoing military conflicts and general economic factors to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company’s interactions with surrounding communities; the Company’s ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption ‘Risk Factors’ in the Company’s public disclosure documents. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

Corporate Logo

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272637

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday met with his Chinese counterpart in Kuala Lumpur, using the high-profile encounter to reaffirm that the United States will ‘stoutly defend’ its interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

Hegseth characterized the session with Chinese Admiral Dong Jun as ‘good and constructive.’ The pair met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense summit, which convened top military officials from across the region. 

The Pentagon chief said he raised concerns about China’s growing aggression in the South China Sea and around Taiwan – as well as its posture toward American allies and partners.

‘I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific,’ Hegseth wrote on X. ‘The United States does not seek conflict, but it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so.’

China’s Defense Ministry responded in measured terms, reiterating Beijing’s long-held stance that Taiwan’s reunification with the mainland is an ‘unstoppable historical trend.’

The meeting face-to-face marked the first in-person meeting between the two defense leaders since a video call in early September. It signaled continued efforts on both sides to manage a tense relationship even as disputes over Taiwan, maritime boundaries and navigation rights persist.

Hegseth said the U.S. will ‘continue discussions with the People’s Liberation Army on matters of mutual importance.’

Hegseth also announced a 10-year defense cooperation framework with India following talks with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh — part of Washington’s push to expand security and technology ties with New Delhi as a counterweight to Beijing’s influence.

The secretary later met with Malaysia’s defense minister, reaffirming the two nations’ commitment to upholding maritime security in the contested South China Sea, where China’s expansive territorial claims overlap with those of several Southeast Asian countries.

ASEAN defense ministers will continue talks Saturday with dialogue partners including the United States, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and Russia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Thirty years ago, Congress failed by just one vote to send to the states a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget. Today, federal debt held by the public stands at $29 trillion. As a percentage of the economy, it has doubled since 1996. When you add in other liabilities for federal employee pensions and health care, not even including the entitlement programs of Social Security and Medicare, the federal government’s liabilities extend to $45.5 trillion.

The federal government’s financial position is dire by any measure. Even adding assets (cash, inventory, loans receivable, and equipment, but not federal land) leaves them at a net worth of negative $40 trillion. Future Social Security and Medicare shortfalls for those already alive amount to over $65 trillion. So the unfunded future obligations of the federal government come to over $800,000 per US household.

A balanced budget amendment (BBA) would require Congress to stabilize the federal debt. Since Congress won’t voluntarily do it, it might be the only option to prevent massive tax increases and inflation within the next 30 years. But Congress repeatedly fails to take action. Why?

The main reason is that Democrats oppose it. The last time the House voted on a BBA, it won a majority, but not the two-thirds needed to advance a constitutional amendment. Democrats voted against it, 178 to six.

The Democrats might have been right to oppose it. The law would have required a balanced budget every year, unless Congress waived it by a three-fifths vote of each House or by a joint resolution that the provisions of the BBA would not apply during a military conflict. It also would have required a three-fifths vote to raise the debt ceiling.

Since there is no hope that Congress could manage to balance the budget in a single year (the just-closed fiscal year’s deficit is projected to have been $1.9 trillion), this amendment would have effectively required a bipartisan three-fifths vote to pass a budget every year. Sound familiar? As of this writing, Senate Democrats cannot agree with Republicans to pass a continuing resolution, which requires a three-fifths vote, and as a result, the government is shut down.

A better BBA would eliminate shutdowns and build in enough flexibility to make it unnecessary to override its provisions. Rep. Jodey Arrington’s 2024 resolution would have done some of this, but it never got a vote. It would have limited spending to the prior-three-year average of revenue plus population and inflation, built in a 10-year gradual closure of the deficit after ratification, and required a two-thirds vote for override.

Switzerland’s debt brake is an even better idea to adapt. It allows expenditures to equal no more than the revenues that would be expected from trend GDP. In other words, deficits are allowed during times of recession, and surpluses are expected during times of peak growth.

A flexible debt brake is more likely to be honored than a strict, every-year balanced budget rule. And one of the counterintuitive insights of rational-choice political science is that a higher-spending “reversion point” makes political actors less likely to vote for higher spending. For example, if we eliminated government shutdowns and simply legislated that whenever a budget fails to pass, the previous year’s budgeted expenditures would carry on, then defeating a budget would be a more tolerable option. The decisive voter in Congress would be less likely to acquiesce to high spending as the price to pay to avoid an intolerable shutdown.

Most Democrats are true believers in Keynesian aggregate demand management through fiscal policy. The debate among economists about the effectiveness of fiscal versus monetary policy goes on, but there is no need to resolve that debate for all time in the Constitution. A cyclically adjusted balanced budget amendment would address the concerns of the pro-fiscal stimulus camp while not foreclosing the possibility of even stricter fiscal rectitude if there is a congressional majority for it. Thus, a Swiss debt brake-type proposal could get the bipartisan support needed to advance a constitutional amendment.

It’s well past time for Congress to get serious about controlling runaway federal debt. A well-crafted, flexible balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution could finally get bipartisan support, end shutdowns, and set a hard limit on the federal government’s fiscal profligacy.

Electricity prices have moved from the background of daily life to the front lines of politics. What was once a quiet household expense is now a visible burden and a potent symbol of policy failure. Prices are rising not because of corporate greed or runaway markets, but because regulation, politically directed investment, and top-down energy planning have collided with the explosive growth of artificial intelligence. Inflation, supply constraints, and government mandates have turned the grid — once a model of steady reliability — into an arena where economics, technology, and politics now clash.

Americans once fixated on the price of eggs as the emblem of inflation. Now, the new shock comes in electricity bills. Power charges have jumped roughly 4.5 percent in the past year — nearly double the broader Consumer Price Index (CPI) — driven by surging demand from AI data centers and advanced manufacturing against a backdrop of limited supply. “When you have increased demand and limited supply, you’re going to pay more,” said Calvin Butler, CEO of Exelon Corp., which recently set aside $50 million to help low-income customers pay summer bills. The impact is spreading across the largest US grid, PJM Interconnection, where watchdogs estimate data-center growth alone has added $9.3 billion in power costs.

CPI Electricity SA, 2010 – present

(Source: Bloomberg Finance, LP)

The numbers confirm the squeeze. The Energy Information Administration reports that average US retail electricity prices in 2025 are about 13 percent higher than in 2022, with the typical household bill reaching $178 per month. In Virginia — home to the world’s densest cluster of data centers — residential power and transmission costs are expected to rise as much as 26 percent this decade and 41 percent in the next. Wholesale power in regions with aggressive climate targets, such as ISO-New England, has tripled since early 2024. The regulations meant to stabilize the transition are now amplifying volatility.

For two decades, data centers were small, fairly nondescript, warehouse-like structures on the landscape. The rise of generative AI has changed that. Training large language models demands vast computing power, transforming modest warehouses into mega-complexes that draw as much electricity as medium-sized cities and consume millions of gallons of water. Their footprint has turned electricity from a technical concern into an election issue.

In Virginia and New Jersey — this year’s gubernatorial battlegrounds — the politics of AI infrastructure have become a proxy for the nation’s energy debate. Virginia Democrat Abigail Spanberger argues that tech firms should pay a “fair share” for the grid upgrades their operations require. Her Republican opponent, Winsome Earle–Sears, blames clean-energy mandates for higher costs and reliability risks. In New Jersey, some proposals have sought to make data-center developers fund grid modernization, while Republican Jack Ciattarelli calls for more facilities and new gas plants to meet demand. Populist anger over rising bills has blurred party lines: even local candidates from both parties are now calling for moratoriums on new data centers.

US Department of Energy Retail Price of Electricity Sold to Residential Consumers, 2015 – present

(Source: Bloomberg Finance, LP)

States like New Jersey are seeing elevated and rising electricity prices after years of policy choices that prioritized offshore wind build-outs while allowing firm baseload and grid capacity to stagnate—most notably the 2018 shutdown of the Oyster Creek nuclear plant—even as demand accelerates. Now, the AI/data-center surge is colliding with those constraints: PJM projects roughly 32 GW of new peak load by 2030—~30 GW from data centers—creating “upward pricing pressure” and resource-adequacy concerns, and recent reporting shows consumers across PJM picking up billions in transmission costs tied to data-center growth. Offshore-wind obligations also carry above-market OREC costs that regulators and consultants note will be passed through to ratepayers, reinforcing price pressure where transmission upgrades lag. In short, places that retired nuclear and moved slowly on wires while leaning hard into offshore wind entered the data-center era underprepared, and are now struggling to keep up or raising rates to fund capacity and grid upgrades.

Frustration is spreading. In Missouri, Senator Josh Hawley has denounced “massive electricity hogs,” accusing Silicon Valley of pushing costly transmission projects that residential ratepayers subsidize. Georgia’s Public Service Commission race has revolved around claims that data-center operators enjoy five-cent kilowatt-hour rates while households pay four times more. These fights reflect an economic truth: fixed-rate industrial contracts and tax abatements merely shift costs onto consumers rather than reducing them.

Demand growth is not only remarkably strong, but rising and difficult to predict. The International Energy Agency expects global data-center power consumption to nearly double by 2030. But in a genuinely competitive market, such growth would attract private investment in new generation and transmission. Instead, multi-year permitting processes, domestic-content mandates, and litigation have throttled supply. Investor-owned utilities plan more than $1 trillion in capital projects through 2029 — much of it driven by regulation rather than market need — costs that inevitably flow into rate bases and monthly bills.

The political realignment around AI infrastructure reveals a deeper lesson: energy cannot be centrally planned without trade-offs. States like Texas, where competitive markets respond directly to price signals, deliver electricity at roughly half the price of Massachusetts and maintain stronger reliability despite rapid demand growth. By contrast, states that rely on administrative planning have locked in higher costs and slower innovation.

Average Retail Price of Residential Electricity, Massachusetts (blue) vs. Texas (white), 2015 – present

(Source: Bloomberg Finance, LP)

Both parties sense the stakes. The Trump administration’s AI Action Plan seeks to accelerate approvals and expand grid capacity to preserve US dominance over China, even as it moves to slow the retirement of fossil-fuel plants and roll back tax incentives for wind and solar. Democrats promoting the “abundance” agenda hail data centers as foundations of a digital and decarbonized future. Yet the economic tension is the same: who pays for the electrons that power the machines?

Electricity is no longer a neutral input; it is a commodity of both growth and grievance. The market could meet rising demand efficiently if freed to do so. Instead, bureaucratic control, subsidy races, and political favoritism have produced shortages that politics then exploits. The cure being offered — more mandates, more subsidies, more planning — is itself the disease.

A genuinely market-based approach would let prices reflect scarcity, open generation and retail supply to competition, and end cross-subsidies that hide costs from voters. Decarbonization and innovation can coexist with affordability, but only when capital is allowed to flow where returns justify the risks taken. As Americans open their power bills they are discovering, and in some cases rediscovering, that electricity is ultimately a market good, not a political entitlement, and that attempts to regulate away its costs only defer and magnify them.

When a sharply lower price per gallon pops up at local gasoline pumps, it can induce a momentary cognitive dissonance. I mean, where is inflation? During the first 10 months of President Donald Trump’s second term, the price of oil has slid markedly. It is now, in mid-October, around $57 per barrel, down from about $70 in late July — a drop of roughly 20 percent in three months. It is the lowest in almost five years: that is, since Trump ended his first term and Biden took over. What lies behind this decline? Has the administration’s “Drill, baby, drill” approach resupplied starved markets — or do global forces get some of the credit?

From day one, the second Trump administration moved to reverse climate-oriented policies and promote fossil-fuel production. On January 20, 2025, Trump signed executive orders lifting restrictions on oil and gas development in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and expediting liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure approvals. A companion order directed agencies to halt or review clean-energy initiatives and accelerate oil-and-gas permitting. Observers called the early rollbacks as sweeping as those of his first term, extending to federal-land leasing, emissions limits, and pipeline construction. Polling by Pew Research Center showed a partisan divide: 57 percent of Republicans favored expanded drilling on federal lands, compared with 9 percent of Democrats.

By contrast, the Biden administration (2021–2024) emphasized carbon reduction and tighter regulation of fossil-fuel production while subsidizing renewable energy and electric vehicles. Biden did not halt all drilling — the momentum of US output remained high — but his regulatory regime was more restrictive. The return to Trump represented a decisive pivot back to fossil-fuel liberalization. Experts caution that US policy alone cannot control prices in a global market. One Brookings Institution analyst stated the obvious: the United States is not the world. “Oil is priced internationally … US actions alone will not have such a large impact.”

Has the “Drill, baby, drill” attitude itself caused the price slide? Not yet, at least. The expected surge in rigs has not had time to materialize; Inside Climate News reported in July that “Trump promised a drilling boom. The new rigs haven’t …” Actual infrastructure responses always take time. And undeniably, oil prices reflect a global market. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates a worldwide surplus of some two million barrels per day so far in 2025, potentially rising to four million next year. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects Brent crude averaging about $62 a barrel in late 2025 and $52 in 2026 as inventories build. Reuters summed it up on October 17: “Oil prices set for weekly loss … after the IEA forecast a growing glut and US–China trade tensions.”

But one pundit’s “glut” is another man’s return to freer-market production that brings down prices for consumers. When scarcity is politically engineered, abundance looks like loss of control. The term “glut” implies waste, but it signifies that producers are finally freer to meet demand without artificial ceilings. In industry terms, a “glut” means daily production exceeding demand by roughly one to two million barrels — a surplus sufficient to swell inventories and push futures into contango, but hardly a collapse. It is the market’s way of re-establishing balance once production is allowed to breathe again.

The international context underscores the point. OPEC and its allies (OPEC+) are raising output by roughly 1.4 million barrels per day this year. Exports from the Middle East reached two-and-a-half-year highs in September. Russia, despite sanctions and infrastructure risks, continues significant exports, while Venezuela, Libya, and Nigeria have added supply. China’s crude imports fell to their lowest level since January, reflecting weaker industrial demand and a pause in stockpiling. Altogether, rising supply and softening demand have pushed futures markets into contango — a classic signal of near-term oversupply.

For drivers, homeowners, and businesses dependent upon power supplies, cheaper oil is welcome; lower gasoline and heating costs boost disposable income and ease upward pressure on prices caused by huge Fed money supply increases. This is how markets are supposed to work: as competition expands, prices fall to the benefit of every consumer. What some pundits call “market pain” is simply the end of protected pricing. Producers don’t welcome lower prices, but for how long have we read about galloping profits of “Big Oil” as a side effect of the war on fossil fuels? The Wall Street Journal recently warned that “lower oil prices are severely affecting the domestic oil industry, which is already struggling with job losses and shrinking profits.” Even so, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell are reporting profit margins still above their 2015–2019 averages — evidence of normalization, not collapse. Goldman Sachs expects prices to decline through 2026 because of excess supply and weak demand. Market analysts see the drop as signaling a broader economic slowdown linked to US–China trade tensions. Gulf stock markets have also softened on the weak oil price outlook.

And that amounts to what? For the four Biden years, competition in the oil industry was suppressed by attacks on fracking, restrictions on drilling permits, and the blocking of major supply pipelines — not to mention the moral denunciation of fossil fuels as planetary doom. When Washington throttled new leases and raised compliance costs, small independents were forced out. What survived were the giants, protected by scale and legal muscle — and applauded as “responsible corporate citizens.” Now, in America at least, competition is unleashed again, price competition is back, and “Big Oil” profits are reverting to market norms. As Shale Magazine editor Ronald Rapier said, “It’s an irony that when Democrats are in there and they’re putting in policies to shift away from oil and gas, which causes the price to go up, that is more profitable for the oil and gas industry.” Ironic that suppressing supply drives up prices so existing companies profit?

Environmentalist voices, unsurprisingly, are raising alarms of a different kind. PBS reported that market forces (rising prices) could undercut the administration’s plans to increase the use of fossil fuels, but Trump plans to roll back climate regulations, end clean-energy incentives, and promote fossil fuels. Climate-policy groups condemn the agenda as “a dream for polluters and a nightmare for America.” Cheaper fuel may slow investment in renewables and electric vehicles, reducing momentum toward emissions targets.

And that is where we are just 10 months into Trump’s second term. His policies reinforce a pro-fossil-fuel trend that is increasing US supply and could continue over time. It is early days, so the administration’s commitment is consistent with lower prices, but not yet the dominant cause. There is speculation that a $60 per barrel price, slightly higher than now, might represent current market equilibrium. Should oil fall below $60 for long, some producers may curtail output — the CEO of TotalEnergies has already warned that non-OPEC supply would decline at that threshold.

Energy abundance, however, is not an anomaly. It happens when government stops treating energy as a sin. Trump’s policy did not “distort” the market; it let the market remember what freedom feels like. Consumers enjoy cheaper fuel, producers face genuine competition (but fewer accusations of “obscene profits”), and environmentalists, as ever, lament lost momentum.

It must be added that if this is good news, it is not all good. Free market policies are doing their job, but the Trump tariffs are not free market and are a headwind.  The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’s quarterly survey of oil and gas producers reported that one-third of respondents thought that higher tariffs on steel imports might result in drilling fewer wells. And three-fourth said tariffs raised the cost of drilling and completing new wells. 

Mr. Trump is not notable for articulating consistent principles and clear policies. As long as that is the case, results will be mixed and the case for free-market measures will be vulnerable to a confusion of the benefits of partial economic freedom with the damage from continued partial controls. Such confusion always advantages the side with the weakest arguments.