Daily Update — October 31, 2025
Europe Gas Demand; Pressure on US, Canada Speculative-grade Issuers; and AI in Logistics
Today is Friday, October 31, 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 European gas demand forecast to fall up to 10% from 2024–2030: IEA
Demand for natural gas among European countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is expected to fall by 8%–10% between 2024 and 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. The shift comes amid a push toward renewable power generation and improved energy efficiency by residential and commercial consumers, chiefly in Western Europe.
The agency said that its forecasts are contingent on factors such as weather conditions and that Eastern European gas demand would marginally increase as the power generation sector moves away from older coal- and lignite-fired plants.
Economy
Q3 2025 U.S. And Canada Leveraged Finance Summary Report: On The Tightrope
Speculative-grade corporates in the US and Canada are “on the tightrope,” according to an Oct. 27 report on leveraged finance by S&P Global Ratings. Credit downgrades outpaced upgrades among speculative-grade issuers during the third quarter, the report said.
The declining interest rate environment and resilient earnings have supported credit quality among these companies to date. However, broader pressures — including slowing earnings growth, rising costs, and persistent trade tensions and policy uncertainty — remain key risks, analysts said.
Artificial Intelligence
AI agents proliferate in logistics despite skepticism
AI is increasingly being integrated into shipping and logistics, with third-party logistics providers building AI agents into their stand-alone software. “Agents are popping up in virtually every software platform with which shippers interact,” said Eric Johnson, senior technology editor at the Journal of Commerce by S&P Global.
Established industry players such as C.H. Robinson and Maersk are deploying AI agents to help with data extraction and improve customers’ access to large datasets. Meanwhile, newer startups such as Ship Angel are turning to AI agents for shipment booking and tracking.
In case you missed it
- The rice import ban imposed by the Philippines to support domestic farmers is unlikely to last until April due to the country’s production deficit, Mohit Agarwal, senior vice president and country head of Olam Agri Vietnam, said in an interview with S&P Global Commodity Insights.
- The residential real estate sector of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has grown significantly in the off-plan property segment this year. S&P Global Ratings expects that most new housing units completed in the next two years will be absorbed by the city’s growing population, limiting the potential risk of oversupply. However, demand and price growth are forecast to continue moderating.
- The growing role of AI in banking was among the main themes highlighted by keynote speakers across European banking conferences this year. In this video from S&P Global Ratings, analysts Osman Sattar, Nicholas Charnay, Giles Edwards and Miriam Fernández shared key insights and takeaways from the events.
Upcoming events
- World Biofuels, Ethanol & Feedstocks Conference | November 3–5 (Barcelona, Spain)
- Venture Global - Rationale for Recent Rating Changes and Implications of Looming Arbitration Hearings | November 3 (Webinar)
- S&P Global at PRI in Person and the Climate Action Innovation Zone | November 3–7 (São Paulo)