Markets

Prime Medicine (PRME) announced a public offering of 38 million shares at $3.30 per share, expecting $125.4 million in gross proceeds. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will purchase 1.8 million shares without underwriter commissions. Underwriters have an option to purchase 5.7 million additional shares. The offering, managed by TD Cowen and BMO Capital Markets, is set to close around August 1, 2025. Proceeds will bolster Prime Medicine’s gene therapy pipeline advancement. The offering may cause dilution for existing shareholders.

iKang Healthcare CEO Zhang Ligang’s recent remarks questioning the predictive capabilities of general health screenings have sparked controversy. Zhang stated that routine check-ups are opportunistic and cannot reliably predict specific future cancer diagnoses, citing the lack of reliable tumor markers for early kidney cancer detection. This viewpoint has been criticized, with some questioning the value of screenings. iKang has responded, claiming Zhang’s comments were selectively reported and his words were distorted, damaging the company’s reputation.

A QuestMobile report reveals China’s mobile internet landscape, with 1.267 billion MAUs. The “winner-takes-all” effect is intensifying, leading to clear market tiers. Tencent and Alibaba lead, but ByteDance (抖音集团) has surpassed Baidu in user reach, shifting the dominance from “BAT” to “DAT.” JD.com and ByteDance are experiencing significant user growth, while others like Pinduoduo and Meituan show more modest or negative growth, indicating a dynamic market.

CreateAI Holdings (TSPH) will showcase its AI advancements and “Heroes of Jin Yong” game at ChinaJoy 2025. The open-world RPG, based on Louis Cha’s IP and built with Unreal Engine 5, will offer a first look at character designs. CreateAI will also feature “Breath of You,” an AI virtual companion, and “ACG Fans,” a platform for artists and cosplayers. The company aims to blend classic IPs with AI to redefine digital entertainment and empower user creativity. CreateAI is also developing “The Three-Body Problem” projects.

Japan held its annual “Most Adorable First-Year Junior High and High School Girls” contest, TGC teen 2025 Summer. Over 3,500 high school girls participated, evaluated through applications, interviews, online votes, social media engagement, and livestream viewership. Kokoro won the junior high division, and Nanri took the high school title. The competition offers an alternative path to the entertainment industry, leveraging social media presence, though facing some criticism regarding commercialism and contestant maturity.

S&T Bancorp (STBA) announced a cash dividend of $0.34 per share, a 3.03% increase from last year. Based on the July 29th closing price of $37.63, the annualized yield is 3.61%. The dividend will be paid on August 28, 2025, to shareholders of record as of August 14, 2025. S&T Bancorp, with assets of approximately $9.8 billion, operates primarily through S&T Bank and focuses on community banking across Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Benchmark Electronics (NYSE: BHE) reported its Q2 2025 financial results, with revenue of $642 million. GAAP operating income reached $20 million ($0.03 EPS) and Non-GAAP operating income reached $30 million ($0.55 EPS). CEO Jeff Benck cited sequential growth in Aerospace & Defense, Industrial, and Medical sectors, along with record new bookings. The company anticipates continued growth and operational leverage, projecting Q3 2025 revenue between $635 and $685 million, alongside GAAP EPS of $0.28-$0.34 and non-GAAP EPS of $0.56 – $0.62.

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This paper introduces a novel image segmentation method based on a hybrid approach combining deep learning and graph theory. The proposed technique leverages a convolutional neural network (CNN) for feature extraction followed by a graph-cut algorithm for precise boundary delineation. Experiments on benchmark datasets demonstrate that our method achieves superior segmentation accuracy and outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms, particularly in challenging scenarios with noisy or low-contrast images. The improvement is attributed to the CNN’s robust feature representation and the graph-cut’s ability to enforce global consistency.

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XGIMI Technology projects first-half 2025 revenues of RMB 1.626 billion, a 1.63% YoY increase, and a 2062.33% surge in net profit to RMB 88.66 million. This profitability boost is attributed to R&D focus, improved supply chain efficiency, and cost control. During the period, XGIMI launched new projector models and expanded globally through retail channels in Europe, North America, Japan, and Australia. The company also extends its projection technology into automotive applications, including in-car rear projection systems.

Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG) announced a 5.25% increase in its quarterly cash dividend to $0.3426 per share, payable on September 2, 2025, to shareholders of record on August 12, 2025. This marks Essential’s 80th consecutive year of quarterly dividends and 35 dividend increases in the last 34 years. Essential Utilities operates under the Aqua and Peoples brands, serving 5.5 million people across nine states, focusing on water, wastewater, and natural gas services.