Daily Update: US Climate Strategies; AI Thematic Tools; and APAC Private Credit Growth

Today is Thursday, March 13, 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

Adapting climate strategies as US sees shift in political support for the energy transition

In this episode of “Energy Evolution,” host?Taylor Kuykendall?speaks with?Mark Brownstein, leader of energy transition efforts at the Environmental Defense Fund, about environmental and climate priorities related to the energy transition.

They discuss the evolving geopolitical landscape impacting energy policies, the role of market forces in advancing clean energy technologies and private sector adaptation amid changing political support. The conversation also touches on the collaborative effort needed in permitting reform and the critical actions required to ensure the energy transition maintains momentum through 2025 and beyond.?

Learn more about transition opportunities with specialist opinions, market outlooks, data insights and strategic forums at the Sustainable1 Summit.

Artificial Intelligence

How AI Tools Are Helping Track Thematics

What is powering the latest innovations in thematics? S&P Dow Jones Indices head of thematic indices, Ari Rajendra, and Invesco’s Chris Mellor, head of exchange-traded fund equity product management for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, discuss the rise of thematic investing and how AI and natural language processing technologies are sharpening the tools that track transformative trends.?

From AI to clean energy, investors are turning to index-based solutions for cost-efficient, curated access to the megatrends reshaping our world. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ transparent thematic indexes combine advanced technology, access to exclusive datasets and leading analysts’ deep expertise to track long-term, market-altering themes with precision.

Learn more about S&P Dow Jones Indices’ Thematic Index Solutions.?

Private Markets

APAC-focused private credit fundraising ticks up in 2024

Asia-Pacific-focused private credit fundraising grew slightly year over year in 2024 to $5.89 billion across 33 funds from $5.48 billion across 32 funds. Two Asia-Pacific-focused private credit funds have already raised $120 million in 2025.?

The growth of private credit can, in part, be attributed to stricter bank regulations and limited funding sources, in addition to attractive risk-adjusted returns. Some believe that the implementation of Basel III — a global regulatory policy that will enforce higher capital requirements on banks and subsequently reduce lending activities — has also played a part in the rising popularity of private credit and alternative financing for Asia-Pacific companies.?

Learn more about Private Credit Solutions from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

In case you missed it

• Slower demand growth and reduced optimism caused global employment to fall for the first time in three months in February.
• Iran is open to negotiations concerning the military uses of its nuclear program but is not willing to discuss dismantling its civilian nuclear program.
• Singapore's three largest banks are shifting focus to neighboring countries as they brace for potentially protectionist policies in the US.
• Beijing ByteDance Telecommunications, the owner of TikTok, is the world's most valuable unicorn —?a privately held company valued at more than $1 billion.

Upcoming events

• Talk to the Specialists - An AI-fueled resurgence story – US datacenters and nuclear energy outlook?| March 18 (Webinar)
• The 2024 Top Banks & Credit Unions Ranking Release Live?| March 18 (Webinar)
• Asia-Pacific Corporate & Infrastructure Outlook Virtual Conference 2025 | March 19 (Virtual Conference)
• Sustainable1 Summit 2025?| April 30 (In-person: London) and June 26 (In-person: Singapore)