Liezl Gambe

Pioneer Credit (ASX:PNC) achieved a record unaudited net profit of $23.2 million and launched a $17 million capital raise.

The Zcash (CRYPTO:ZEC) network will activate a hard fork on July 28 to disable Orchard shielded transactions after developers found a critical software bug.

Gold miner St Barbara (ASX:SBM) lifted its quarterly gold production by 8% to 14,658 total ounces.

• Coles Group terminated talks to acquire Greencross Pet Wellness Company from TPG Capital for over $4 billion.
• Major consumer staples trade at price-to-earnings ratios between 11.9x and 23.7x while managing operating margins of 1.6% to 8.2%.
• Consumer retailers are reallocating capital towards automated supply chains and digital platforms to offset rising cost pressures.

• Genesis Minerals (ASX:GMD) and Vault Minerals (ASX:VAU) have agreed to a $12.6 billion merger via a scheme of arrangement, combining their processing and mineral footprints across Western Australia.
• The consolidation is tied to $2 billion in estimated post-tax operational synergies due to the close proximity of the production hubs at Leonora, Bardoc, and Mount Monger.
• Persistent inflationary pressures on energy, consumables, and engineering labour continue to drive mid-tier gold producers to look for regional scale to safeguard their margins.

• Microsoft announced the elimination of approximately 4,800 roles—roughly 2.1% of its global workforce—concentrated across its Xbox and commercial sales units to restructure around shifting technology demands.
• The broader technology sector has shed tens of thousands of roles in 2026 as major firms redirect capital away from legacy headcount and toward high-cost infrastructure and automation.
• Executives indicate these workforce realignments are not traditional cost-cutting measures, but a fundamental transition toward efficiency-focused operations and changing customer needs.

SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) shares fell 3.5% to $126.58 premarket after an engine failure aborted Starship’s 13th test before liftoff.

GSK (NYSE:GSK) ended camlipixant development for chronic cough after CALM-2 missed its primary endpoint at 50mg.

Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) shares fell 9.2% before Friday’s opening bell after its third-quarter revenue and earnings forecasts missed analyst estimates.

A federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls investor on charges linked to an alleged cryptocurrency fraud scheme that prosecutors said misled investors and diverted their money.