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Daily Update — November 17, 2025

COP30 Insights; GenAI Adoption Skyrocketing; and SPIVA Midyear 2025 Results

Today is Monday, November 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

COP30 Preview: Insights on Climate Action and Energy Transition | Look Forward

 

In this episode of the “Look Forward” podcast, Lindsey Hall, global head of thought leadership at S&P Global Sustainable1, and Eklavya Gupte, head of carbon news reporting at S&P Global Commodity Insights, joined host Andy Critchlow to explore the discussions surrounding the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil.

 

The conversation included key themes such as carbon emissions reduction, the balance between economic development and sustainability, and the evolving role of private sector finance in climate adaptation. Tune in to gain insights on the geopolitical landscape, the significance of multilateralism and expected outcomes from this pivotal global gathering.

Artificial Intelligence

Adoption of generative AI tools is skyrocketing in the US, led by ChatGPT

 

Nearly half of US internet adults recently surveyed use at least one generative AI tool, such as ChatGPT or Gemini. The rapid adoption of GenAI is due to its widespread use for online searches and work-related tasks. Results from S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan’s US Consumer Insights surveys show that consumer adoption of GenAI tools has risen significantly over the past 18 months. In early 2024, 24% of surveyed US internet adults reported using GenAI. This figure grew to 33% by fall 2024 and has risen to 46% in late 2025.

 

GenAI applications are being used as stand-alone tools and integrated into websites and mobile apps to enhance chat and search functionality. This technology is powerful because it makes it easy for consumers to continue doing what they have already been doing: using conversational queries.

Benchmarks

SPIVA Mid-Year 2025 Results Around the World

 

For more than 20 years, S&P Dow Jones Indices’ SPIVA® Scorecards have evaluated the performance of active funds against their appropriate benchmarks on a biannual basis. The results of our regional SPIVA Scorecards continue to show that active outperformance is rare, especially over the long term. Across 11 regions, 54% of all equity funds underperformed in the first half. Not coincidentally, this result is consistent with the relatively benign 54% underperformance rate for our largest and most-watched category of US large-cap equity funds, which is on track for its lowest annual underperformance rate since 2022.

 

Outside the US, there were additional bright spots. For example, most emerging markets equity funds outperformed, while international equity and global equity funds had slightly more difficulty beating their respective benchmarks.

In case you missed it

  • India's inflows of Russian crude oil could rise further in November as refiners expedite purchases ahead of the US deadline on sanctioned companies. Imports increased in October due to higher domestic demand during the festival season.
  • Tokyo Steel Manufacturing announced that its pickled hot-rolled sheet was adopted in several vehicle models in production at Toyota Motor.
  • Growing doubts over the timeline for Germany to implement the EU's Renewable Energy Directive III this year are creating uncertainty in the market, with a leaked document suggesting that late changes to various biofuels policies are still under discussion.

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