Boom

• Vietnam is experiencing a surge in large-scale data center investments driven by the accelerating demand for AI, cloud computing, and the broader data economy. • Current installed capacity of approximately 104MW is projected to grow five-to-six-fold, reaching nearly 600MW by 2030. • This boom positions Vietnam as one of the highest-potential markets in the region, attracting billions of dollars in foreign and domestic capital.

There has been a 76% increase in under-construction gas-fired projects amid ‘frenzy’ to build more datacentersThe US has surged ahead of China in the building of new gas-fired power generation, largely to feed a boom in artificial intelligence (AI) that is adding vast amounts of planet-heating emissions, a new analysis has found.For decades, China’s rapid economic growth has seen it outpace the US in the addition of new gas power generation but a recent “frenzy” in datacenter construction for AI has reversed this, said Global Energy Monitor (Gem) in its new report. Continue reading...

• The UK government is providing funding to promising AI chip startups to establish a stronger domestic foothold in the semiconductor industry. • This strategic investment aims to reduce reliance on foreign technology and foster a homegrown ecosystem of hardware innovation. • The move is critical as global competition intensifies between the US and China for dominance in AI infrastructure and high-performance computing.

• South Korea is launching a "Future Fund" designed to promote long-term economic growth by investing in emerging industries. • The fund will be financed using "windfall revenue" generated from increased tax collections, largely driven by the current global semiconductor boom. • This initiative aims to diversify the national economy and reduce reliance on traditional sectors by fostering innovation and future-tech development.

• The author draws parallels between the current AI-fueled stock boom and the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s to warn of a potential market crash. • Key indicators include a period of insatiable demand and astonishing fundamental growth, similar to how millions of new users connected to the internet during the previous bubble. • This comparison matters because it suggests that while the underlying technology of AI is transformative, the current market valuations may be unsustainable.

• Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) reported record first-half 2026 results, with profits increasing 24% to HK$10.6 billion. • Growth was primarily driven by record trading volumes and a surge in IPO activity, specifically among technology and AI-focused companies. • A total of 87 listings were completed during this period, successfully raising HK$212.4 billion in capital.

• Vietnam remained the fastest-growing major economy in Southeast Asia during the second quarter, while Thailand experienced the slowest growth in the region. • Malaysia and Singapore followed as the second- and third-fastest expanding economies, driven by strong global demand for semiconductors and tech supply chain components. • In contrast, the Philippines and Thailand faced economic headwinds due to surging energy costs linked to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

• Leopold Aschenbrenner’s AI hedge fund suffered a 67% loss in July after margin calls triggered a forced liquidation of its portfolio. • The collapse highlights the significant risks associated with using high leverage to bet on volatile AI-sector stocks. • Despite the losses, the fund remains active in the industry, investing $400 million into Source Foundry, a chip-making startup valued at nearly $5 billion.

• Nvidia and six major investment firms have announced a plan to channel over $500 billion (€433bn) into AI infrastructure. • The initiative establishes "compute financing platforms" using private credit, insurance funds, and institutional capital to fund the construction of data centers. • This arrangement is significant because it allows tech companies to scale their AI capabilities without loading massive infrastructure costs onto their own balance sheets.

• Southeast Asia is experiencing an AI boom, driving significant investments in cloud infrastructure, semiconductor production, and data centers across the region. • Malaysia has become the fastest-growing data center market, benefiting from a 2019 moratorium on new facilities in Singapore due to land and energy constraints. • Major tech giants, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services, are launching large-scale projects in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Several firms promised to disrupt the consumer credit market by offering consumers their purchases instantly and the bill later. Did it work?Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAfterpay has never turned a profit in Australia. Last month, it spent millions to take over a Sydney Olympic Park arena.The company says Afterpay Arena will be the first venue where Australians can “buy now, pay later” for their event tickets, merchandise, dinner and even alcohol. Continue reading...

• The global Tourism-as-a-Service (TaaS) market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the integration of technology-enabled, on-demand, and personalized travel solutions. • Industry giants such as Booking Holdings, Expedia Group, and Airbnb are leading the shift toward a service-driven ecosystem for consumers and tourism organizations. • This transformation matters as it moves the industry away from static bookings toward integrated experiences that cater to specific user preferences in real-time.

• A recent leadership shakeup at Google DeepMind in London has sparked concerns regarding the loss of domestic control over critical AI talent and infrastructure. • The situation highlights a broader trend of foreign takeovers, specifically how U.S.-based giants like Google absorb top-tier British innovation. • This shift matters because it impacts high-value job creation and ensures that strategic decision-making power is moved away from the UK.

• Singapore has increased its 2026 economic growth forecast to 4.5%-5.5%, up from the previous estimate of 2.0%-4.0%. • This upward revision follows a strong Q2 performance where the economy grew 5.9% year-on-year. • The growth is primarily driven by a surge in AI-related investments and a more resilient global economy despite conflicts in the Middle East.

• Singapore has upgraded its 2026 economic growth forecast to as high as 5.5%, driven by a surge in the artificial intelligence boom. • The growth is primarily fueled by increased demand in trade and manufacturing, which is helping to offset the negative impact of continued high inflation. • This trend mirrors a broader regional pattern where the global appetite for AI technology is significantly boosting the economies of neighboring hubs like Taiwan and South Korea.

• Streaming platforms are increasingly investing in celebrity documentaries, transitioning the genre from niche programming to a mainstream "docu-entertainment" business. • Industry leaders, including Imagine Documentaries president Sara Bernstein, highlight that these projects are relatively inexpensive to produce while maintaining high production quality. • The boom is driven by strong audience demand and the ability for platforms to secure high-profile subjects, such as the subject of "Marty, Life Is Short."

• European tech giants including SAP, Capgemini, and Sopra Steria are seeing increased growth as clients transition from AI experimentation to full-scale deployment. • Demand is strongest in the defense, aerospace, and critical infrastructure sectors, where sovereignty, security, and regulatory compliance are primary concerns. • Airbus has specifically partnered with Scaleway (owned by Iliad) and Mistral to deploy AI tools for sensitive industrial and defense applications.

• Forbes Asia released its 2026 Best Under A Billion list on August 4, highlighting 200 top-performing small and mid-sized listed companies across the Asia-Pacific region. • Malaysia saw a significant surge in representation, with the number of included firms more than doubling to 19 companies. • The growth is largely attributed to the AI boom and the expanding data center industry, exemplified by the debut of Southern Cable Group on the list.

• Asia is entering a $5 trillion energy investment "supercycle" as the rapid expansion of AI-driven data centers creates an unprecedented surge in power demand. • Morgan Stanley analyst Mayank Maheshwari warns that the region has reached a critical inflection point where energy infrastructure cannot keep pace with AI growth. • This "power wall" threatens to stall the AI boom, as data centers require massive amounts of electricity and cooling, straining existing national grids.

• Asian stock markets experienced a massive rebound, adding nearly $1 trillion in value during a single trading session. • The surge was driven by renewed investor optimism surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) following strong earnings reports from tech giants Microsoft and Amazon. • This recovery marks one of the strongest historical rebounds for the region, signaling a shift in market sentiment toward high-growth tech sectors.

• Major AI-linked stocks experienced significant volatility, with Alphabet falling 15%, Meta dropping 10%, and Micron plunging 41% from its peak. • Conversely, Microsoft surged 8%, supported by Samsung's reports on chip shortages and Amazon's advancements in cloud computing. • European markets, specifically the DAX and STOXX, remained stable and did not panic despite the intermittent volatility and concerns over $255 billion in annual capital outlays.

• Leopold Aschenbrenner, a 24-year-old former OpenAI researcher known for predicting the AI investment boom, has experienced a sharp reversal in his hedge fund's fortunes. • Within weeks of its launch, the fund sold its entire publicly traded portfolio to Citadel, leaving it primarily with private holdings. • The remaining portfolio is dominated by a stake of approximately $5 billion in the AI startup Anthropic, alongside other private investments.

• Irish construction firms are expanding their operations into Europe following a surge in data center growth, leveraging expertise gained from Ireland's domestic boom. • While grid capacity concerns have slowed new projects within Ireland, companies like Sisk are now securing contracts in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. • This shift allows Irish builders to export specialized technical skills to other EU markets facing similar digital infrastructure demands.

• Samsung Electronics reported a record operating profit of ₩89.5 trillion (€54 billion) for the April-to-June period, marking a 56% increase quarter-on-quarter. • The company's semiconductor division saw a massive surge, with operating profit jumping to ₩89.2 trillion (€53.8 billion), which is 223 times the ₩0.4 trillion recorded a year earlier. • This growth is driven by the global AI boom, which has significantly increased the demand for high-performance memory chips and infrastructure.

• AI startup funding reached $510 billion in the first half of 2026, already surpassing the total investment recorded for the entire year of 2025. • The investment surge is primarily driven by a focus on critical infrastructure, semiconductor chips, robotics, and enterprise-level AI solutions. • This boom is fueled by growing commercial demand as businesses integrate AI tools into sectors such as healthcare, finance, cybersecurity, and manufacturing.

• AI-related chip stocks, led by industry giants Nvidia, SK Hynix, and Samsung Electronics, have seen a massive selloff resulting in a loss of over $1 trillion in market value. • The decline is attributed to investors correcting "froth" in the AI market amid growing concerns over AI financing and increasing competition from China. • Despite the volatility, analysts like David Riedel of Riedel Research Group suggest the market remains healthy and that memory chipmakers are simply shedding sudden, unsustainable gains.

• South Korea's benchmark KOSPI index experienced a steep decline as the AI-driven investment boom faded and interest in semiconductor chipmakers dropped. • In response to the market volatility, Bank of Korea Governor Koo and heads of financial regulators held an emergency meeting late Wednesday to address the crisis. • The plunge highlights the vulnerability of the South Korean economy to shifts in global AI sentiment and the heavy concentration of its market in the chip sector.

• South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index experienced a steep decline as the AI-driven investment boom began to fade. • The plunge was primarily driven by a drop in investor interest and confidence in major semiconductor chipmakers. • Frank Benzimra of Societe Generale noted that the market correction hit stocks with the highest leverage most severely.