** Shares of NewHold Investment Corp III NHIC.O jump >5% on Weds on news the special-purpose acquisition co (SPAC) to take nuclear power startup Newcleo public following reverse merger

** NHIC shares rise as high as $11.25, highest since the SPAC's inception, and last up 3.7% at $11.10

** The merger will value the co at $2.4 bln and is expected to provide up to $429 mln in gross proceeds; combined firm expected to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker "NWCL" following anticipated transaction close in H2 2026

** Newcleo, founded by Italian physicist Stefano Buono, developing advanced modular lead-cooled fast reactors and nuclear fuel from reprocessed nuclear material

** It will work with Sam Altman-backed Oklo OKLO.O on program launched by U.S. Department of Energy to explore potential use of the country's Cold War-era plutonium as nuclear reactor fuel

** NHIC went public in late Feb 2025 after $175 mln IPO at $10

** More than 3 mln NHIC shares have exchanged hands on the session vs their 10-DMA volume of around 12,000 shares, per LSEG data