Daily Update — March 16, 2026
Scaling E-fuels; US Opens Trade Probes; and Private Equity Semiconductor Investments Fall
Today is Monday, March 16, 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
Listen: Meg Gentle, HIF Global, on Scaling E-Fuels for Aviation and Heavy Transport
Low-carbon fuels could work in today’s engines, pipelines and refineries without rebuilding the entire energy system. Meg Gentle, executive director of the board at HIF Global, joined the “CERAWeek Podcast with Atul Arya” to discuss how e-fuels — synthetic hydrocarbons made from renewable electricity, water and recycled CO₂ — could help decarbonize sectors where electrification is difficult.
The conversation explored how “drop-in” fuels can leverage existing infrastructure, why aviation and shipping are key early markets, and what it will take to scale global production across the fuel value chain.
Global Trade
US opens Section 301 trade probes into 16 markets, including EU, China, India
The US launched Section 301 investigations into the manufacturing policies of 16 major trading partners, including the EU, China and India, to address unfair trade practices, the Office of the US Trade Representative said in a March 11 statement. The agency said the probes under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 will examine whether acts, policies and practices related to "structural excess capacity and production" in manufacturing sectors are unreasonable, discriminatory or otherwise burden or restrict US commerce.
The other trading partners subject to these investigations are Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico and Japan, according to the agency. The move revives one of Washington's most powerful trade enforcement tools at a time when commodity markets are already dealing with conflict-driven disruptions in the Middle East, including container booking suspensions, emergency bunker surcharges and steep freight inflation on key shipping routes.
Private Markets
Global private equity investment in semiconductors falls in 2025
Global private equity and venture capital investment in the semiconductor sector fell 45% year over year to $13.35 billion in 2025, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. However, the investment value is skewed by an outsize transaction in 2024, when Apollo Global Management acquired an $11.1 billion stake in Intel Ireland's fabrication facility in one of the largest private equity deals in the sector's history.
The value of private equity-backed semiconductor transactions in China fell 6% year over year to $7.71 billion in 2025, but the country still accounted for most of the year’s investment value. In five of the last six years, China attracted the bulk of global chip investment in a race to construct semiconductor wafer fabrication plants.
In case you missed it
- The Middle East war, coupled with broader global geopolitical tensions, has increased the volume of sovereign-sponsored cyberattacks (including by proxies) targeting critical infrastructure.
- Oil and gas markets across Asia-Pacific have a variety of defenses against supply disruptions caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. However, prolonged disruptions could challenge these defense measures.
- India's Reliance Industries said March 10 that it aims to maximize LPG production at its refining and petrochemical complex in Jamnagar to ensure ample domestic supply.
Upcoming events
- AI in Insurance: Adoption, Application, and What’s Next | March 17 (Webinar)
- 2026 Sustainable Finance Americas Forum | April 22 (New York City)
- NAIC Policy Reforms and Insurance Investments: An NAIC Chairman's Perspective (Webinar Replay)
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