Daily Update — August 11, 2025
Sustainability in Ukrainian Companies; July VC Rounds Down; and US Tariffs Hit Global Commodities
Today is Monday, August 11, 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: How war is driving Ukrainian companies to embrace sustainability
In this episode of the “All Things Sustainable” podcast, hosts Lindsey Hall and Esther Whieldon explored how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted some Ukrainian businesses to lean into sustainability by protecting workers and addressing mental health challenges.
Tetiana Sakharuk, executive director of UN Global Compact Ukraine, explained how the sustainability landscape is changing in Ukraine. Sakharuk also shared how the organization’s network is helping companies integrate sustainability into their operations through training and accelerator programs, connections with international investors and grant opportunities, and an online platform to support employees needing psychological help amid the war.
Learn about S&P Global Sustainable1’s Energy Transition services.
Private Markets
July venture capital rounds down as YTD transaction value trends higher
The value and volume of global rounds of funding backed by private equity and venture capital decreased month over month in July. The total transaction value in July amounted to $23.66 billion, down from an adjusted $27.25 billion in June, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. The number of rounds decreased to 1,049 month over month from an adjusted total of 1,283.
Deal value and funding rounds also fell year over year from $33.11 billion across 1,450 transactions. However, the year appears to be shaping up. Deal value for the first seven months of 2025 reached $217.03 billion compared with $188.05 billion for the same period in 2024.
Global Trade
US tariffs hit global commodities as Trump delivers on trade threats
Sweeping tariffs across a range of goods entering the US came into effect Aug. 7, hampering global trade and upending markets for key trading.
The deadline marks the end of a four-month pause that US President Donald Trump placed on his "reciprocal" tariffs, a series of duties ranging between 10% and 50% placed on goods from nearly every American trading partner. The tariffs have many exemptions, notably for critical metals and energy products. However, the implementation of the duties is set to dent global trade, with knock-on effects across commodities.
In case you missed it
- The US imposed an additional 25% tariff on all Indian goods, doubling the effective duty rate to 50% on one of America's largest trading partners.
- More consolidation is expected for Australia's copper sector as gold miners raking in profits from surging prices are increasingly drawn to the red metal.
- The end-of-month open interest of Japan Korea Marker LNG futures reached a record high in July of 180,961 lots, surpassing the previous record of 170,873 lots in May 2025.
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)