Today is Monday, May 18, 2026.
The Early Bird Index today is 86.44.
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The Biggest Power Deal Ever? 🔋
Two energy giants are reportedly on the verge of merging in what could be the largest deal on record in the power industry.
Details: Bloomberg reported on Sunday that NextEra Energy $NEE ( ▼ 2.43% ) is trying to acquire Dominion Energy $D ( ▼ 1.97% ) in a deal valuing the company at $76 per share, or around $66 billion.
The report said a deal could be announced as soon as Monday, which includes mostly stock and some cash.
NextEra would reportedly exchange about 0.8 shares of its stock for each outstanding share of Dominion.
Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: The deal would create an enormous utility platform at the center of the AI power buildout, giving NextEra much greater exposure to the fastest-growing sources of electricity demand.
As the largest power deal on record, it could reshape how investors value regulated utilities, grid access, and data-center power infrastructure.
Utilities are no longer being viewed only as defensive income stocks. Demand from data centers, factories, and electrification is turning power infrastructure into a growth theme.
Final Thoughts: Shares of NextEra are up 15.36% this year, while Dominion is up 4.20%.
PRESENTED BY GUNNISON COPPER
America’s Newest Copper Producer Is Already Selling Copper
Gunnison Copper Corp. (TSX: GCU | OTCQB: GCUMF) is not another junior miner hoping to build a mine someday. The company is already producing and selling 100% American copper from its Johnson Camp Mine in Arizona.
📈 Production Already Underway
Johnson Camp entered production in August 2025 and delivered its first copper cathode sales just weeks later. The mine has a nameplate capacity of 25 million pounds of copper annually and is backed by Rio Tinto’s Nuton® venture, an advanced copper recovery technology platform.
⚡ Why Copper Matters Right Now
Copper sits at the center of AI infrastructure, EVs, power grids, defense systems, and data centers. With copper prices moving above US$6/lb and global supply disruptions tightening the market, domestic U.S. copper production has become increasingly strategic.
🤝 Backed by Rio Tinto + Connected to AWS
Rio Tinto’s Nuton® technology is being deployed at an industrial scale at Johnson Camp, and the first copper produced through the process is already expected to enter Amazon Web Services (AWS) U.S. data center supply chains.
🌎 District-Scale Arizona Copper Story
Beyond Johnson Camp, Gunnison controls a large portion of the historic Cochise Mining District in Arizona, including 12 known deposits across an 8-kilometer corridor.
A 2026 Preliminary Economic Assessment on the larger Gunnison Project outlined:
• US$2.0B NPV (8%)
• 23% IRR
• 3.9-year payback period
The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to apply economic considerations that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves.
🛡️ Strategic U.S. Supply Chain Exposure
Gunnison was recently invited into the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC), a U.S. Department of Defense initiative focused on strengthening domestic critical mineral supply chains.
This content has been paid for by Gunnison Copper Corp. The creator is not a registered investment advisor. Investing in securities involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Viewers should conduct their own due diligence and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Notables
Notable Earnings Today: Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU), Agilysys (Nasdaq: AGYS), Brady (NYSE: BRC), Compugen (Nasdaq: CGEN), FatPipe (Nasdaq: FATN), iQIYI (Nasdaq: IQ), ReNew Energy Global (Nasdaq: RNW), TOYO Co. (Nasdaq: TOYO).
Notable IPOs Today: Air Global PLC Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: AIIR), Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI Class A Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: IPFX), Future Money Acquisition Corporation Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: FMAC).
Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: N/A.
Notable Economic Events Today: TIC Net Long-Term Transactions (4:00 p.m. ET).
Hyperliquid's Capital Flows
As most cryptocurrency prices remained flat on Sunday, Hyperliquid $HYPE ( ▲ 5.94% ) stood out with a 12% price surge.
Powering the Story: The market is pricing in stronger adoption amid fresh capital flows into the token.
Background: On May 12, the 21Shares Hyperliquid ETF (THYP) launched and attracted $1.2 million in net inflows. Meanwhile, Hyperliquid’s native prediction markets launched in early May and showed immediate usage, which supports the idea that the platform is growing in new ways.
Final Thoughts: Hyperliquid is up 84% since the start of 2026. However, investors should be cautious given the past volatility of the token’s price.
LiveRamp Gets Acquired
On Sunday, Publicis Group announced it will acquire LiveRamp $RAMP ( ▲ 1.82% ), a data collaboration platform, for $2.2 billion.
Details: The deal helps Publicis Group expand its agentic AI capabilities.
Final Thoughts: The acquisition values LiveRamp at $38.50 per share. The stock closed at $29.66 on Friday. It is up 8% this year.
Trends to Watch
Worrying Sell-Off: The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs (Fortune)
June’s Liftoff: Elon Musk's SpaceX could go public by next month (Mashable)
Fueling Stocks: These hidden forces are driving the runaway stock-market rally (MarketWatch)
Where AI Can’t Help: AI-related layoffs a boost for stocks? Not necessarily (CNBC)
Big Dot Energy: Saylor Signals Another Bitcoin Buy as Strategy Pushes STRC Dividend Vote (CryptoProwl)
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The contents of Early Bird are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute trade or investment recommendations, and they are not financial or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult licensed professionals for personalized guidance regarding their financial or legal situations.
