American multinational asset manager
Prediction platforms Kalshi, Polymarket and Rothera have seen record or near-record volumes during June as the FIFA World Cup boosts activity. Kalshi and Polymarket report multi-billion notional volumes; open interest exceeds $1 billion on Kalshi and near $400 million on Polymarket’s international platform. U.S. volumes on Polymarket exceed $3.5 billion, with the U.S. event draw strong bets amid low odds of winning.
Industry leaders warn that AI infrastructure investments have sparked a ferocious race among hyperscalers. Earnings calls show wide investor scepticism about when returns will materialise, even as compute demand remains strong.
Macau’s former lawmaker Au Kam San remains jailed under the city’s national security law. A year after his arrest, authorities have offered limited details, and concerns about due process and the broader signal toward dissent persist as prosecutions proceed behind closed doors.
A coordinated U.S.-Japan intervention in late July has only temporarily strengthened the yen. The currency has given back roughly half the gains from the operation and is trading near ¥159–¥160 to the dollar as of mid-August. Analysts say the yield gap between U.S. and Japanese debt and Japan's domestic policy mix are keeping downward pressure on the yen.
July's jobs report has shown the unemployment rate falling to about 4.1% while long-term unemployment has dropped to roughly 1.8 million. Economists say the decline has been driven by 264,000 people leaving the labor force and a five-year low in participation, signaling discouraged jobseekers rather than stronger hiring.
Crypto firms are increasingly using AI agents to access wallets, stablecoins, and payment networks. Major players are expanding integration between AI agents and programmable money, with Circle rolling out Arc blockchain infrastructure and USDC, while traditional firms eye stablecoins as rails for machine-to-machine commerce. Market volatility remains a backdrop as institutions test these tools.
An AI-focused hedge fund called Situational Awareness has reportedly lost about 67% in a month and sold most of its public portfolio to Ken Griffin’s Citadel. The fund’s debt-fuelled, highly leveraged bets on chipmakers and AI firms has forced the sale and has prompted Wall Street to reassess concentrated AI exposures.
Moove has raised $250 million in a Series C led by Mubadala, supporting its plan to scale autonomous-vehicle operations while continuing its human-driven fleet business. The funding values Moove at $2.1 billion and will fund depots, hiring, and expansion with Waymo partnerships.
Nvidia has announced memorandums with six Wall Street firms to assemble about $500 billion to finance AI infrastructure — data centres, GPU clusters and related compute — for customers that lack cash or credit. Executives are pitching compute as an investable asset class while analysts warn depreciation risk and competition from China could erode collateral value.
Investors have renewed focus on AI infrastructure after strong earnings from hyperscalers and Nvidia partners; CoreWeave reports extend-into-2029 A100 contracts, suggesting longer GPU lifespans and steadier demand. The sector has moved from a rough patch to renewed optimism as data-center spend shows monetization potential.
Nvidia has acquired a minority stake in Cloverleaf Infrastructure and has announced a partnership to help build data‑centre sites. The move follows Nvidia’s recent $1.5 billion investment in an Ohio data‑centre project and signals the company is directly financing and developing the power and site infrastructure that supports demand for its AI chips.
A wave of AI data center development is accelerating across the United States, drawing in real estate, energy and local communities. As hyperscalers expand capacity, land values rise, utilities strain, and regulators weigh moratoriums and zoning changes. The debate intensifies ahead of midterm elections.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has outlined plans to deepen ties with Canada and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been invited to address the European Parliament. Talks are focusing on security, Arctic cooperation, critical minerals, student exchanges and defence-industrial links, but officials say no formal new pact has been agreed and discussions remain at an early stage.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has won about 44% in Saxony‑Anhalt, taking 39 of 83 seats and falling three short of a majority. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has condemned the party's "remigration" plans as ethnic cleansing and has faced domestic backlash after the result; international figures including Donald Trump and Elon Musk have praised the AfD.
Canada is actively courting private capital to diversify away from the U.S. amid a deepening trade dispute. At the Canada Investment Summit, leaders pitch Canada as a stable, rules‑based partner with vast resources, while Washington expands tariffs and countermeasures that threaten interwoven supply chains.
Canada is pitching itself as a stable, rules-based home for global capital as Prime Minister Carney hosts a two-day Canada Investment Summit in Toronto. Investors managing over $120 trillion are in attendance, seeking opportunities in energy, minerals, AI, infrastructure and broader economic resilience amid US tariff tensions.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has placed President Trump on speaker during a tech conference conversation with All-In podcast hosts and defended continued data centre and AI development. Trump has warned against what he called efforts to block data-centre construction and has pledged support for the industry, while polling shows strong local opposition to new data centres over environmental and cost concerns.
The EFRA Committee has urged the government to trigger special administration for Thames Water, warning of a doom loop of fines and underinvestment. London & Valley Water is seeking an enhanced rescue proposal, while critics argue public control may be necessary. The debate centers on the company’s £20bn debt and the public impact of its turnaround.
Telon, a London startup, has joined OpenAI's select partner network to help law firms operationalize AI. It hires and trains legal engineers who embed inside legal teams to configure models, write prompts and train lawyers, aiming to close the usage gap in AI tools.
Edinburgh Airport is unveiling a multi-year, £500m-plus capital plan to expand gates, stands and the terminal by around 60%, to boost international connectivity and support Scotland’s economy. The move comes amid ongoing criticism of baggage delays and passenger experience, with officials insisting the investment will deliver improved service and longer-haul links.
Bitcoin has lingered near two-year lows around $60,000 after a lengthy decline from its 2025 peak. A recent rebound faded amid doubts over a Federal Reserve rate hike and a crypto bill in the U.S. Clarity Act. CoinEx is winding down operations with withdrawals open until December as regulators push stricter rules. Trading volumes have slumped, suggesting waning market participation, while industry watchers warn that higher regulatory costs and competition from AI could sustain pressure.
The upcoming US-China talks are focusing on artificial intelligence safety and governance as leaders consider dialogue mechanisms and potential safety standards, with a chorus of tech executives weighing in on how to pace AI development.
Temasek is expanding with new offices in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to engage Gulf institutions and pursue long-term infrastructure and private-market opportunities, aligning with regional transformation and existing partnerships.
Ford has announced that vehicles built on its upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle platform will verify internal connections using onboard computers, a shift from traditional off-line inspections. External factory cameras remain, but internal verification will happen after power-up, guiding workers in real-time. The move accompanies broader efficiency gains, including a streamlined assembly tree for the Fathom EV.
Jio Platforms has set an IPO price band and is raising up to 302 billion rupees ($3.2 billion). The anchor book has seen bids worth 2.5 trillion rupees, more than 30 times the anchor allocation, with investors including BlackRock and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority participating. The listing values Jio at about $108 billion, underlining a broader push by Reliance Industries to expand beyond traditional telecom into tech and satellite services. The IPO opens for public bidding later this week.
The Future Investment Initiative, often dubbed “Davos in the Desert,” has been postponed to 2027. Organizers say the decision aims to deliver the event’s expected scale, quality, and impact, with new dates to be announced soon. Attendees previously expected speakers from Goldman Sachs, Google, BlackRock and others. The postponement follows regional security strains, including Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Nvidia’s founder-CEO has been touring Europe to accelerate the company’s global AI ecosystem. He is backing startups in Europe, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, India, Malaysia and Africa, while urging sovereign AI models and infrastructure. Investors are watching whether government-backed demand can sustain chip demand amid funding challenges for neoclouds.
Creditors have named Lord John Hutton as independent chair-designate for Thames Water, aiming to secure government backing for a 10-year rescue plan alongside Mike McTighe. The move signals intensified efforts to stabilise Britain’s largest water utility as it seeks to avert bankruptcy and avoid public takeover.