Daily Update — October 16, 2025
APAC Power Projects; US Economy During Uncertainty; and Evolving Index Solutions
Today is Thursday, October 16, 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.
Energy Transition & Sustainability
OECD Asia-Pacific power projects: timelines and challenges
Investments in new power capacity within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Asia-Pacific are accelerating, particularly in Australia, Japan and South Korea, as these markets advance their energy transition, replace retiring plants and address fast-growing demand from data centers. Yet, moving a project from plan to reality is rarely quick or simple. Developers must navigate years of regulatory approvals, technical assessments and grid challenges before reaching the commissioning stage.
Understanding the project timelines, along with risks and enablers, is crucial for making informed investment decisions. S&P Global Commodity Insights analyzed average developed timelines by technology and the structural bottlenecks shaping the pace of new capacity growth across OECD Asia-Pacific.
Economy
Listen: Forecasting the US Economy in Uncertain Times | The Decisive
In this episode of “The Decisive” podcast, host Kristen Hallam engaged in an insightful discussion with Ben Herzon, co-head of US economics at S&P Global Market Intelligence. They explored the complexities of economic forecasting in turbulent times, focusing on how to differentiate between signal and noise in economic data. Herzon shared his expertise on the significance of the Purchasing Managers’ Index as a leading indicator for economic trends, particularly its role in forecasting industrial production and GDP.
They also explored the impact of tariffs on inflation and economic growth, highlighting the resilience of the US economy amid recent challenges. Herzon discussed the factors contributing to the growth outlook, including recent budget legislation, federal spending and inventory management by businesses.
Private Markets
Evolving Index Solutions Are Bringing Transparency to Private Markets
The investment landscape is undergoing a marked transformation as private markets, which were the domain of institutional investors, have generated increasing interest among retail investors. US retail fundraising in alternative investments reached US$122 billion in 2025, and a State Street survey reported that 56% of institutional investors expect retail-style vehicles to account for over half of private market fund flows by 2027.
This shift reflects a broader rethinking of diversification, return potential and portfolio construction strategies. As interest in private equity and private credit continues expanding, S&P Dow Jones Indices is positioned to support this growing demand through innovative index-based solutions that promote transparency, efficiency and accessibility.
In case you missed it
- The Progressive Corp. is the world's fourth-largest property and casualty insurer by revenue after its gross premiums earned surged more than 20% year over year in 2024.
- Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, shipped 7.1 million metric tons of wheat between July and September, down 18.4% year over year from 8.7 MMt.
- Despite persistent geopolitical headwinds, emerging markets are experiencing a resurgence of investor interest and capital inflows in 2025, fueled by strong growth, attractive real yields, expectations of lower US interest rates and the desire for diversification beyond developed markets.
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