Daily Update — August 08, 2025
Europe’s Power Price Zones; AI in Private Credit; and US Aluminum Imports Drop Amid Tariffs
Today is Friday, August 8, 2025, and here’s your curated selection of Essential Intelligence on global markets from S&P Global. Subscribe to be notified of each new Daily Update.
Energy Transition & Sustainability
Listen: Break up or not? Europe's zonal pricing conundrum
In this week's episode of the “Energy Evolution” podcast, host Eklavya Gupte discussed with S&P Global Commodity Insights energy reporters Camilla Naschert and Alex Blackburne the ongoing debate over how price zones are divided in Europe's power markets.
In markets with only one price zone, such as Germany and Britain, widening geographic distances between demand centers and new renewables development are raising questions around grid bottlenecks, redispatch costs and incentives for new renewables.
Artificial Intelligence
AI in private credit: Strengthening the reconciliation function
The relatively nascent private credit market is more susceptible to data inaccuracies and manual errors due to varying levels of standardization and practices across market participants. These risks, combined with the opacity and illiquidity of the asset class, have led to resource-intensive workflows that are difficult to scale. S&P Global Market Intelligence is using AI to transform these workflows, improving efficiency, accuracy and turnaround times.
Global Trade
US aluminum imports fall 25.6% on year in June amid 50% tariff: US Commerce
US imports of unwrought aluminum fell 25.6% year over year in June to 285,000 metric tons from 383,100 metric tons, according to data from the S&P Global Market Intelligence Global Trade Analytics Suite.
US President Donald Trump implemented 50% tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports on June 4, leading to warnings from the US and Canadian aluminum sectors that the move would reduce US access to critical Canadian aluminum supply.
In case you missed it
- The Red Sea is seeing “a quiet revival” in shipping services as regional carriers steadily add capacity to vessel strings passing through the Houthi-controlled Bab el Mandeb Strait.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced her administration's strategy to improve Pemex’s finances and operations so the state oil and gas company can raise crude production to 1.8 million b/d.
- Gov. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) asked state agencies to accelerate renewable energy development to ensure that utilities meet clean energy targets and lock in savings for their customers while federal subsidies are still available.
Upcoming events
- Tariffs, Trade & Turbulence | August 12 (Webinar)
- Breakfast Briefing: Unlocking the Future of Sustainability in Mexico | August 14 (Mexico City)
- Banking Infrastructure Modernization: Building for Instant Payments | August 20 (Webinar)