A Warning to Critical Minerals Buyers: Avoid Butter Mountains, Aluminium Floods
Western governments are pouring tens of billions of dollars into critical minerals to curb China’s dominance, with the U.S. earmarking over $20 bn and Australia $9.4 bn. Analysts warn that uncoordinated subsidies could create a new “butter mountain” or “aluminium flood” scenario, driving a surplus in rare‑earths and other metals. While current stockpiles remain modest, the scale of public aid already exceeds the $6.4 bn rare‑earth market, raising concerns about future price volatility. Coordination among G7 nations and by‑product processing are seen as potential safeguards.
Even at Home, American Shoppers Are Flocking to Japanese Supermarkets
Japanese supermarkets are rapidly expanding across the United States, especially in California, where chains like Tokyo Central, Osaka Marketplace, and Mitsuwa now operate 15, 13, and 13 stores respectively. The growth is fueled by millennial and Gen Z shoppers seeking immersive,...
BOJ Should Raise Policy Rate at Appropriate Pace, Says Board Member Junko Koeda
Bank of Japan board member Junko Koeda signaled support for raising the policy rate, noting that underlying inflation could exceed 2% and that a hike may be appropriate as early as the June 16 meeting. She voted with the majority...
How BYD Gets an Edge From Ships that Brave War, Outrun Storms
BYD has built a private fleet of eight car‑carrier vessels that moved 1,768 electric vehicles from Xiamen to Mexico in December, sidestepping newly imposed tariffs. The fleet, created after pandemic‑induced logistics bottlenecks, now transports roughly 300,000 cars a year to...
How Trump’s Crypto Venture and Iran’s Top Exchange Tapped Into the Same Industry Networks
World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s crypto venture, is backed by Tron founder Justin Sun and Binance’s Changpeng Zhao, linking it to the same blockchain networks used by Iran’s largest exchange, Nobitex. Data from Arkham shows Nobitex processed at least...
U.S. Drops Charges Against Gautam Adani After Settlements and Investment Pledge
U.S. authorities have moved to drop both criminal and civil cases against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. The Department of Justice announced it will dismiss the criminal charges, while the Securities and Exchange Commission settled a fraud lawsuit. The actions come...
Investors Say They Want Trump and Xi to Stay Out of AI’s Way
Investors are downplaying the political risk of the upcoming Trump‑Xi summit, focusing instead on China’s booming AI sector and strong export‑driven growth. The Shanghai Composite has risen to an 11‑year high while the yuan steadied near a three‑year peak of...
Africa’s CEOs Warn Online Gambling Is Draining Customer Wallets
Africa’s top CEOs are sounding the alarm as online gambling swells to an estimated $13.5 billion in gross gaming revenue this year, more than twice the 2023 level. The average household now spends about 2 % of income on betting, with 7 %...
Japan Bets on Washington and BOJ for Extra Punch in Yen Battle
Japan is counting on a hawkish turn at the Bank of Japan and an overt endorsement from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to give its yen‑buying interventions more bite. Since Governor Kazuo Ueda’s April 28 remarks, the finance ministry has...
U.S. Trade Court Rules Trump Tariffs Illegal, but Issues Narrow Block
The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that President Donald Trump's recent 10% global tariffs violate a 1970s trade law, deeming them illegal. The court issued a narrow injunction, shielding only two small businesses and the state of Washington from...
Nvidia Is Facing More Competition and It’s Spooking Investors
Nvidia’s AI‑chip dominance remains strong, with an 86% market share in 2025, but its stock has slipped 9% over six sessions, making it the worst performer in the Philadelphia semiconductor index. Investors are uneasy as Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft...
Oil Price Rises Bolster India's Ethanol Push Despite Drawbacks
India achieved its 20% ethanol‑in‑gasoline target (E20) a year ahead of schedule, driven by soaring crude oil prices amid Middle‑East tensions. The government is now eyeing higher blends, even up to 85% ethanol, to cut its massive import bill, which...
Asia Absorbs Rising, Uneven Cost of Energy Crisis Caused by War on Iran
Asia, the world’s largest oil‑importing region, is feeling the brunt of the energy shock triggered by the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran. Oil imports fell 30% in April, the lowest level since 2015, prompting the Asian Development Bank to...
AI’s Hottest Private Companies Have Booming Crypto Shadow Market
Crypto platforms Ventuals and PreStocks are offering perpetual futures and tokenised SPVs that let retail traders bet on private AI giants like Anthropic, OpenAI and SpaceX. Trading activity on both venues has more than tripled this year, with combined volume...
Nvidia’s Push Into Physical AI Sparks Rally in Asian Partners
Nvidia is extending its AI strategy beyond chips into "physical AI," encompassing robotics and autonomous systems. The move sparked sharp share gains for Asian partners—including LG Electronics (+15%), Nanya Technology (+10%), Huizhou Desay and Pateo Connect—after announcements of joint projects....