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Daily Update — March 3, 2026

Centrair's Prioritization of SAF; Brands Blending Human Touch with AI; and New Private Market Frontiers

Today is Tuesday, March 3, 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.

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Energy Transition & Sustainability

Japan’s Centrair airport to prioritize SAF to boost passenger, airliner traffic

 

Chubu Centrair International Airport in central Japan is focusing on securing feedstock and raising public awareness for sustainable aviation fuel to attract passengers and airlines, according to Naoyuki Shigeno of Centrair. Shigeno noted that the availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is increasingly becoming a key factor in airport selection for airlines and travelers.

 

Centrair aims to restore international passenger number and airline traffic volumes at the airport to pre-pandemic levels. In the last three quarters of 2025, the number of international passengers at Centrair declined 22% compared with the same period in 2019, while international aircraft landings and takeoffs decreased 23%, according to Shigeno. In contrast, the number of international tourists visiting Japan between April and December 2025 rose 34.9% from the same period in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Artificial Intelligence

Listen: How Brands Are Balancing Human Authenticity with AI Efficiencies

 

In this episode of the "MediaTalk" podcast, Mike Donoghue, co-founder and CEO of text messaging platform Subtext, joined host Mike Reynolds to discuss the impact of AI on brand-consumer relationships.

 

AI is becoming an integral part of marketing, but its true value lies in how it is applied, according to Donoghue. Subtext uses AI not to replace human voices, but to analyze consumer responses and provide brands with actionable insights. "People want to be able to talk through machines but not necessarily to machines," Donoghue said.

 

With email marketing experiencing AI-driven disruptions reminiscent of those that transformed search, publishers are increasingly turning to text messaging to connect with their audiences, bypassing major tech gatekeepers. This episode examines how brands are preparing for the AI-powered evolution of traditional communication channels and what the balance between AI efficiency and human connection could look like in 2026 and 2027.

Private Markets

Listen: Sarah Samuels on Navigating New Frontiers of Private Markets

 

In this episode of the "Private Markets 360°" podcast, Sarah Samuels, chief investment officer of investment consulting firm NEPC, joined hosts Jocelyn Lewis and Chris Sparenberg to explore innovation, the dynamic nature of capital raising and the importance of due diligence.

 

Samuels offered insights into the evolution of private credit, as well as the convergence of public and private markets. She discussed how economic disruption is shaping investment strategies and shared her perspectives on building investor relationships, managing risk and the future of institutional capital in private markets. 

In case you missed it

  • Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing anticipates its robust IPO pipeline to reinforce its status as a top global venue for equity fundraising in 2026, following a successful 2025 with 119 IPOs raising HK$286.9 billion.
  • Domestic European flat steel prices have soared to their highest levels since early 2024, driven by stricter EU trade defenses and the full implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, both of which are poised to alter traditional import trade flows.
  • Short sellers increased their bets against North American IT companies in January, driving average short interest in the sector to 6.44% of shares outstanding — the highest level in the past 13 months, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.

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