Author: Ravi Shankar

TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the October 2026 cash distributions for the iShares ETFs listed on the TSX or Cboe Canada which pay on a monthly basis. Unitholders of record of the applicable iShares ETF on October 27, 2026 will receive cash distributions payable in respect of that iShares ETF on October 30, 2026.

Details regarding the “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:

Fund Name	Fund Ticker	Cash Distribution Per Unit
iShares 1-10 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETF	CBH	$0.052
iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Corporate Bond Index ETF	CBO	$0.056
iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF	CDZ	$0.105
iShares Equal Weight Banc & Lifeco ETF	CEW	$0.067
iShares 1-5 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETF	CLF	$0.036
iShares 1-10 Year Laddered Government Bond Index ETF	CLG	$0.040
iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Preferred Share Index ETF	CPD	$0.057
iShares US Dividend Growers Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	CUD	$0.092
iShares Convertible Bond Index ETF	CVD	$0.075
iShares Global Monthly Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	CYH	$0.078
iShares Canadian Financial Monthly Income ETF	FIE	$0.040
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF	XAGG	$0.119
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF(1)	XAGG.U	$0.083
iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XAGH	$0.107
iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF	XBB	$0.082
iShares Core Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF	XCB	$0.071
iShares ESG Advanced Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF	XCBG	$0.127
iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF	XCBU	$0.147
iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1)	XCBU.U	$0.103
iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF	XDG	$0.077
iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF(1)	XDG.U	$0.054
iShares Core MSCI Global Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XDGH	$0.088
iShares Core MSCI Canadian Quality Dividend Index ETF	XDIV	$0.119
iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF	XDU	$0.064
iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF(1)	XDU.U	$0.045
iShares Core MSCI US Quality Dividend Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XDUH	$0.052
iShares Canadian Select Dividend Index ETF	XDV	$0.111
iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XEB	$0.062
iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF	XEI	$0.110
iShares Core Canadian 15+ Year Federal Bond Index ETF	XFLB	$0.117
iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF	XFLI	$0.200
iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF(1)	XFLI.U	$0.140
iShares Flexible Monthly Income ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XFLX	$0.184
iShares S&P/TSX Capped Financials Index ETF	XFN	$0.152
iShares Floating Rate Index ETF	XFR	$0.044
iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF	XGB	$0.051
iShares Global Government Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XGGB	$0.044
iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETF	XHB	$0.077
iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XHD	$0.086
iShares U.S. High Dividend Equity Index ETF	XHU	$0.096
iShares U.S. High Yield Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XHY	$0.083
iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XIG	$0.070
iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XIGS	$0.131
iShares Core Canadian Long Term Bond Index ETF	XLB	$0.062
iShares S&P/TSX North American Preferred Stock Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XPF	$0.066
iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF	XQB	$0.055
iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index ETF	XRE	$0.058
iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF	XSAB	$0.051
iShares Core Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF	XSB	$0.069
iShares Conservative Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETF	XSC	$0.054
iShares Conservative Strategic Fixed Income ETF	XSE	$0.053
iShares Core Canadian Short Term Corporate Bond Index ETF	XSH	$0.063
iShares ESG Advanced 1-5 Year Canadian Corporate Bond Index ETF	XSHG	$0.124
iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF	XSHU	$0.166
iShares 1-5 Year U.S. IG Corporate Bond Index ETF(1)	XSHU.U	$0.116
iShares Short Term Strategic Fixed Income ETF	XSI	$0.058
iShares Core Canadian 1-10 Year Bond Index ETF	XSMB	$0.105
iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF	XSTB	$0.047
iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XSTH	$0.000
iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF	XSTP	$0.000
iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond Index ETF(1)	XSTP.U	$0.000
iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	XTLH	$0.114
iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF	XTLT	$0.117
iShares 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Bond Index ETF(1)	XTLT.U	$0.082
iShares Diversified Monthly Income ETF	XTR	$0.040
iShares S&P/TSX Capped Utilities Index ETF	XUT	$0.107

⁽¹⁾ Distribution per unit amounts are in U.S. dollars for XAGG.U, XCBU.U, XDG.U, XDU.U, XFLI.U, XSHU.U, XSTP.U, and XTLT.U.

Estimated October Cash Distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF

The October cash distributions per unit for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF are estimated to be as follows:

Fund Name	Fund Ticker	Estimated Cash Distribution Per Unit
iShares Premium Money Market ETF	CMR	$0.107

BlackRock Canada expects to issue a press release on or about October 26, 2026, which will provide the final amounts for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF.

Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at http://www.blackrock.com/ca.

About BlackRock
BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate

About iShares ETFs
iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty-five years of experience, a global line-up of more than 1,800 exchange traded funds (ETFs) and $6.4 trillion in assets under management as of September 30, 2026, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.

iShares^® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Canada.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”). Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). TSX is a registered trademark of TSX Inc. (“TSX”). All of the foregoing trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and sublicensed for certain purposes to BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”), which in turn has sub-licensed these marks to its affiliate, BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), on behalf of the applicable fund(s). The index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, and has been licensed for use by BFA and by extension, BlackRock Canada and the applicable fund(s). The funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively known as “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) or TSX, or any of their respective affiliates. Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices nor TSX make any representations regarding the advisability of investing in such funds. MSCI is a trademark of MSCI, Inc. (“MSCI”). The ETF is permitted to use the MSCI mark pursuant to a license agreement between MSCI and BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., relating to, among other things, the license granted to BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. to use the Index. BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. has sublicensed the use of this trademark to BlackRock. The ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MSCI and MSCI makes no representation, condition or warranty regarding the advisability of investing in the ETF.

Contact for Media:
Sydney Punchard
Email: Sydney.Punchard@blackrock.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE: FSM | TSX: FVI) is pleased to report results from infill drilling designed to test open mineralization at depth and upgrade Inferred Mineral Resources below the current life-of-mine (“LOM”) pit design of the gold porphyry deposit at the Lindero Mine in Argentina. The results confirm that gold mineralization extends significantly below the current reserve pit design.

Eric Chapman, Senior Vice President of Technical Services, commented, “The 2026 infill drilling program returned multiple intersections with gold grades consistent with or higher than the corresponding grades estimated in the block model.” Mr. Chapman added, “We are incorporating the drill results into an updated block model and pit design, targeted for completion by year-end. This work will support a revised LOM plan and an updated Mineral Reserve estimate for Lindero, incorporating both the upgraded gold mineralization and existing Indicated Mineral Resources currently located below the pit.” Mr. Chapman concluded, “This zone remains open at depth.”  

Lindero Mine Drilling highlights

LDH-259:	0.85 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 236 meters from surface
LDH-260:	0.98 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 281 meters from surface
LDH-261:	1.05 g/t Au  2.35 g/t Au  0.72 g/t Au  2.07 g/t Au  5.52 g/t Au  3.95 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 143 meters from surface, including over a drilled length of 10 meters from 17 meters over a drilled length of 149.6 meters from 149 meters, including over a drilled length of 4 meters from 163 meters, and over a drilled length of 2 meters from 205 meters, and over a drilled length of 2 meters from 253 meters
LDH-262:	0.67 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 164 meters from 2 meters
LDH-265:	0.60 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 224 meters from surface
LDH-267:	0.70 g/t Au  2.79 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 263 meters from surface, including over a drilled length of 2 meters from 38 meters
LDH-271:	0.94 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 134 meters from 144 meters
LDH-272:	0.96 g/t Au  2.20 g/t Au  2.45 g/t Au  2.22 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 350 meters from surface, including over a drilled length of 6 meters from 10 meters, and over a drilled length of 4 meters from 302 meters, and over a drilled length of 2 meters from 316 meters
LDH-273:	0.71 g/t Au  2.02 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 203 meters from 156 meters, including over a drilled length of 2 meters from 184 meters
LDH-286:	1.02 g/t Au  2.06 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 134 meters from surface, including over a drilled length of 13 meters from 0 meters
LDH-288:	0.56 g/t Au	over a drilled length of 254 meters from surface

Note: Gold mineralization at Lindero is circular in nature and associated with a porphyry intrusive; therefore, a specific azimuth or dip cannot be defined for reporting estimated true widths.

The 2026 drill program consisted of 31 diamond drilling (“DD”) holes, totalling 8,534 meters, having been extended from the initially planned 6,000-meter program due to the success from the initial holes. The program was designed with two objectives, firstly to upgrade Inferred Mineral Resources below the current LOM pit design in the south portion of the Lindero Deposit, where higher gold grade mineralization was identified at depth. Secondly, to obtain metallurgical samples to affirm projected recoveries in areas planned for mining in the next two years. The upgrade drilling successfully encountered higher than expected gold mineralization in several holes, such as, LDH-259 that intersected 0.85 g/t Au over 236 meters from surface, including 94 meters averaging 0.66 g/t Au below the current pit design (refer to Figure 1) and LDH-272 that intersected 0.96 g/t Au over 350 meters from surface, including 98 meters averaging 0.91 g/t Au below the pit design (refer to Figure 2). An updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimate will be prepared for inclusion in the year-end consolidated report, planned for release in the first quarter of 2027.

Gold mineralization at the Lindero Deposit forms a circular body approximately 600 meters in diameter and extends vertically more than 300 meters below the current topographic surface. The distribution of gold mineralization shows a strong relationship to lithology, stockwork veinlets, and alteration assemblages. Higher gold grades of more than 1 g/t Au, characterized by native, free-milling gold, are commonly associated with sigmoidal quartz, quartz-magnetite-sulfide, biotite-magnetite-chalcopyrite, magnetite-chalcopyrite, and quartz-limonite–hematite stockworks that are strongly associated with K-feldspar alteration. This association is most common in the southern and eastern portions of the deposit, where the highest gold grades occur. Where one or more stockwork types are absent or fracturing is less intense, mineralization tends to be weaker and gold grades lower at approximately 0.4 g/t Au.

Figure 1: Lindero Mine cross section 2623075E showing drill hole LDH-259

Figure 2: Lindero Mine cross section 7226125N showing drill hole LDH-272

Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA – QC)

All drilling data completed by the Company utilized the following procedures and methodologies. All drilling was carried out under the supervision of the Company’s personnel.

All DD holes started with HQ sized diameter, before reducing to NQ diameter diamond drill bits on intersecting fresh rock. The core was logged, marked up for sampling using standard lengths of two meters or to a geological boundary. Samples were then cut into equal halves using a diamond saw. One half of the core was left in the original core box and stored in a secure location at the Company core yard at the project site. The other half was sampled, catalogued, and placed into sealed bags and securely stored at the site until shipment.

All DD samples were transported by commercial transport to ALS Patagonia S.A. preparation laboratory in Mendoza, Argentina. Sample pulps prepared by ALS Patagonia were then transported via commercial courier to ALS’s facility in Lima, Peru. Routine gold analysis using a 30-gram charge and fire assay with an atomic absorption finish was completed for all samples at ALS’s Lima laboratory plus ME-ICP61, analysis of 34 elements four acid ICP-AES. Samples returning assays >10 ppm Au were reanalysed using a 30-gram charge and fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Quality control procedures included the systematic insertion of blanks, duplicates and sample standards into the sample stream. In addition, ALS inserted their own quality control samples.

Qualified Person

Eric Chapman, Senior Vice President, Technical Services for Fortuna Mining Corp., is a Professional Geoscientist registered with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (Registration No. 36328). Mr. Chapman has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Chapman has verified the data disclosed, including the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein by reviewing geochemical and geological databases and reviewing diamond drill core. There were no limitations to the verification process.

About Fortuna Mining Corp.

Fortuna Mining Corp. is a Canadian precious metals mining company with three operating mines in Argentina, Côte d’Ivoire, and Peru, and the feasibility-stage Diamba Sud Gold Project in Senegal. Our exploration portfolio spans our operating jurisdictions as well as Guinea and Guyana. Sustainability is at the core of our operations and stakeholder relationships. We produce gold and silver while creating long-term shared value through efficient production, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. For more information, please visit our website at www.fortunamining.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Jorge A. Ganoza
CEO and Director
Fortuna Mining Corp.

Investor Relations:

Carlos Baca | info@fmcmail.com | fortunamining.com | X | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok

Forward looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements which constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, “Forward-looking Statements”). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are Forward-looking Statements and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the Forward-looking Statements. The Forward-looking Statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements regarding exploration at the Lindero Mine, including the plans to incorporate the drill results into an updated block model and pit design, targeted by the end of 2026 which are intended to support a revised life of mine plan and an updated Mineral Reserve estimate for the Lindero Mine; statements that an updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimate is intended to be prepared for inclusion in the year-end consolidated report, planned for release in the first quarter of 2027; statements that the zone drilled remains open at depth; statements about the Company’s business strategies, plans and outlook; the Company’s plans for its mines and mineral properties; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the impact of inflationary pressures on the Company’s business and operations; the future results of exploration activities; expectations with respect to metal grade estimates and the impact of any variations relative to metals grades experienced; assumed and future metal prices; the merit of the Company’s mines and mineral properties; and the future financial or operating performance of the Company. Often, but not always, these Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as “estimated”, “potential”, “open”, “future”, “assumed”, “projected”, “proposed”, “used”, “detailed”, “has been”, “gain”, “planned”, “reflecting”, “will”, “anticipated”, “estimated”, “containing”, “remaining”, “to be”, or statements that events, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.

Forward-looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-looking Statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; uncertainty relating to Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates; uncertainty relating to capital and operating costs, production schedules and economic returns; risks relating to the Company’s ability to replace its Mineral Reserves; risks related to the conversion of Mineral Resources to Mineral Reserves; risks associated with mineral exploration and project development; uncertainty relating to the repatriation of funds as a result of currency controls; environmental matters including obtaining or renewing environmental permits and potential liability claims; uncertainty relating to nature and climate conditions; laws and regulations regarding the protection of the environment (including greenhouse gas emission reduction and other decarbonization requirements and the uncertainty surrounding the interpretation of omnibus Bill C-59 and the related amendments to the Competition Act (Canada); risks associated with political instability and changes to the regulations governing the Company’s business operations; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in countries in which the Company does or may carry on business; risks associated with war, hostilities or other conflicts, such as the Ukrainian – Russian, and Israeli – Hamas and Iran – Israel and United States conflicts, and the impacts they may have on global economic activity; risks relating to the termination of the Company’s mining concessions in certain circumstances; developing and maintaining relationships with local communities and stakeholders; risks associated with losing control of public perception as a result of social media and other web-based applications; potential opposition to the Company’s exploration, development and operational activities; risks related to the Company’s ability to obtain adequate financing for planned exploration and development activities; property title matters; risks related to the ability to retain or extend title to the Company’s mineral properties; risks relating to the integration of businesses and assets acquired by the Company; impairments; risks associated with climate change legislation; reliance on key personnel; adequacy of insurance coverage; operational safety and security risks; legal proceedings and potential legal proceedings; uncertainties relating to general economic conditions; risks relating to a global pandemic, which could impact the Company’s business, operations, financial condition and share price; competition; fluctuations in metal prices; risks associated with entering into commodity forward and option contracts for base metals production; fluctuations in currency exchange rates and interest rates; tax audits and reassessments; risks related to hedging; uncertainty relating to concentrate treatment charges and transportation costs; sufficiency of monies allotted by the Company for land reclamation; risks associated with dependence upon information technology systems, which are subject to disruption, damage, failure and risks with implementation and integration; labor relations issues; as well as those factors discussed under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Information Form. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-looking Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Forward-looking Statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of the Company’s current Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates; that the Company’s activities will be conducted in accordance with the Company’s public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company, its properties or its production estimates (which assume accuracy of projected ore grade, mining rates, recovery timing, and recovery rate estimates and may be impacted by unscheduled maintenance, labor and contractor availability and other operating or technical difficulties); the duration and effect of global and local inflation; the duration and impacts of geo-political uncertainties on the Company’s production, workforce, business, operations and financial condition; the expected trends in mineral prices, inflation and currency exchange rates; that all required approvals and permits will be obtained for the Company’s business and operations on acceptable terms including for the construction of a mine at the Diamba Sud Project, and for the expansion of the processing plant and for the use of the underground mining method at the Séguéla Mine; that there will be no significant disruptions affecting the Company’s operations and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking Statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that these Forward-looking Statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on Forward-looking Statements.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Mineral Resources and Reserves

Technical disclosure regarding the Company’s properties included in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ from the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and information included herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies.

Appendix 1: Lindero Mine drill hole details and assay results

HoleID	Easting (POSGAR94_2)	Northing (POSGAR94_2)	Elev. (m)	EOH1,2 Depth (m)	UTM Azimuth	Dip	Depth2 From (m)	Depth2 To (m)	Drilled2 Width (m)	Au (ppm)
LDH-258	2623035	7226080	3748	269	98.51	-68.98	0	186	186	0.60
							194	252	58	0.53
						Including	198	202	4	2.37
LDH-259	2623080	7226050	3747	281	180	-90.0	0.0	236	236	0.85
LDH-260	2623025	7226090	3748	281	270	-75.0	0.0	281	281	0.98
LDH-261	2623029	7226090	3748	298.6	90	-76.0	0.0	143	143	1.05
						Including	17.0	27	10	2.35
							149.0	298.6	149.6	0.72
						Including	163.0	167	4	2.07
						Including	205.0	207	2	5.52
						Including	253.0	255	2	3.95
LDH-262	2623236	7226050	3748	230	0	-90.0	2.0	166	164	0.67
							178.0	192	14	0.59
							208.0	230	22	0.32
LDH-263	2623101	7226145	3804	341	180	-77.0	0.0	102	102	0.62
							134.0	288	154	0.60
						Including	172.0	174	2	4.68
						Including	194.0	196	2	2.46
						Including	204.0	208	4	2.69
							292.0	334	42	0.33
LDH-264	2622973	7226050	3787	299	270	-80.0	0.0	130	130	0.47
							134.0	168	34	0.37
							202.0	210	8	0.29
							246.0	278	32	0.28
							286.0	299	13	0.24
LDH-265	2623105	7226137	3804	362	270	-78.0	0.0	224	224	0.60
							262.0	272	10	0.31
							336.0	344	8	0.26
LDH-266	2623147	7226116	3796	302	270	-90.0	22.0	152	130	0.68
						Including	104.0	108	4	4.40
							182.0	242	60	0.36
							244.0	267	23	0.38
							269.0	281	12	0.34
							287.0	302	15	0.44
LDH-267	2622943	7226100	3793	263	270	-80.0	0.0	263	263	0.70
						Including	38.0	40	2	2.79
LDH-268	2622943	7226175	3800	251	0	-90.0	92.0	106	14	0.28
							116.0	134	18	0.32
							136.0	250	114	0.43
LDH-269	2622923	7226148	3798	380	90	-80.0	76.0	116	40	0.29
							118.0	156	38	0.35
							160.0	342	182	0.49
							344.0	368	24	0.27
LDH-270	2622897	7226111	3798	302	90	-80.0	0.0	106	106	0.47
							108.0	152	44	0.31
							154.0	204	50	0.33
							210.0	232	22	0.31
							244.0	294	50	0.45
LDH-271	2622980	7226200	3803	407	0	-90.0	0.0	54	54	0.44
							108.0	142	34	0.40
							144.0	278	134	0.94
							284.0	356	72	0.75
LDH-272	2622912	7226124	3798	350	91.87	-74.29	0.0	350	350	0.96
						Including	10.0	16	6	2.20
						and	302.0	306	4	2.45
						and	316.0	318	2	2.22
LDH-273	2622942	7226224	3795	359	283.82	-88.98	28.0	38	10	0.26
							156.0	359	203	0.71
						Including	184.0	186	2	2.02
LDH-274	2622936	7226177	3799	380	351.05	-89.2	104.0	114	10	0.38
							122.0	248	126	0.40
							252.0	270	18	0.33
							278.0	290	12	0.42
							318.0	368	50	0.44
						Including	320.0	322	2	1.63
LDH-275	2623384	7226150	3796	257	270.73	-73.16	0.0	9	9	0.93
						Including	5.0	7	2	2.31
							17.0	203	186	0.53
							205.0	217	12	0.50
							223.0	257	34	0.75
LDH-276	2623340	7226235	3787	296	187.55	-79.03	0.0	19	19	0.30
							21.0	77	56	0.33
							83.0	117	34	0.29
							119.0	253	134	0.46
							263.0	296	33	0.69
LDH-277	2623259	7226184	3788	320	132.03	-88.9	0.0	30	30	0.36
							40.0	150	110	0.74
						Including	98.0	102	4	2.82
							158.0	186	28	0.32
							196.0	240	44	0.47
						Including	208.0	210	2	1.28
							298.0	320	22	0.30
LDH-278	2623280	7226222	3788	324	86.64	-79.73	0.0	53	53	0.55
							168.0	194	26	0.29
							196.0	234	38	0.43
							242.0	264	22	0.31
							304.0	324	20	0.28
LDH-279	2623300	7226221	3788	299	181.03	-77.19	0.0	22	22	0.35
							44.0	56	12	0.22
							62.0	80	18	0.28
							86.0	112	26	0.32
							124.0	208	84	0.42
							210.0	238	28	0.43
						Including	236.0	238	2	2.03
							244.0	260	16	0.33
							272.0	299	27	0.54
LDH-280	2623360	7226250	3787	113	247.99	-89.79	0.0	76	76	0.34
							82.0	113	31	0.28
LDH-281	2623377	7226202	3790	164	270	-70.0	0.0	77	77	0.38
							83.0	134	51	0.41
LDH-282	2623234	7226049	3756	299	0	-90.0	0.0	170	170	0.60
							178.0	226	48	0.41
							228.0	292	64	0.72
						Including	236.0	240	4	2.26
LDH-283	2622921	7226198	3796	290	270	-72.0	43.0	51	8	0.26
							55.0	65	10	0.42
							71.0	194	123	0.60
						Including	156	194	38	0.30
							206.0	230	24	0.61
LDH-284	2622889	7226350	3843	179	90	-70.0	0.0	179	179	0.67
LDH-285	2622990	7226400	3799	140	0	-90.0	0.0	139	139	0.58
LDH-286	2623049	7226389	3780	134	0	-90.0	0.0	134	134	1.02
						Including	0.0	13	13	2.06
LDH-287	2623161	7226378	3772	110	276.95	-73.19	10.0	24	14	0.34
							30.0	110	80	0.60
						Including	52.0	54	2	4.68
LDH-288	2623160	7226378	3772	254	317.52	-89.52	0.0	254	254	0.56

Notes:
1. EOH: End of hole
2. Depths and widths reported to nearest significant decimal place
3. Gold mineralization at Lindero is circular in nature and associated with a porphyry intrusive; therefore, a specific azimuth or dip cannot be defined for reporting estimated true widths

A PDF accompanying this announcement is available at

http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/6b79c9d5-f312-406d-ae24-df8ccf702979

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b43e1d9a-1194-4233-867a-c2a766bf4a3a

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/423288a3-6497-4a70-9f9e-7dcf4e871bb5

NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pony AI Inc. (“Pony.ai” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: PONY; HKEX: 2026), a global leader in achieving large-scale mass production and commercialization of autonomous driving technology, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the third quarter 2026 before the U.S. market opens on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

The Company’s management will hold an earnings conference call on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 7:00 A.M. U.S. Eastern Time or 8:00 P.M. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on the same day.

For participants who wish to join the call by phone, please complete the online registration process using the link provided below prior to the scheduled call start time. Upon registration, participants will receive a confirmation email containing dial-in numbers, passcode, and a unique access PIN.

Participant Online Registration: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10212721/1051c28b0d2

A replay of the conference call will be accessible through November 25, 2026, by dialing the following numbers:

United States: 1-855-669-9658
International: 1-412-317-0088
Replay Access Code: 5361836

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.pony.ai.

About Pony AI Inc.

Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ: PONY; HKEX: 2026), founded in 2016, is a global leader in achieving large-scale mass production and commercialization of autonomous driving technology. Pony.ai is committed to delivering safe, advanced, and reliable autonomous driving technology and solutions. At the heart of Pony.ai’s strategy is its proprietary world model PonyWorld and its Virtual Driver technology. Together, they power the development and scaling of its Robotaxi services, Robotruck services, and Intelligent solutions businesses. With operations spanning China, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, Pony.ai stands among a select few companies globally to achieve fully driverless commercial operations. Pony.ai has forged deep and extensive partnerships across the autonomous driving value chain, enabling it to accelerate the commercialization of autonomous driving in line with its ultimate vision: “Autonomous Mobility Everywhere.” For more information, please visit: https://ir.pony.ai.

For investor inquiries, please contact:

Pony.ai
Investor Relations
Email: ir@pony.ai

Enhanced process increases manufacturing productivity and frees up capacity to support growing demand across Alvotech’s biosimilars portfolio

REYKJAVIK, Iceland and LONDON, UK (October 20, 2026) – Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO; ALVO-SDB), a global biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of biosimilar medicines for patients worldwide, today announced
that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new manufacturing process for SIMLANDI® (adalimumab-ryvk), Alvotech’s biosimilar to Humira® (adalimumab).

The FDA approval allows Alvotech to introduce Process 2.0 for the manufacture of adalimumab drug substance in its DSM2 manufacturing suite in Reykjavik, Iceland. The new process more than doubles drug substance output per batch without changing the upstream manufacturing scale.

The improvement was achieved through targeted process development, effective process transfer and successful process validation, with demonstrated comparability to the previously approved process, maintaining product quality, safety and efficacy.

“More than doubling drug substance output per batch while maintaining product quality is a significant achievement that reflects the expertise of our process development and manufacturing teams,” said Joseph McClellan, Chief Operating Officer of Alvotech. “The new process allows us to manufacture the same quantity of drug substance in fewer batches, freeing up capacity to support other products in our portfolio, making better use of our existing infrastructure and giving us greater flexibility to respond to growing demand. Together with the recent FDA approval of additional manufacturing capacity, this demonstrates the strength of our operations in Reykjavik and reinforces our ability to deliver reliable supply to our commercial partners as demand for our biosimilars continues to grow.”

For further information, contact:

Media
Benedikt Stefansson
Sarah MacLeod
alvotech.media@alvotech.com

Investors
Dr. Balaji V Prasad
Benedikt Stefansson
Mikaela Vilchez
alvotech.ir@alvotech.com

About Alvotech
Alvotech is a biotechnology company, founded by Robert Wessman, focused solely on the development and manufacture of biosimilar medicines for patients worldwide. Alvotech seeks to be a global leader in the biosimilar space by delivering high-quality, cost-effective products and services, enabled by a fully integrated approach and broad in-house capabilities. Five biosimilars are already approved and marketed in multiple global markets, including biosimilars to Humira® (adalimumab), Stelara® (ustekinumab), Simponi® (golimumab), Eylea® (aflibercept) and Prolia®/Xgeva® (denosumab). The current development pipeline includes disclosed biosimilar candidates aimed at treating autoimmune disorders, eye disorders, and cancer. Alvotech has formed a network of strategic commercial partnerships to provide global reach and leverage local expertise in markets that include the United States, Europe, Japan, China, and other Asian countries and large parts of South America, Africa and the Middle East. For more information, please visit https://www.alvotech.com. None of the information on the Alvotech website shall be deemed part of this press release.

For more information, please visit our  website or follow us on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, for example, Alvotech’s expectations regarding competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities including pipeline product development, future plans and intentions, regulatory submissions, review and interactions, the potential approval and commercial launch of its product candidates, the timing of regulatory approval, market launches and financial projections. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Alvotech and its management, are inherently uncertain and are inherently subject to risks, variability, and contingencies, many of which are beyond Alvotech’s control. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to factors set forth in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in documents that Alvotech may from time-to-time file or furnish with the SEC. There may be additional risks that Alvotech does not presently know or that Alvotech currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, assurance, prediction or definitive statement of a fact or probability. Alvotech does not undertake any duty to update these forward-looking statements or to inform the recipient of any matters of which any of them becomes aware of which may affect any matter referred to in this communication. Alvotech disclaims any and all liability for any loss or damage (whether foreseeable or not) suffered or incurred by any person or entity as a result of anything contained or omitted from this communication and such liability is expressly disclaimed.

Enhanced process increases manufacturing productivity and frees up capacity to support growing demand across Alvotech’s biosimilars portfolio

REYKJAVIK, Iceland and LONDON, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO; ALVO-SDB), a global biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of biosimilar medicines for patients worldwide, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new manufacturing process for SIMLANDI^® (adalimumab-ryvk), Alvotech’s biosimilar to Humira^® (adalimumab).

The FDA approval allows Alvotech to introduce Process 2.0 for the manufacture of adalimumab drug substance in its DSM2 manufacturing suite in Reykjavik, Iceland. The new process more than doubles drug substance output per batch without changing the upstream manufacturing scale.

The improvement was achieved through targeted process development, effective process transfer and successful process validation, with demonstrated comparability to the previously approved process, maintaining product quality, safety and efficacy.

“More than doubling drug substance output per batch while maintaining product quality is a significant achievement that reflects the expertise of our process development and manufacturing teams,” said Joseph McClellan, Chief Operating Officer of Alvotech. “The new process allows us to manufacture the same quantity of drug substance in fewer batches, freeing up capacity to support other products in our portfolio, making better use of our existing infrastructure and giving us greater flexibility to respond to growing demand. Together with the recent FDA approval of additional manufacturing capacity, this demonstrates the strength of our operations in Reykjavik and reinforces our ability to deliver reliable supply to our commercial partners as demand for our biosimilars continues to grow.”

For further information, contact:

Media
Benedikt Stefansson
Sarah MacLeod
alvotech.media@alvotech.com

Investors
Dr. Balaji V Prasad
Benedikt Stefansson
Mikaela Vilchez
alvotech.ir@alvotech.com

About Alvotech
Alvotech is a biotechnology company, founded by Robert Wessman, focused solely on the development and manufacture of biosimilar medicines for patients worldwide. Alvotech seeks to be a global leader in the biosimilar space by delivering high-quality, cost-effective products and services, enabled by a fully integrated approach and broad in-house capabilities. Five biosimilars are already approved and marketed in multiple global markets, including biosimilars to Humira^® (adalimumab), Stelara^® (ustekinumab), Simponi^® (golimumab), Eylea^® (aflibercept) and Prolia^®/Xgeva^® (denosumab). The current development pipeline includes disclosed biosimilar candidates aimed at treating autoimmune disorders, eye disorders, and cancer. Alvotech has formed a network of strategic commercial partnerships to provide global reach and leverage local expertise in markets that include the United States, Europe, Japan, China, and other Asian countries and large parts of South America, Africa and the Middle East. For more information, please visit https://www.alvotech.com. None of the information on the Alvotech website shall be deemed part of this press release.

For more information, please visit our  website or follow us on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, for example, Alvotech’s expectations regarding competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities including pipeline product development, future plans and intentions, regulatory submissions, review and interactions, the potential approval and commercial launch of its product candidates, the timing of regulatory approval, market launches and financial projections. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Alvotech and its management, are inherently uncertain and are inherently subject to risks, variability, and contingencies, many of which are beyond Alvotech’s control. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to factors set forth in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in documents that Alvotech may from time-to-time file or furnish with the SEC. There may be additional risks that Alvotech does not presently know or that Alvotech currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, assurance, prediction or definitive statement of a fact or probability. Alvotech does not undertake any duty to update these forward-looking statements or to inform the recipient of any matters of which any of them becomes aware of which may affect any matter referred to in this communication. Alvotech disclaims any and all liability for any loss or damage (whether foreseeable or not) suffered or incurred by any person or entity as a result of anything contained or omitted from this communication and such liability is expressly disclaimed.

– Earnings Call Scheduled for 7:00 AM ET on November 10, 2026 –

SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hesai Group (Nasdaq: HSAI; HKEX: 2525) (“Hesai” or the “Company”), a Physical AI infrastructure company, today announced that it will report its third quarter 2026 unaudited financial results on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, before the U.S. market opens.

The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call at 7:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on November 10, 2026 (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong Time on November 10, 2026).

For participants who wish to join the call by phone, please access the link provided below to complete the pre-registration and dial in 5 minutes prior to the scheduled call start time. Upon registration, each participant will receive dial-in details to join the conference call.

Event Title:	Hesai Group Third Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference Call
Pre-registration Link:	https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10057354-vjhodq.html

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://investor.hesaitech.com.

A replay of the conference call will be accessible approximately an hour after the conclusion of the call until November 17, 2026, by dialing the following telephone numbers:

United States:	+1-855-883-1031
International:	+61-7-3107-6325
Hong Kong, China:	800-930-639
China Mainland:	400-120-9216
Replay PIN:	10057354

About Hesai

Hesai Technology (Nasdaq: HSAI; HKEX: 2525) is a Physical AI infrastructure company. With a product portfolio spanning lidar, Kosmo spatial intelligence platform, and robotic actuation modules, Hesai is the only company in the industry covering the full robotics chain of “see, understand, and act” while achieving commercialization at scale. Leveraging full-stack proprietary ASIC capabilities and an integrated R&D-manufacturing approach, Hesai has established industry-leading positions across core physical AI domains, including autonomous mobility, spatial intelligence, embodied AI, and commercial robots, and holds a leading share of the global lidar market. Hesai has established offices in Shanghai, Palo Alto, and Stuttgart, and operates in-house factories in China and Thailand, with customers spanning more than 40 countries.

For more information, please visit: https://investor.hesaitech.com.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Hesai Group
Capital Markets Department
Email: ir@hesaitech.com

Christensen Advisory
Tel: +86-10-5900-1548
Email: hesai@christensencomms.com

Source: Hesai Group

Auction	Auction results
Auction date	2026-10-20
Start date	2026-10-21
Maturity date	2026-10-28
Interest rate	1.75 %
Offered volume, SEK bn	471.0
Total bid amount, SEK bn	436.6
Accepted volume, SEK bn	436.6
Number of bids	14
Percentage allotted, %	100.00

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VR Resources Limited (“VR” or the “Company”, TSX.V: VRR, FSE: 5VR; OTCQB: VRRCF) is pleased to confirm that its NOI drill permit expansion application and associated bond have been approved by the Nevada Bureau of Land Management (the “BLM”). The process is complete, and drilling may proceed.

A site visit was recently completed at New Boston on October 8-9 to inspect the 16 sites now approved for drilling, and to fully scope project logistics for the planned program.

• Figure 1 is a plan map of the recent, state-of-the-art 3D-array DCIP survey completed by VR in 2023, with the expanded coverage of the chargeability anomaly at Jeep Mine in the western part of the porphyry-skarn system at New Boston with 16 permitted drill sites.
• Figure 2 is a field panorama photo of the Jeep Mine, with hole NB26-003 in the foreground, and existing road access for virtually all of the permitted drill sites. Also evident is the strike extent of the deep red-brown garnet alteration at Jeep Mine which hosts the upper, 317 metre tungsten-bearing interval in NB26-003.
• Figure 3 is a photo from the recent site visit, near Site J5 some 300 m east of NB26-003, showing both existing road access to drill sites, and regional infrastructure at New Boston.
• Figure 4 is a photo from the recent site visit; an outcrop at Site J10 some 500 m east of NB26-003. It shows polyphase stockwork quartz veins in host rock Triassic limestone completely recrystallized to marble, with pervasive, dark red-brown garnet-rich skarn alteration and replacement. Vein offset and vein-internal extensional gashes are evident.

Permit Timelines. The Company received its initial NOI permit for the Jeep Mine area on March 6, 2026. That permit identified eight potential sites for drilling, and facilitated the completion of drill hole NB26-003 in June, which intersected 317 m at 0.77% CuEq* starting at surface, above 419 m of 0.48% CuEq*, in 2,892 ft (881 m) of continuous polymetallic stockwork veining with moly, copper, tungsten and silver mineralization (NR dated Aug. 26, 2026).

The Company submitted an amendment to that NOI permit on September 11, in order to increase the area covered and double the number of potential drill sites for follow-up drilling from 8 to 16. The permit application was approved in four business days, on September 16th. The reclamation bond associated with the new permit was submitted on October 6th and approved on October 9th.

Dr. Michael Gunning, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented: “Successful permitting and bonding is the first, and key hurdle to facilitate follow-up drilling at New Boston. Planning is fully underway now, and we look forward to providing further updates.

Two site visits were completed during the past two weeks. Exploration modeling is in hand from more than four years of continuous exploration, as are vectors from the geochemical and alteration mineral data in Hole NB26-003. We know exactly where we want to drill next in follow-up to the 2,892 ft intersection in NB26-003 in June.”

Figure 1. Blue circles are locations of the 16 drill sites approved in the NOI drill permit for Jeep Mine. Shown is the drill collar and trace for drill hole NB26-003 completed in June. Base map is from the 3D-array DCIP geophysical survey completed at New Boston in 2023, showing IP iso-shells on a conductivity base map, 200m depth slice. Chargeability values at the Jeep Mine range from 15–21 mV/V. Mineralized sheeted veins strike for 2,100 m east-west across Jeep Mine through East Zone.

Figure 2. View east at Jeep Mine from the Blue Ribbon skarns located to the west, at the western end of the 3-4 km skarn and porphyry system at New Boston. The drill at NB26-003 in June is visible in the left middle-ground, on the northern flank of the Jeep Mine hill where veins at surface contain moly, tungsten, copper and silver mineralization. Drill hole NB26-003 was inclined steeply to the south (towards the right in this photo), to drill across limestone host-rick strata dipping to the left, and down into the large, red-brown garnet alteration zone that is clearly visible in front of the drill and which forms the upper, tungsten-bearing mineral interval in NB26-003 that will be the focus of planned follow up drilling, taking advantage of the historic road network visible in this photo.

Figure 3. October 6, 2026: view north from near planned drill site J5 on the New Boston project in Nevada, a 300 m step-out from NB26-003 located to the west of this photo, behind the truck and down the Jeep Mine ridgeline, with the 2,892 ft intersection of continuous, polyphase stockwork veining with moly, copper, tungsten and silver mineralization. Note HWY 95 infrastructure in the background in the Soda Springs valley, a tremendous advantage for cost-effective exploration at New Boston.

Figure 4. Drill site J10 for the planned follow-up drilling at New Boston, some 500 m east of NB26-003. Polyphase stockwork quartz veins occur in Triassic limestone completely recrystalized to marbel, with pervasive, dark red-brown, garnet-rich skarn alteration and replacement. Evident are vein offset and vein- internal extensional cracks with mineralization in polyphase vein history.

On-site field video’s taken during the recent site visit to New Boston are available on the New Boston Project Page on the Company’s website at www.vrr.ca. They further illustrate the key messages herein with regard to vein intensity at New Boston, road access on the property, the strength of local infrastructure, and the long-standing history and pedigree of the exploration and mining industry in Nevada. Descriptions of the location, geology and history of New Boston can also be found on the Project Page, along with maps, sections, and outcrop, hand sample and drill core photographs.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Technical information disclosed by the Company has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101. Technical information contained in this document, and on the Company’s website, has been reviewed and approved on behalf of the Company by the President & CEO, Dr. Michael Gunning, PhD, P.Geo., a non- independent Qualified Person.

* The reader is referred to the previous news release dated August 16th for a fulsome description of the use of the terms mineral interval and CuEq, and an overview of QAQC protocols for geochemical sampling of drill core for the New Boston project.

ABOUT VR RESOURCES LTD.

VR is an established junior exploration company based in Vancouver. VR evaluates, explores and advances opportunities in copper, gold and critical metals in Nevada, USA, and Ontario, Canada. VR applies modern exploration technologies, in-house experience and expertise in greenfields exploration to large-footprint mineral systems in underexplored areas/districts. The foundation of VR is the proven track record of its Board and Management in early-stage exploration, discovery and M&A. VR is well funded for its exploration business. VR owns its projects outright and evaluates new opportunities on an ongoing basis, whether by staking or acquisition.

For more detailed information on the Corporation, and it mineral exploration projects, please visit the Company’s website at www.vrr.ca

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. Michael H. Gunning
President & CEO

For general information please use the following:
Website:	www.vrr.ca
Email:	info@vrr.ca
Phone:	778-731-9292

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This news release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements”. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates,” “projects,” “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will,” “would,” “may,” “could” or “should” occur. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements concerning the drill permit application for the Company’s New Boston property and plans for future follow-up drilling, and all other statements that are not statements of historical fact.

Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward- looking statements. Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with: general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company’s ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Company’s public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review them.

—

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at 
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80494421-8b84-4377-b83d-064b8734a885
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0954225b-5c9f-4c9c-98f1-dfa9a8aa8a67
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9e45b55c-9574-40f3-872e-00fbc0982e49
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7849330c-4ce0-4401-af9a-44e667569095

Company announcement no. 40 – 26
20 October 2026

Transactions in connection with share buy-back program

On 4 March 2026 NTG Nordic Transport Group (“NTG”) announced a share buy-back program, as described in company announcement no. 3 – 26. The program will be executed in accordance with the principles of Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, also referred to as the Safe Harbor rules.

The purposes of the share buy-back programme are to meet obligations relating to acquisition of minority shareholders’ shares in NTG subsidiaries under the “Ring-the-Bell” concept, cover obligations arising under share-based incentive programmes, and potentially for other purposes such as payment in relation to potential M&A transactions.

During the period, NTG will purchase its own shares for an aggregate maximum amount of DKK 200,000,000, up to 1,250,000 shares (nominally DKK 25,000,000), corresponding to 5.52% of the current share capital of NTG.

The share buy-back programme will run from 5 March 2026 to 9 November 2026 at the latest, both days inclusive.

The following transactions have been made under the share buy-back program:

	Number of shares	Average purchase price (DKK)	Transaction value (DKK)
Accumulated, latest announcement	802,922		178,746,670
13 October 2026	1,000	297.9	297,931
14 October 2026	4,000	298.0	1,192,043
15 October 2026	4,000	295.6	1,182,435
16 October 2026	4,000	298.5	1,194,000
19 October 2026	3,000	311.8	935,284
Accumulated under the program	818,922		183,548,361

With the transactions stated above, NTG owns a total of 1,111,747 treasury shares, corresponding to 4.91% of the current share capital of NTG.

Details of each transaction are included as appendix.

Additional information

For additional information, please contact:

Investor relations & Press: Sebastian Rosborg Head of Investor Relations  & External communications

+45 42 12 80 99 sebastian.rosborg@ntg.com ir@ntg.com | press@ntg.com

Attachments

• Company announcement no 40_2026
• Appendix_Company announcement no 40_2026

• Water stress is already hitting operating costs, supply chains and infrastructure across European industry
• Water shortages now rank as high as cyber-attacks and supply chain disruption for industrial business continuity
• Nearly 60% of leaders admit to not installing the technology they know could cut water risk

PARIS, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, today released The Water Crunch Report, new research revealing that water is now one of the biggest risks to industrial business continuity across the UK and Europe, ranking as highly as cyber-attacks and supply chain disruption. This echoes last year’s US-focused research from Schneider Electric, where over half (56%) of business leaders said water-related risks will grow faster than other infrastructure risks in the coming years.

The Water Crunch Report surveyed senior leaders at industrial companies and decision-makers at water utilities and municipalities across Europe. In the past two years, industrial leaders say water stress has already pushed up their operating costs (44%), strained infrastructure and maintenance budgets (38%), and disrupted supply chains (30%). If a serious water supply disruption hits tomorrow, 44% of businesses believe their operations would start to suffer within 24 hours. On average, over half (52%) of industrial leaders expect water quality or availability to become a serious barrier to their organization’s growth within the next five years, by 2031, and 1 in 7 (14%) say it already is a barrier to their operations or growth today.

The findings land against the backdrop of Europe’s most severe drought conditions in decades, with the knock-on effects on the freight, energy and agriculture sectors providing a stark reminder that these pressures are no longer hypothetical.

“Europe cannot afford to treat water as an environmental issue alone. It is now a competitiveness issue,” said Gwenaelle Huet, Executive Vice President, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric. “Just as the energy transition reshaped industrial strategy over the past decade, water efficiency will shape the next one. AI-powered industrial intelligence gives companies unprecedented visibility into how water is used, wasted and recycled. The challenge is no longer understanding the problem, but acting at the pace required to secure Europe’s industrial future.”

“It’s easy to write off this summer’s droughts and impact on industry as a one-off, but this is now a structural feature of operating in Europe,” said Sophie Borgne, Water & Environment Segment President of Schneider Electric. “Right now, around half of the EU and UK are under some level of drought, according to the EU’s European Drought Observatory. Reusing water can reduce our dependence on rivers and reservoirs already under strain, yet only 2.4% of treated urban wastewater is reused across the EU today. The organizations investing in smart water technology are turning water efficiency into a competitive advantage.”

Awareness vs. adoption

Smart water technology is widely recognized as a solution to water management, but implementation is not keeping up with awareness. The gap isn’t down to skepticism. Belief in these tools is close to universal: 86% of industrial leaders and 98% of water utilities say smart water technology can cut operating costs, and over 80% say it protects business continuity and strengthens sustainability performance.

Despite this, industrial leaders show particularly high awareness of technologies they haven’t yet deployed: 58% are aware of digital twins or network modelling tools but have not installed them, while 57% of water utilities say the same of predictive analytics or AI-enabled water management.

The encouraging news is that industry isn’t waiting for the problem to worsen. Nearly all organizations surveyed (100% of water utilities and 98% of industrial leaders) say water availability or quality has already shaped major decisions, from increased investment in water efficiency (47%) to formal board-level reviews of water risk (43%). More than half of industrial leaders surveyed have installed automated controls (56%) and smart meters (55%); smart meter adoption climbs even higher among water utilities, to 76%.

Cybersecurity is climbing up the agenda too, with over half of both industrial leaders and water utilities naming it among the top risks to manage as water systems become more connected and digital.

But there is clear headroom for growth: many leaders are aware of technologies designed to optimize operations but haven’t yet installed them, meaning the biggest gains may still be ahead. For European business leaders, the takeaway is straightforward: water risk now needs the same active management as energy or cybersecurity. Closing this gap is likely to matter most for the industries already feeling the cost of water stress.

“For nearly two decades, water has been overlooked in the climate conversation, attracting a fraction of the investment given to energy or carbon. With Europe warming more than twice as fast as the rest of the world, pressure on water supply is intensifying, and The Water Crunch report confirms the mindset is shifting: 47% of industry leaders have already increased investment in water efficiency, and 43% have taken water risk to board level. Water security is finally being treated as a business priority, not an afterthought,” said Tom Freyberg, independent water and environment expert.

Forward-thinking utilities are leveraging existing technologies to minimize impact on their customers. To ensure the supply security of its water network, the Danish utility, Aarhus Vand, relies on the forecasting capabilities of a digital twin. Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure™ Water Advisor – Water Simulation was deployed to help the utility remotely monitor its water supply network to easily and precisely identify potential leaks and supply fluctuations. Using data from points on the network, Water Simulation anticipates the impact of planned and unplanned events so Aarhus Vand can take the best actions to address them quickly, minimizing waste and providing a reliable supply of high-quality water for its customers. The provider also benefits from lower energy use and costs thanks to improved efficiency.

Notes to Editors:
Schneider Electric is helping cities and businesses digitalize water infrastructure, transforming it from a hidden risk into a strategic advantage. From real-time leak detection to digital twins that simulate and optimize water flow, Schneider’s smart water solutions reduce losses, improve reliability, and strengthen operational performance. More information on Schneider Electric’s Water and Wastewater solutions can be found here.

Survey Methodology
The research was commissioned by Schneider Electric and conducted by Censuswide, with the survey questions designed in collaboration with independent water industry journalist and analyst Tom Freyberg, Founder of Atlantean Media. It explores how industrial leaders and water system decision-makers across the UK and Europe are experiencing water stress today, the strategic priorities related to water management and infrastructure, and the gap between recognizing water risk and acting on it.

The research was conducted in the UK, Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the Nordics (Sweden and Denmark) in June 2026 and surveyed a total of 340 leaders comprised of two key groups:

• 210 industrial business leaders (Director-level and above) from large enterprises (1,000+ employees) across key industries including Energy & Chemicals, Manufacturing, Life Sciences & Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Semiconductors & Electronics, Construction and Food & Beverage.
• 130 water system decision-makers from utilities, municipalities/local government and public water infrastructure providers.

Additional sources:

• Closed-loop industrial water recycling systems can recover up to 90% of process water: Envisioning/Stratum research on closed-loop water systems.
• Only 2.4% of treated wastewater is currently reused across the EU: Interreg Europe/Europe’s Freshwater portal.
• Since the 1980s, Europe has warmed at more than twice the global rate, and European land temperatures are now roughly 2.3–2.5°C above pre-industrial levels, versus about 1.3–1.4°C globally: Copernicus Climate Change Service

Press contact: mediarelations@se.com

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is a global energy technology leader, driving efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating, and digitalizing industries, businesses, and homes. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, and grids to operate as open, interconnected ecosystems, enhancing performance, resilience, and sustainability. The portfolio includes intelligent devices, software-defined architectures, AI-powered systems, digital services, and expert advisory. With 160,000 employees and 1 million partners in over 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world’s most sustainable companies. 

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