Agilent Launches S540MD Slide Scanner in US After Strong Quarter

S&P Global agreed to acquire on-chain security assessments platform OpenZeppelin, one of a series of deals reported across sectors this week. Pearson announced the acquisition of ITS, a Baltimore-based assessment technology provider specializing in the management, delivery, and reporting of testing programs, with financial terms not disclosed. GE HealthCare Technologies is in advanced talks to acquire Sofie Biosciences for about $1 billion, a move that would expand its presence in radioactive diagnostic agents used with medical scans, according to the Financial Times. Brookfield agreed to acquire plumbing products manufacturer Reliance Worldwide for about $2.9B in an all-cash deal, valuing Reliance at $3.38 per share, equivalent to A$4.75 per share, a roughly 32% premium to its August 17 closing price. Mistras Group agreed to be acquired by investment firm H.I.G. Capital in an all-cash deal with an $866M enterprise value, including debt, while Aethlon Medical shares soared 346% premarket after it agreed to an all-stock merger with North Immunology, and Reuters reported that state-owned China Rare Earth Group is in talks to acquire Shenghe Resources.

Tempus AI is building a research platform based on 100,000 whole genomes linked to long term clinical records, a project that follows its $1.5 billion acquisition of Personalis. The Personalis deal strengthens Tempus' position in molecular residual disease testing, expanding the company from diagnosing and selecting cancer treatments into monitoring patients for cancer recurrence. The new whole genome project arrives after a sharp run in the shares, with a 90 day share price return of 62.68% and a 7 day gain of 31.91%, though the 1 year total shareholder return shows an 11.79% decline. Tempus AI closed at $77.84 against a narrative fair value estimate of $75.68, a level at which 26 investors see the stock as 3% overvalued. The company still carries ongoing losses and meaningful debt, so any setback integrating Personalis could quickly challenge the upbeat narrative.

Natera and its collaborators presented four abstracts at the IASLC 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer, including the largest molecular residual disease dataset to date in resected stage 1–3 non-small cell lung cancer. The data showed that Signatera status after surgery is strongly associated with recurrence-free survival and overall survival, with Signatera-positive patients facing around five times the risk of recurrence or death during surveillance. The company said the results support broader use of MRD testing to guide post-surgical monitoring and treatment decisions in lung cancer care. The new dataset reinforces the clinical case for Signatera in resected NSCLC, though it does not clearly change the near-term financial catalyst, which remains Natera's push for broader coverage and usage of MRD testing. Natera has raised its 2026 revenue guidance to US$2.85 billion to US$2.91 billion, and its narrative projects $4.6 billion revenue and $449.9 million earnings by 2029, with a $344.33 fair value estimate implying a 7% downside to its current price.