** Shares of medical device maker Ekso Bionics EKSO.O rise 32.8% to $7.25 premarket
** Data center operator Applied Digital APLD.O to spin out its cloud business and proposes Ekso to merge with them to form ChronoScale, a platform designed for AI computing
** APLD shares up 1.9%
** Upon the transaction's close, 97% of the combined co to be owned by APLD
** The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026
** Up to last close, EKSO down 40.33% YTD
(Reporting by Avinash P in Bengaluru)
((Avinash.P@thomsonreuters.com;))