Priority Technology Jumps 34% on $1.6B Deal, Critical Metals Surges 37%, Telix Falls 12% on $1.65B Acquisition

Mumbai, Sept 22: US-listed stocks saw sharp moves on September 21 as investors reacted to a fresh wave of corporate announcements spanning takeover deals, acquisitions, defence contracts, AI partnerships, data centre power agreements and technology investments.  

Priority Technology surged after a $1.6 billion go-private deal, while Critical Metals rallied on developments involving its Greenland rare earth project. Telix fell following its $1.65 billion acquisition of ITM, while several defence and technology stocks also advanced on new contracts and partnerships. This roundup covers the key company-specific developments driving stock movements during the session. 

Priority Technology Shares Jump 33% After $1.6 Billion Go-Private Deal 

Shares of Priority Technology Holdings Inc. surged after the company announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by an investor group led by Chairman and CEO Thomas Priore for $8.05 per share in cash. 

The stock rose 33.19% to $7.76 in trading on September 21, 2026, from the previous close of $5.82. The shares opened at $7.78 and moved as high as $7.82 during the session. The day’s low stood at $7.76, keeping the stock close to the proposed acquisition price of $8.05. 

The move also brought the shares close to their 52-week high of $7.91, while remaining well above their 52-week low of $4.44. The proposed all-cash transaction values Priority Technology at approximately $1.6 billion in enterprise value. The investor group plans to acquire all outstanding common shares that it does not already own. 

The $8.05 offer represents a 38% premium to Priority’s closing price on September 18. It also represents a 65% premium to the November 7, 2025 closing price, the last trading day before the investor group’s preliminary proposal was publicly disclosed. 

The transaction still requires regulatory approvals and approval from a majority of Priority’s unaffiliated shareholders. If completed, the deal is expected to close in the first half of 2027, after which Priority will become privately held and its shares will no longer trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. 

Critical Metals Rallies 37% as Greenland Pact Puts Tanbreez Permit in Focus 

Shares of Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML) surged after a US-Greenland security agreement put the company’s Tanbreez rare earth project back in focus. The stock opened at $8.71, compared with its previous close of $6.73, before climbing to an intraday high of $9.64. It traded as low as $8.57, leaving the shares up 36.70% at $9.20 as of 12:20 p.m. EDT on September 21. 

Trading activity also increased sharply, with 40.94 million shares changing hands against an average volume of about 6.39 million shares. The stock’s 52-week range stands at $5.11 to $32.15. 

The rally followed news of a security pact involving the US, Denmark and Greenland, which has drawn investor attention to Critical Metals because the company owns the Tanbreez rare earth project in southern Greenland. The company says Tanbreez holds Greenland’s only rare earth exploitation permit. 

However, the agreement does not provide Critical Metals with a new mining licence, funding or additional mining rights. Its text has also not yet been released, leaving the market reaction tied primarily to expectations around Greenland’s strategic importance. 

Other rare earth stocks also advanced. USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) opened at $16.68, reached $16.90, touched $16.28 and traded at $16.80, up 9.28%, while MP Materials (NYSE: MP) gained about 4% earlier in the session. 

New Era Energy Shares Jump 31% After 20-Year Power Deal with Vistra 

Shares of New Era Energy & Digital Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAI) climbed sharply after the company secured a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with a Vistra affiliate for the first phase of its Texas Critical Data Center project. 

New Era shares opened at $6.86, compared with the previous close of $5.86, and traded between $6.75 and $7.79 during the session. The stock was up 30.90% at $7.67 as of 12:25 p.m. EDT on September 21. Trading volume reached 16.99 million shares, more than twice its average volume of about 7.26 million shares. The stock’s 52-week range stands at $0.57 to $9.44. 

Under the agreement, New Era’s subsidiary TCDC PowerCo will receive between 200 MW and 207 MW of electricity for Phase 1. The power will come from Vistra’s 1,180 MW natural gas-fired plant in Odessa, Texas, located next to the data centre site. Firm power delivery is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027. 

Vistra shares also edged higher, trading at $142.03, up 1.13%, after opening at $142.00. The stock’s intraday range was $138.95 to $142.38, compared with a previous close of $140.44. 

Also Read: How to invest in US stocks

Vista Gold Shares Rise 18% After Artemis Gold Announces $427 Million Acquisition 

Shares of Vista Gold Corp. (NYSE American: VGZ) climbed after Artemis Gold agreed to acquire the company in an all-share transaction valued at approximately US$427 million. 

Vista Gold shares opened at $2.64, compared with the previous close of $2.26, and reached an intraday high of $2.79. The stock traded as low as $2.60 before standing at $2.66, up 17.70%, as of 12:29 p.m. EDT on September 21. The shares remain below their 52-week high of $3.13 but are well above the 52-week low of $1.43. 

Under the agreement, Vista Gold shareholders will receive 0.0966 Artemis Gold shares for each Vista Gold share. The exchange ratio implies consideration of US$2.83 per Vista Gold share, representing a 29% premium based on the companies’ 20-day volume-weighted average prices through September 18. 

Vista Gold owns the Mt Todd gold project in Australia’s Northern Territory, which contains 9.1 million ounces of Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources and 1.4 million ounces of Inferred Mineral Resources. 

The deal requires shareholder and regulatory approvals. Upon completion, existing Artemis shareholders will own about 95% of the combined company, while Vista Gold shareholders will hold approximately 5%. 

Syntec Optics Shares Rise 19% After Landmark US Space Force Order 

Shares of Syntec Optics Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OPTX) climbed after the company announced what it described as the most significant order in its 25-year history, supporting US Space Force infrastructure and advanced reconnaissance operations. 

The stock opened at $8.04, compared with the previous close of $6.79, and reached an intraday high of $8.56. It traded as low as $7.80 before standing at $8.08, up 19.00%, as of 12:38 p.m. EDT on September 21. The shares remain below their 52-week high of $14.92, while trading significantly above their 52-week low of $1.18. 

The order will involve Syntec supplying advanced optics for government satellite constellations being developed for reconnaissance. The company said its technology can operate across the extreme temperatures of space and support real-time tracking from orbit. 

Syntec said the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is building out a large low-Earth-orbit satellite network, while the Space Force can use information transmitted from the constellation for military operations. The company expects its space-related product lines to build a pro forma backlog exceeding $100 million. 

Syntec, headquartered in Rochester, New York, employs nearly 180 people and provides precision optics and photonics for defence, space, AI data centres and life sciences applications. 

Telix Pharmaceuticals Shares Fall 12% After $1.65 Billion ITM Acquisition 

Shares of Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) declined after the Australian radiopharmaceutical company agreed to acquire Germany-based ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE for an upfront consideration of $1.65 billion. 

Telix shares opened at A$17.10, compared with the previous close of A$17.85, and reached an intraday high of A$17.40. The stock fell to an intraday low of A$15.76, where it stood as of 4:10 p.m. AEST on September 21, down 11.71%. The shares remain below their 52-week high of A$18.32 but are above their 52-week low of A$8.26. 

Under the deal, Telix will pay approximately $1.25 billion in shares, assume $302 million of ITM’s net debt, and cover other transaction-related costs. ITM shareholders are expected to receive 105.8 million Telix shares, giving existing Telix shareholders about 76.3% ownership of the combined company. 

Telix will also provide up to $700 million in additional consideration, linked to regulatory approvals and sales milestones for ITM-11, a treatment candidate for neuroendocrine tumours. 

ITM generated $273 million in revenue in 2025 and operates a distribution network across more than 65 countries. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to required approvals. 

Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros Discovery Shares Jump After States Settle Merger Lawsuit 

Shares of Paramount Skydance Corp. (NASDAQ: PSKY) and Warner Bros Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ: WBD) rose sharply after Paramount reached a settlement with California and 11 other states that had sued to block its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. 

Paramount shares opened at $10.65, compared with the previous close of $10.22, and climbed to an intraday high of $11.49. The stock traded as low as $10.60 before reaching $11.32, up 10.82%, as of 12:51 p.m. EDT on September 21. Its 52-week range stands at $7.62 to $20.86. 

Warner Bros Discovery shares opened at $29.77, versus a previous close of $27.80, and moved between $29.66 and $30.78. The stock was at $30.63, up 10.17%, with trading volume reaching about 140.28 million shares, compared with an average of 21.07 million. 

According to a source familiar with the matter, the settlement includes independent editorial boards for CNN and CBS and a $30 million penalty per film if Paramount falls short of its commitment to release 30 films annually. 

The agreement removes a major legal obstacle, although a Writers Guild of America lawsuit seeking to block the merger remains outstanding. 

Also Read: US Stock Market Timings 

Ennis Shares Edge Higher After Quarterly Results and 5% Dividend Increase 

Ennis, Inc. (NYSE: EBF) reported a 3.3% increase in quarterly revenue and announced a 5% increase in its quarterly dividend following its results for the quarter ended August 31, 2026. 

Ennis generated $102.0 million in revenue, up from $98.7 million a year earlier. Gross profit rose to $30.5 million, although gross margin narrowed to 29.9% from 30.5%, mainly due to higher carbonless paper costs. 

Net earnings fell to $9.4 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, from $13.2 million, or $0.51, a year earlier. The decline largely reflected a $5.3 million favourable litigation judgment in the prior-year quarter and a $700,000 litigation charge in the current quarter. Excluding these items, diluted EPS increased by $0.02. 

Ennis shares opened at $21.33, compared with the previous close of $21.32, and traded between $21.14 and $21.58. The stock stood at $21.35, up 0.14%, at 12:54 p.m. EDT. Volume was 69,406 shares against an average of 158,600. 

The company raised its quarterly dividend from $0.25 to $0.2625 per share, payable November 6 to shareholders of record on October 9. Ennis also reported stronger operating cash flow and said it had no debt at quarter-end. 

Kodiak Gas Services Secures 76 MW Data Centre Power Contract 

Kodiak Gas Services, Inc. (NYSE: KGS) has secured a six-year contract to provide 76 MW of behind-the-meter baseload power to a data centre in West Texas. 

The company plans to deploy approximately 40 reciprocating natural gas-fuelled generation units for a data centre operator serving an investment-grade-rated hyperscaler. Deployment is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and scale into the first quarter of 2027, with revenue recognition expected to start in Q1 2027. 

The agreement marks Kodiak’s second long-term data centre power contract, with around half of its current power portfolio now covered by long-term agreements. The company said its power project pipeline supports its target of reaching 2 GW of generation capacity by 2030. 

Kodiak shares opened at $59.02, versus the previous close of $58.73, before trading between $56.67 and $59.03. The stock stood at $57.08, down 2.81%, at 12:56 p.m. EDT on September 21. Trading volume reached 526,466 shares, compared with an average of 1.87 million. 

The company said the project fits its existing power fleet and West Texas operating footprint, while providing another long-term opportunity in the growing data centre power market. 

Accenture Shares Rise 2.44% After $1 Billion Anthropic AI Safety Deal 

Accenture Plc (NYSE: ACN) shares rose 2.44% on September 21 after the company announced a partnership with Anthropic to strengthen safety testing and evaluation of artificial intelligence models. 

The companies plan to invest at least $1 billion each over the next five years in the initiative. The partnership will create a team of embedded evaluators within Anthropic to red-team its models, conduct alignment assessments and test safeguards during development. 

The work will be led by Faculty, the applied AI safety firm acquired by Accenture. Faculty has evaluated AI models for other labs and helped develop systems including the UK National Health Service’s COVID-era Early Warning System. 

Accenture shares opened at $187.00 and reached an intraday high of $193.75, while the low stood at $184.98. The stock traded at $185.71, up 2.44%, as of 1:05 p.m. GMT-4. Its 52-week range stood at $118.15 to $291.09. 

Anthropic said the evaluators will have access comparable to employees, allowing them to monitor models during training and assess safety commitments. The company also said the partnership is non-exclusive and that it plans to add more evaluator partnerships. 

Oura Targets $2.2 Billion IPO at $15.6 Billion Valuation 

Smart ring maker Oura has launched its US initial public offering, targeting a fully diluted valuation of $15.62 billion and seeking to raise up to $2.2 billion. The company plans to sell 50 million shares at $40 to $44 each and expects to begin trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker “OURA” next week. 

Oura’s IPO comes as investors assess demand for consumer technology companies amid market uncertainty surrounding the AI trade, rising bond yields and expectations for Federal Reserve policy. 

The Finland-founded company reported $1.21 billion in revenue for the nine months ended June 30, up about 74% from the same period last year. It sold 3.6 million rings over the 12 months ended June 30 and expects to finish fiscal 2026 with around 5.7 million paid members. 

Oura’s subscription service costs $5.99 a month and had 5 million paid members as of June. Its latest Oura Ring 5 is priced between $399 and $499. 

Eli Lilly has indicated interest in buying up to $100 million of the IPO, while Dragoneer could purchase up to $300 million. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan are leading the offering. 

Also Read: What Are Fractional Shares? 

Strive Shares Fall 0.41% After Buying 1,355 Bitcoin for $107.7 Million 

Strive Inc. (NASDAQ: ASST) purchased an additional 1,355 Bitcoin for $107.7 million, taking its total holdings to 26,355 BTC as the company continues its weekly Bitcoin buying strategy. 

The latest purchase came at an average price of $79,475 per Bitcoin. Strive funds its acquisitions through non-dilutive preferred stock offerings rather than traditional debt. Warrant exercises that began last week generated an additional $21.2 million, while permanent preferred stock SATA accounted for 57.7% of total funds raised. 

The latest purchase was nearly three times the previous week’s acquisition, when Strive bought 469 BTC for $36.6 million. Its holdings are now valued at more than $2.2 billion, following Bitcoin’s move above $85,000. 

Strive shares opened at $31.64, compared with the previous close of $30.09, and reached an intraday high of $31.95. The stock fell to a low of $28.83 before trading at $29.68, down 0.41%, at 1:11 p.m. GMT-4 on September 21. 

The stock has a 52-week range of $7.02 to $85.20. The latest Bitcoin purchase adds to Strive’s growing digital-asset holdings as the company maintains its Monday acquisition strategy. 

Magnachip Shares Rise 16.61% After $5 Million Navitas Investment 

Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: MX) shares rose sharply after Navitas Semiconductor agreed to make a $5 million strategic equity investment in the company, strengthening their partnership in silicon carbide technology. 

Under the agreement, Magnachip will issue 1,461,988 shares to Navitas at $3.42 per share. The transaction is expected to close around September 24, 2026, subject to customary conditions. 

The investment follows a partnership announced in July to accelerate the adoption of silicon carbide technology in high-voltage and ultra-high-voltage power markets. Magnachip plans to port, qualify and internalise Navitas’ GeneSiC Trench-Assisted Planar technology at its fabrication facility in South Korea. 

The companies are targeting applications across energy and grid infrastructure, energy storage, industrial electrification and automotive systems. 

Magnachip shares opened at $3.47, compared with the previous close of $2.75, and climbed to an intraday high of $3.49. The stock fell to a low of $3.09 before trading at $3.20, up 16.61%, at 1:15 p.m. GMT-4 on September 21. 

Magnachip has a 52-week range of $2.18 to $9.86. Navitas shares also gained 6.08%, reflecting the market response to the expanded strategic relationship. 

Nvidia Shares Rise 2.01% After Einride Autonomous Trucking Partnership 

Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) shares rose 2.01% on September 21 after Swedish freight technology company Einride announced a collaboration to expand its autonomous trucking technology using Nvidia’s DRIVE Hyperion platform. 

Einride plans to adapt Nvidia’s computing and sensor architecture for heavy-duty commercial vehicles as it expands autonomous operations across its existing freight network. The collaboration will also bring Nvidia’s Halos safety system and Cosmos AI tools into Einride’s autonomous-driving development. 

The company intends to use Nvidia’s Blackwell computing architecture through an Nvidia Exemplar Cloud partner to train and refine its autonomous-driving models. Einride will remain responsible for developing and operating its system, including safety validation and regulatory approvals. 

Einride currently operates hundreds of electric trucks across the US, Europe and the Middle East. It expects its fleet to reach 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles by 2028, based on existing customer demand, with around 80% of that demand potentially suitable for automation. 

Nvidia shares opened at $222.94, compared with the previous close of $222.27, and reached an intraday high of $227.14. The stock traded as low as $221.56 before standing at $226.74, up 2.01%, at 1:23 p.m. GMT-4. 

Nvidia has a 52-week range of $164.27 to $236.54. The companies did not disclose financial terms for the collaboration. 

Recursion Shares Rise 2.48% After Tempus Extends Data Partnership Through 2029 

Recursion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: RXRX) shares rose 2.48% on September 21 after Tempus AI extended its data licensing partnership with the company through November 2029. 

Under the amended agreement, Tempus will replace discretionary licence fees that could have reached $84 million over the next two years with committed payments of $42 million over the next three years. The companies first established the partnership in 2023. 

The agreement also includes a separate licence under which Recursion granted Tempus a non-exclusive, worldwide licence to its RNA sequencing model, TxFM. The companies said the collaboration aims to use foundation models to support advances in precision medicine. 

Recursion shares opened at $3.92, reached an intraday high of $3.98 and a low of $3.83. The stock traded at $3.92, up 2.48%, at 1:30 p.m. GMT-4. Its 52-week range stands at $2.77–$7.18. 

Tempus AI operates in precision medicine, using artificial intelligence and multimodal data to support patient care and therapeutic development. The partnership extends the companies’ collaboration beyond its initial committed period. 

Also Read: What Is the S&P 500? A Simple Guide for Everyday Investors

CAE Shares Rise 4.73% After $300 Million US Air Force Training Contract 

CAE Inc. (TSX: CAE) shares rose 4.73% on September 21 after its US subsidiary secured a $300 million competitive recompete contract from the United States Air Force to continue providing C-130H Hercules aircrew training services. 

The award extends CAE’s role as the prime contractor for the C-130H Aircrew Training System (ATS) through December 2035. The company has supported the programme since winning its initial contract in 2018. 

Under the new agreement, CAE will provide programme management, instruction, maintenance, logistics, cybersecurity, and system upgrades. The training will support pilots, flight engineers, navigators and loadmasters serving the US Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. 

The programme currently includes nine C-130H full-mission simulators and more than 45 aircrew training devices across the US. 

CAE shares opened at C$33.25, compared with the previous close of C$32.75, and reached an intraday high of C$34.45. The stock traded at C$34.30, up 4.73%, at 1:13 p.m. GMT-4. Its 52-week range stands at C$31.42–C$47.65. 

Wayfair Shares Rise 3.35% After Launching Brand Campaign With Matthew Stafford 

Wayfair Inc. (NYSE: W) shares rose 3.35% on September 21 after the home furnishings retailer launched a new brand platform featuring NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford and his family. 

The “Wayfair Delivers” campaign focuses on product quality, value and customer experience. Its debut advertisement is scheduled to air during Monday Night Football on ESPN and ABC, showing the Stafford family in everyday home settings. 

The campaign highlights Wayfair Verified, which features products vetted for quality, along with Wayfair Rewards and the company’s logistics network. Wayfair’s in-house creative team developed the campaign, with Paramount Media Labs serving as production partner. 

The company is also increasing its football-related advertising investment across networks airing games to five times its previous spending. Wayfair is sponsoring and outfitting the set for CBS Sports’ Sunday morning football pregame show and has partnered with Bleacher Report for B/R NFL Draft Live in April 2027. 

Wayfair shares opened at $106.14, reached a high of $106.73 and a low of $104.90. The stock traded at $105.89, up 3.35%, at 1:37 p.m. GMT-4. Its 52-week range stands at $55.60–$119.98. 

US-listed stocks showed mixed but largely company-specific moves on September 21, with major reactions tied to acquisitions, strategic partnerships, new contracts and technology developments. Priority Technology, Critical Metals and New Era Energy posted some of the strongest gains, while Telix declined following its acquisition announcement. Defence, data centre power, artificial intelligence, digital assets and healthcare remained key themes across the session. The stock moves reflect the market’s immediate response to fresh corporate developments, while several announced transactions remain subject to regulatory or shareholder approvals. 

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