Daily Update — January 14, 2026
Trucking’s Energy Transition; Bunker Demand at Indian Ports; and Fiscal Fragilities
Today is Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 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
Navigating the future of energy transition in trucking
Governments around the world must rely on the rollout of zero-emission trucks to support their climate and energy targets. Despite accounting for just 3.8% of global vehicle sales in 2024, medium and heavycommercial vehicles account for an estimated 39.7% of global road sector CO2 emissions and an estimated 38.7% of global road transport liquids demand.
S&P Global Mobility’s scenario-based approach demonstrates how economies, the trucking industry, clean energy technology and the policy environment could develop. For 2026, governance and technology are the key factors.
Global Trade
Demand for bunkers mixed at Indian ports in Dec
Demand for bunker fuels at India's west coast ports varied in December 2025, with Kandla achieving record volumes while Kochi remained stable. East coast ports reported sluggish demand due to tight product availability. Marine fuel oil 0.5% delivered to Mumbai was assessed by Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, at $455 per metric ton on Jan. 8, up $1/t from the start of the week. In Singapore, Platts marine fuel 0.5% FOB cargoes rose $10.13/t to $413.49/t on Jan. 9. Marine fuel oil 0.5% delivered to Colombo, Sri Lanka, was assessed at $475/t, down $2/t from the start of the week.
Market participants said Hindustan Petroleum began supplying high sulfur fuel oil at the Indian ports of Kandla, Sikka and Vadinar. Demand at Hazira and Dahej ports remained stable throughout the month, with traders reporting a healthy number of inquiries in the region, supported by product availability and the absence of supply constraints.
Economy
Listen: Fiscal Fragilities in the Global Economy
In this episode of “The Decisive” podcast, Ken Wattret, vice president of global economics at S&P Global Market Intelligence, joined host Kristen Hallam to discuss the critical yet often overlooked topic of public debt. They explored the significant rise in public sector debt-to-GDP ratios since the mid-2000s, driven by adverse economic shocks including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wattret explained the persistent challenges of high government budget deficits, the political reluctance to implement fiscal changes and the implications of rising sovereign yields on economic growth. He also discussed the effects of these fiscal fragilities on businesses and consumers, the potential for crowding out private sector investment and the risks of triggering another economic shock.
In case you missed it
- Steel production capacity in 2025 expanded at its fastest rate since 2009, exacerbating trade friction and lowering prices. The oversupply, compounded by reshaped trade flows, has prompted producers to seek new markets.
- The palm oil stocks of Malaysia, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, totaled 2.97 million metric tons at the end of December 2025, indicating the largest inventory buildup since January 2019.
- Real estate M&A activity involving US publicly traded equity real estate investment trusts picked up in the second half of 2025, with six announced deals totaling $16.28 billion in transaction value.
Upcoming events
- APAC Dividend Outlook 2026: Decoding Dividend Dynamics for Investors | January 20 (Webinar)
- Turning Data into Decisions: How AI Transforms Commodity Intelligence from Insight to Action | January 21 (Webinar)
- Navigating carbon markets in Asia: Looking ahead to 2026 | January 22 (Webinar)
