Daily Update — January 20, 2026
US REITs' Green Bond Offerings; Insights Into CES 2026; and Asian Nickel Market
Today is Tuesday, January 20, 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
Green bond issuance by US REITs slows in 2025
Green bond issuance by US equity real estate investment trusts slowed in 2025, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis. During the year, US REITs raised $3.29 billion from green bond offerings, a 22.6% decline from $4.25 billion in 2024. The 2025 total is also a significant drop from the peak in 2021, when REITs raised $14.38 billion.
Since 2018, 25 US REITs have collected nearly $44.30 billion in proceeds through green bonds. Digital Realty Trust has been the leading issuer, raising $8.65 billion. Equinix follows closely with nearly $8.44 billion raised.
Artificial Intelligence
Listen: The New AI, Robots, TVs and Regulation Changing Consumer Tech
In this episode of the "MediaTalk" podcast, S&P Global Market Intelligence's Neil Barbour and Stefan Modrich joined host Mike Reynolds to discuss insights from CES 2026. The duo delved into the advancements in robotics and AI showcased at the consumer tech event, including robots capable of serving coffee, playing ping pong and snapping Polaroid photos. Despite these innovations, Barbour and Modrich questioned the readiness of these robots for home use, citing concerns over speed, dexterity and accuracy.
The regulatory landscape for AI was also examined, covering the implications of the AI executive order and federal preemption of state law, as well as how these policies will affect tech giants such as NVIDIA, particularly in international trade and semiconductor supply chains.
Energy & Commodities
TRADE REVIEW: Asian nickel market faces Q1 pressure as oversupply outweighs output cuts
Despite Indonesia's efforts to limit mining production, the Asian nickel market is expected to remain under pressure in the first quarter of 2026 due to oversupply. Additionally, market participants anticipate limited demand growth for nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries due to a shift toward nickel-free lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, which are typically less costly to produce.
S&P Global Energy CERA projects that the nickel market will remain in surplus by 179,000 metric tons through 2026, before transitioning to a deficit of 2,000 metric tons by 2032.
This report is part of the S&P Global Energy Metals Trade Review series, which delves into datasets and key trends in iron ore, metallurgical coal, copper, alumina, cobalt, lithium, nickel, and steel and scrap. The series also explores forecasts for the next few months, from supply and demand shifts to new arbitrages and quality spread fluctuations.
In case you missed it
- Egypt imported a record 9.0 million metric tons of LNG in 2025, highlighting the country's growing energy needs due to declining domestic gas production and less reliable supply from Israel amid its ongoing war with Hamas, according to data from Platts, part of S&P Global Energy.
- Seventy-three US real estate investment trusts and 14 Canadian REITs announced dividend increases in 2025, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
- The annual pre-Lunar New Year rush is underway with Asia-North Europe ocean trade. Some market observers noted indications of early shipments in addition to typical seasonal demand, while others believe that January volumes remain consistent with historical trends.
Upcoming events
- U.S. Corporate Health Care Outlook 2026 | January 21 (Webinar)
- Global Credit Outlook 2026: Questions That Matter | January 22 (Webinar)
- 2026 U.S. Insurance Hot Topics | February 5 (New York City)
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