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One-in-Three Canadians Expect Bank of Canada to Begin Interest Rate Cuts in June

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Two-thirds say lower interest rates will have a positive impact on their financial wellbeingNearly 40% have delayed a major purchase in the past year due to high interest rates; more than two-in-five plan a significant purchase once interest rates begin to declineTwo-in-five Canadian mortgage holders plan to refinance their home mortgage once interest rates begin to declineHalf of current renters, including seven-in-ten 18-34 year olds, believe lower rates will make it more likely that they buy a home in the future

TORONTO, May 30, 2024 /CNW/ – High interest rates have had a significant impact on the financial wellbeing of Canadians for over a year, with many calling for immediate rate cuts. While one-third (32%) of Canadians expect the Bank of Canada to begin dropping rates on June 5, even more (42%) believe there will not be a cut announced this time around.

According to the findings of the Dye & Durham’s Canadian Pulse Report for Q2 2024, a survey of more than 1,500 Canadians on trends in the economy, technology and real estate market conducted via the online Angus Reid Forum, two-thirds (65%) of Canadians say lower interest rates will make a meaningful, positive impact on their personal financial wellbeing. Nearly two-fifths (38%) have held off on making a major purchase in the past year due to high interest rates. Among the 42% who expect to make a major purchase once rates begin to decline, more than half (57%) intend to wait for significant cuts before spending on larger items.

“It’s clear that higher rates have done their job, cooling consumer spending significantly and helping to bring inflation down to much more manageable levels,” says Martha Vallance, Chief Operating Officer, Dye & Durham. “Consumers have said they’re ready to start spending again and are just waiting for the Bank of Canada to make its move, though few should expect rates to return to where they were before. Industries like real estate, automotive sales, construction and more – along with those industries that play critical roles in supporting them – should take note and prepare for a fast-moving market once meaningful cuts are made.”

Most Canadians say they believe lower interest rates will make it more affordable for them to purchase or put money towards expenses like mortgage costs (81%), the purchase price of a new home / property (70%), the sale price of an owned home / property (66%), home renovations (65%), and personal / emergency savings (58%) or RRSP / retirement savings (48%). For those that are already planning a major spend once rates begin to decline, the most common purchases are a new car (15%), a new home / primary residence (14% overall, 24% for renters) or a significant home renovation project (12%). 

High-rate mortgage renewals could lead to a wave of refinancing later this year
Many Canadian homeowners that have had to renew their mortgages in 2023 and 2024 have been stretched by the current high interest rate environment – with some seeing their monthly mortgage payments skyrocket by thousands of dollars. More than two-in-five (41%) of Canadians with a home mortgage say they plan to refinance once rates begin to decline with Albertans (58%) in particular seeing this as a way to reduce monthly expenses.

Renters are also closely monitoring the Bank of Canada’s decision, seeing lower interest rates as a glimmer of hope in their efforts to enter the housing market. Nearly three-in-five (57%) say lower rates will make it easier for them to buy a home in the future with nearly as many (50%) saying lower rates will make it more likely that they’ll be able to buy a home in the future.

For younger Canadians (18-34), a significant number say lower rates will make it easier to afford the purchase price of a new home (76%) and more likely (70%) that they will eventually be able to so.

The number of Canadians planning to sell their primary residence and move to a new one in the next twelve months has remained unchanged from Q1 2024 and Q4 2023 with 12% saying this is currently in their plans. However, slightly fewer (16%, down from 18% in Q1 2024) are planning to wait until sale prices increase before selling their house or property.

Consumer comfort with the use of AI in skilled services takes a hit in Q2
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be top-of-mind with many Canadians. However, the number of consumers expressing discomfort with skilled service providers like doctors, lawyers, financial advisors and insurance brokers using AI increased over the past quarter.

Nearly two thirds (63%) say they are uncomfortable with doctors / medical providers and lawyers / notaries using AI to support/conduct their services, up from 62% and 61% respectively in Q1 2024. More than half also say the thought of investment, financial or tax advisors (58%), insurance brokers (55%), mortgage brokers (54%) and real estate agents / brokerages (52%) using AI makes them uncomfortable.

“It’s clear that there is still a very large education piece that skilled service providers need to be mindful of to help their customers get fully on board with AI,” says Scott Bleasdell, Chief Product Officer, Dye & Durham. “The average Canadian still wants to know that a human is involved in the process, even if AI is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Transparency about how AI is and isn’t being used and the benefits it provides to the client will be critical in helping legal professionals and other skilled service providers foster widespread acceptance of AI use in their offerings.”

About the Survey
Conducted quarterly, the Dye & Durham Canadian Pulse Report is designed to uncover trends and insights into Canadian sentiment surrounding three key areas: the economy, technology and the real estate market. The findings of the report are the result of a survey conducted by Dye & Durham from May 7-9, 2024 among a nationally representative sample of n=1,516 Canadians who are members of the online Angus Reid Forum, balanced and weighted on age, gender, region and education. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The survey was offered in both English and French.

About Dye & Durham Limited
Dye & Durham Limited provides premier practice management solutions empowering legal professionals every day, delivers vital data insights to support critical corporate transactions and enables the essential payments infrastructure trusted by government and financial institutions. The company has operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and South Africa. Additional information can be found at www.dyedurham.com.

SOURCE Dye & Durham Limited

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O3 Mining Grants Security-Based Compensation For 2024

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/THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./

TSXV:OIII – O3 Mining

TORONTO, Dec. 23, 2024 /CNW/ – O3 Mining Inc. (TSXV: OIII) (OTCQX: OIIIF) (“O3 Mining” or the “Corporation”) announces its ordinary course security-based compensation awards for the year ended December 31, 2024. Effective December 23, 2024, the Corporation has granted to certain officers, directors and/or employees of the Corporation an aggregate of (i) 878,817 restricted share units of the Corporation (“RSUs”), and (ii) 230,750 deferred share units of the Corporation (“DSUs”). The RSUs will vest in their entirety over three years from the date of grant, with one-third of the RSUs vesting on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant. The DSUs will vest in accordance with the Corporation’s DSU plan.

The Corporation anticipates the vesting of RSUs and DSUs will be accelerated in connection with the initial deposit period for the previously announced cash offer of $1.67 per common share of the Corporation by an affiliate of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (“Agnico Eagle”) to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation not already owned, directly or indirectly, by Agnico Eagle (the “Offer”). The Offer has been made in accordance with the support agreement between Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining dated December 12, 2024, a copy of which is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under O3 Mining’s issuer profile.

About O3 Mining Inc.

O3 Mining Inc. is a gold explorer and mine developer in Québec, Canada, adjacent to Agnico Eagle’s Canadian Malartic mine. O3 Mining owns a 100% interest in all its properties (128,680 hectares) in Québec. Its principal asset is the Marban Alliance project in Québec, which O3 Mining has advanced over the last five years to the cusp of its next stage of development, with the expectation that the project will deliver long-term benefits to stakeholders. Further information can be found on our website at https://o3mining.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on current expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations about future events as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking information and statements are based on estimates of management by O3 Mining, at the time they were made, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding vesting of RSUs and DSUs, including any accelerated vesting thereof; the anticipated next stage of development of the Marban Alliance project; and the expectation that the Marban Alliance project will deliver long-term benefits to stakeholders. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what O3 Mining believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable expectations and assumptions, there is no assurance that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither O3 Mining nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. O3 Mining does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a forecast, projection or estimate of the future financial performance of O3 Mining.

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 news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

SOURCE O3 Mining Inc.

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CreateAI Announces Results of 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

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SAN DIEGO, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — CreateAI Holdings Inc., formerly TuSimple Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS: TSPH) (“CreateAI” or the “Company”), a global artificial intelligence technology company, today announced shareholder voting results for its annual meeting of stockholders held on December 20, 2024 (the “Annual Meeting”).

As of October 28, 2024, the record date for the Annual Meeting, there were a total of 232,618,399 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, comprised of 208,618,399 shares of Class A Common Stock (each with one vote per share) and 24,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock (each with ten votes per share). At the Annual Meeting, holders of 207,347,538 shares of common stock, representing 423,347,538 votes, entitled to vote at the meeting were represented in person or by proxy and, therefore, a quorum constituted of the majority of the voting power of the shares of common stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting was present.

The following is a brief description of each matter voted upon at the 2024 Annual Meeting and the numbers of votes cast for, withheld, or against, the number of abstentions, and the number of broker non-votes with respect to each other, as applicable.

1.     Election of six nominees to serve on the Board of Directors (the “Board”) for a term which will expire at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders, or, if Proposal Two is adopted, to hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders in accordance with the class of director to which each nominee will be assigned. The following six directors were elected by the votes as indicated below.

 
 

For

 

Withheld

 

Broker Non-Votes

Cheng Lu

 

208,949,915

 

164,765,0191

 

49,632,604

Mo Chen

 

208,946,146

 

164,768,7881

 

49,632,604

James Lu

 

209,109,928

 

164,605,0061

 

49,632,604

Zhen Tao

 

209,158,316

 

164,556,6181

 

49,632,604

Albert Schultz

 

348,895,0191

 

24,819,915

 

49,632,604

Jianan Hao

 

209,021,652

 

164,693,2821

 

49,632,604

The totals above include the 240,000,000 votes represented by the Class B shares of Common Stock. 12,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock (representing 120,000,00 votes) were voted “FOR” and 12,000,000 shares of Class B Common stock (representing 120,000,00 votes) were voted “WITHHELD” for each of the Directors other than Albert Schultz. All shares of Class B Common Stock were voted “FOR” the election of Albert Schultz. Excluding the 240,000,000 votes from the 24,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock from the totals above, the 183,347,538 shares of Class A Common Stock were voted as indicated below.

 
 

For

 

Withheld

 

Broker Non-Votes

Cheng Lu

 

88,949,915

 

44,765,019

 

49,632,604

Mo Chen

 

88,946,146

 

44,768,788

 

49,632,604

James Lu

 

89,109,928

 

44,605,006

 

49,632,604

Zhen Tao

 

89,158,316

 

44,556,618

 

49,632,604

Albert Schultz

 

108,895,019

 

24,819,915

 

49,632,604

Jianan Hao

 

89,021,652

 

44,693,282

 

49,632,604

2.       Amendment to the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation to classify the Board of Directors into three classes, with directors in each class to serve staggered three-year terms. Pursuant to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Proposal Two must receive the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, since directors representing two-thirds (2/3) of the total number of authorized directors have already approved. The amendment was not approved2 by the votes as indicated below:

For

 

Against1

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes

208,955,668

 

164,659,652

 

99,614

 

49,632,604

Because Proposal Two was not approved, the six directors elected pursuant to Proposal One will serve on the Board for a term which will expire at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders.

3.       Ratification of the appointment of UHY LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. The selection was ratified by the votes as indicated below:

For

 

Against1

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes

255,504,371

 

155,923,768

 

11,919,399

 

Note 1: Includes 120,000,000 votes of the 12,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock held by White Marble LLC and White Marble International Limited (together, the “White Marble Entities”) controlled by Dr. Xiaodi Hou.

Note 2: The White Marble Entities have filed an action in the Delaware Court of Chancery seeking a declaratory judgment that the voting agreement between White Marble and Mo Chen is invalid and White Marble, not Mo Chen, controls the vote. White Marble LLC v. Chen, C.A. No. 2024-1208-PAF (Del. Ch.) On December 13, 2024, the Court entered an order that allows the Company to hold the vote on Proposal Two, and ordered that if Proposal Two is not approved at the Annual Meeting but the Court determines in the Action that Mo Chen, not the White Marble Entities, control how the White Marble Entities’ Shares are voted, then the White Marble Entities’ shares shall be deemed to have been voted in favor of Proposal Two at the Annual Meeting and that such vote shall stand. The vote totals above include the votes of the shares held by the White Marble Entities as voted by the White Marble Entities. If the shares held by the White Marble entities reflected in the totals above are deemed to have been voted in favor of Proposal Two, the Proposal will have passed. Accordingly, if the Court rules in Mo Chen’s favor, Proposal Two will be deemed to have passed and the Company would be permitted to amend its Certificate of Incorporation to implement Proposal Two and each of the directors elected pursuant to Proposal One will serve on the Board until the annual meeting of stockholders in accordance with the class of director to which each nominee is assigned.

About CreateAI

CreateAI (formerly TuSimple) is a global artificial intelligence company with offices in US, China, and Japan. The company is pioneering the future of digital entertainment content production, seamlessly blending cutting-edge generative AI technology with the creativity of world-class talent. Our mission is to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in digital storytelling by developing immersive, captivating, and visually stunning experiences that resonate with audiences on a global scale.

Investor Relations Contact:
ICR for CreateAI
CreateAI.IR@icrinc.com

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SOURCE CreateAI Holdings Inc

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Rosica Communications Releases V2 of Thought Leadership Measurement Matrix™

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Beta Phase Concludes, Formerly Launching Market Influence Platform

FAIR LAWN, N.J., Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Rosica Communications, a national PR agency specializing in education, animal health, nonprofits, and healthcare, has completed beta-testing of its comprehensive tool for assessing thought leadership, now called the Thought Leadership Measurement Matrix™. This innovative tool utilizes a unique, weighted algorithm to measure and analyze 20 marketing, online, and public relations factors or activities that impact thought leadership and influence industry reputation and standing.

“Rosica goes beyond traditional web metrics to deliver a tool that tracks the broader scope of an organization’s thought leadership activities.”

This PR thought leadership measurement system provides both qualitative and quantitative assessments of an organization’s market influence, pinpointing strengths and uncovering opportunities for advancing thought leadership. After nearly two years of development and retaining an analytics specialist and mathematician in 2024 to advance its thought leadership scoring tables, Rosica’s Thought Leadership Measurement Matrix™ is now ready for prime time. Formerly launched by Rosica as the “Thought Leadership Index,” this is the only tool that thoroughly measures 20 distinct variables affecting thought leadership. It allows organizations to gauge their leadership presence through an in-depth analysis of performance indicators, SEO, content marketing (owned media), speaking engagements, website traffic and user experience (UX), and influencer or KOL advocacy.

“Completing the beta phase with our clients created insights that shaped the final PR and thought leadership measurement platform we’re now officially introducing. The Thought Leadership Measurement Matrix™ is the most comprehensive tool available to measure earned, owned, social, and paid media, plus a number of additional online and traditional marketing, PR, and communications activities that move the needle for organizations to impact of their thought leadership,” said Chris Rosica, CEO and president of Rosica Communications.

“Rosica goes beyond traditional web metrics to deliver a tool that tracks the broader scope of an organization’s thought leadership activities. This tool doesn’t just measure visibility, it quantifies influence, helping organizations not only get noticed but also become recognized leaders in their industries,” said Analytics Specialist Dan Scheuermann.

For more information, visit http://www.rosica.com

Media Contact

Micah Carroll, Rosica Communications, 201-843-5600, micah@rosica.com, www.Rosica.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/rosica-communications-releases-v2-of-thought-leadership-measurement-matrix-302338568.html

SOURCE Rosica Communications

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