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Daily Update — March 17, 2025

US Grid Challenges; Capacity Middle East 2025; and The Market Measure

Today is Monday, March 17, 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.

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Energy Transition & Sustainability

CERAWeek: FERC chairman lays out demand challenge facing US grids

 

As power demand increases significantly due in part to datacenter operators, the US grid needs more dispatchable power, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Mark Christie told “Energy Evolution” host Taylor Kuykendall on the sidelines of S&P Global’s CERAWeek conference in Houston.

 

Kuykendall will host additional “Energy Evolution” episodes for the next several days featuring CERAWeek guests.

Artificial Intelligence

Capacity Middle East 2025: Growth in datacenters and AI

 

The Capacity Middle East 2025 conference, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in February, brought together industry leaders to discuss the current state of and projections for the datacenter market in the Middle East and Africa, with a particular focus on Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Key themes included the transformative potential of AI, the necessity for resilient digital infrastructure and the evolving demands of hyperscale cloud providers. The conference underscored a collective ambition to leverage the region's innovation and growth capabilities, emphasizing that the Middle East is becoming increasingly attractive to hyperscalers seeking new revenue streams.

 

The discussions highlighted the importance of enhanced connectivity, particularly subsea routes, to support the region's digital evolution and AI applications. While significant investments are being made, there are challenges, such as the need for deregulation and a more competitive market. Panelists expressed optimism about the region's potential, particularly in Saudi Arabia, which aims to become a major Gulf Cooperation Council datacenter hub. 

 

Learn more about AI’s role in datacenter growth at S&P Global Market Intelligence’s upcoming webinar, Talk to the Specialists: An AI-fueled resurgence story – US datacenters and nuclear energy outlook.

Benchmarks

Watch: The Market Measure: March 2025

 

Meet “The Market Measure” — a new video series providing fresh perspectives on markets through the lens of indexes. Each month, get access to insights across geographies, asset classes and investment strategies.

 

Which factors weathered the mega-cap slump that dragged the S&P 500 down in February? Explore highlights from the latest SPIVA US Scorecard and the defensive factors standing up to challenging markets in this episode of “The Market Measure.”

In case you missed it

  • The International Energy Agency forecasts that US tariffs will slow global oil demand in 2025, it said March 13, warning that macroeconomic pressure could outweigh the stimulus effects of softer oil prices.
  • India’s electric vehicle industry is gaining momentum as automakers race to capitalize on this emerging market. New models are being introduced, charging infrastructure is expanding and sales are rising.
  • The Trump administration is likely to succeed in brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, which could bring some stability to the oil market, according to investor Jim Rogers, chairman of Beeland Interests and co-founder of the Quantum Fund with George Soros.

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