Global Clean Energy Investment Drops 17% Following China Slowdown
Shifting renewable generation to market-based pricing breaks the policy-guaranteed returns that underpinned global capital deployment, exposing clean tech developers directly to power price volatility.
Global clean technology investment dropped 17 percent in the first half of the year as China transitioned away from subsidies, according to a Rhodium Group report cited by oilprice.com. China shifted new renewable generation toward market-based pricing and phased out consumer electric vehicle purchase-tax exemptions. That policy change triggered a 49 percent slump in alternative energy and electric transport investment across the country, totaling $133 billion. The contraction reduced China's share of global clean tech investment from 52 percent at the end of last year to 39 percent by June. Growth in Europe and India partially offset the drop, though rising hydrocarbon costs and tighter energy security priorities forced a broader reassessment of transition spending worldwide.
China Clean Tech Investment Share (%)
China's share of clean tech investment dropped by 13 points in six months.
Chinese Jewelry Shops Close as Consumers Shift Buying to Gold Bars and Coins
Jewelry retailers' profitability depends on high fabrication markups, making physical store footprints unsustainable when consumer demand shifts to raw bullion sold at spot-adjacent prices.
scmp.com reports that jewellery shops across China are closing as high prices and a decline in marriages prompt consumers to shift their purchases from finished ornaments to gold bars and coins. In Biyang, Henan province, a local resident estimated that over two-thirds of the more than 20 gold shops once operating on the main commercial street have shut down. Major retailers are feeling the same pressure through widespread store reductions. Chow Tai Seng reported a net reduction of 473 stores nationwide, while Lao Feng Xiang closed 342 outlets in third- and fourth-tier cities. China Gold cut 323 locations in the first half of the year. Chow Tai Fook logged a net loss of 258 mainland China stores in the second quarter, driven largely by franchise contraction. Small shop owners face severe compression because customers are buying less gold by weight while fixed expenses like rent and inventory carrying costs remain.
Retailer Store Reductions (Count)
Major jewellery chains reduced their store counts by hundreds of locations.
Philippine Banana Exporters Secure Deals to Ship Saba to Hong Kong and New Zealand
Securing exclusive distribution for regional varieties like Saba bananas tests whether niche fruit exports can systematically narrow a nation's structural agricultural trade deficit.
Philippine banana exporters secured supply contracts to ship Cardaba bananas, also known as saba, to Hong Kong and New Zealand during the Asia Fruit Logistica exhibition. The agreements include exclusive distribution arrangements with Hong Kong-based Cozy and Korner Trading Co. and New Zealand-based Fresh Produce Group Ltd. Overall participation in the Hong Kong trade event generated $290.71 million in total orders for Philippine fruit, led by $206.23 million in durian bookings and $11 million in Cavendish bananas. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. noted that the country continues to face an annual agricultural of around $11 billion. The Department of Agriculture plans to pitch additional high-value products including mangoes, seaweed, coffee, and cacao at the Food and Agriculture Organization initiative in Rome this October.
Asia Fruit Logistica Export Orders ($M)
Durian and Cavendish led Philippine fruit orders at the Hong Kong exhibition.
AIIB Develops Platform to Pool Private Capital for Asia Infrastructure
Replacing bespoke deal-by-deal negotiations with a programmatic co-investment platform allows multilateral lenders to systematically aggregate institutional insurance and pension capital into infrastructure debt.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is developing a new platform to pool institutional for infrastructure projects across Asia, aiming to quadruple the private funds it mobilises. Scmp.com reports that the initiative will allow insurers and pension funds to co-invest in infrastructure alongside the bank on a programmatic basis, replacing deal-by-deal negotiations. The Beijing-headquartered lender has mobilised roughly $17.5 billion in private capital since its inception through the end of 2025. Chief investment officer Kim-See Lim stated that the platform is currently at an early stage, with further details expected within six to nine months following a joint conference with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. The push addresses a persistent regional shortfall, with the Asian Development Bank previously estimating annual infrastructure needs of $1.7 trillion through 2030 against a yearly of up to $700 billion.
Asia Annual Infrastructure Funding ($B)
The annual shortfall reaches up to 700 billion dollars.
EV Share of China Car Sales Surpasses 65% Amid Middle East Energy Disruptions
Geopolitical oil price shocks combined with feature-rich domestic models are permanently accelerating the demand destruction of traditional combustion vehicles in the world's largest auto market.
scmp.com reports that 65.2 per cent of the 1.54 million cars sold in mainland China last month were either pure electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. The figure broke the previous record of 65.1 per cent set a month earlier. The pivot to electric cars comes as overall vehicle sales in China slump amid an economic slowdown. Last month, petrol car sales plunged 40 per cent year on year, while EV deliveries fell by a more modest 10.1 per cent, according to China Passenger Car Association data. The Iran war appears to be accelerating the electrification shift, as rising fuel costs prompt more Chinese consumers to shun petrol vehicles. Another factor has been the debut of hundreds of new EV models in recent months featuring advanced driver-assistance systems and other new technologies.
China EV Adoption Rate (%)
The EV adoption rate rose to 65.2 per cent from a previous record of 65.1 per cent.
Canadian Oil Increases Market Share in U.S. Gulf Coast
Enbridge's terminal expansion exploits a structural deficit in Gulf Coast heavy-crude refining, locking in Canadian pipe-to-dock dominance as competing Mexican and Venezuelan supply lines fail.
oilprice.com reports that more than 90 percent of Canadian exports head south as U.S. imports exceeded 4 million barrels per day in the first half of 2026. Enbridge is opening new outlets through its Houston terminal to target Gulf Coast heavy-crude refiners while Trans Mountain expands access to Asian markets. Energy remains explicitly exempted from the latest U.S.-Canada , preserving a cross-border trade that saw Canada export crude oil, NGLs, and worth $160 billion in 2024. Canadian heavy crude is proving difficult for U.S. Gulf Coast refiners to replace as Mexican production declines and Venezuelan supply remains uncertain. Enbridge started operations at its Houston Oil Terminal in July to give Canadian heavy crude direct access to Gulf Coast refineries and export docks. The terminal is designed to push more barrels into a region where Canadian crude processing averaged 337,000 barrels per day during the first half of 2026. Enbridge plans to expand the facility storage capacity from 2.5 million barrels to 15 million barrels.
Canadian Crude Processed in PADD 3 (thousand bpd)
Canadian crude processing in the Gulf Coast fell between 2024 and 2026.
Thailand Pauses 166 Data Center Projects Over Regulatory and Environmental Concerns
Requiring strict environmental and utility standards for data centers ties infrastructure buildouts directly to local power and water constraints rather than capital availability.
Thailand suspended the construction of 49 and froze 117 pending applications while drafting uniform regulations for the power-hungry sector. The temporary moratorium follows an incident where a yet-to-open Bangkok facility leaked diesel fuel into public drainage during a backup generator test. Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas stated that the country remains open to investment but needs clear standards for resource use and community safety. The new rules, expected within a month, will establish minimum criteria for water, electricity, and environmental protection. Existing operators will receive a transition period to comply with the upcoming oversight.
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