Global

• L'Asia è emersa come il nuovo centro del boom globale dell'IA, superando la Silicon Valley, alimentata dalla crescente domanda di chip per l'IA che ha spinto al rialzo i titoli tecnologici asiatici. • Il rally guidato dall'IA ha portato il Kospi della Corea del Sud a un nuovo record di chiusura di 7.981,41, in rialzo dell'1,8%, supportato dai titoli tecnologici a fronte di solidi risultati aziendali in Giappone. • Gli investitori hanno monitorato le approvazioni degli Stati Uniti per circa 10 aziende cinesi, tra cui Alibaba e Tencent, per l'acquisto di chip AI di Nvidia, tema evidenziato durante la visita di Trump in Cina insieme al CEO di Nvidia, Jensen Huang.

• WISeKey ha trasformato la sua iniziativa HUMAN-AI-T in un movimento globale dopo il lancio a Davos 2026, promuovendo lo sviluppo etico dell'IA e framework di governance centrati sull'uomo. • L'iniziativa richiede pratiche di IA responsabili con la supervisione umana come elemento centrale, affrontando le crescenti preoccupazioni riguardanti i sistemi di IA autonomi privi di adeguate tutele etiche. • Il movimento di WISeKey riflette la pressione del settore a stabilire standard di governance per l'IA, mentre l'implementazione accelera in settori critici, tra cui la cybersecurity e la finanza.

• La Cina ha lanciato ufficialmente il 12 maggio 2026 una piattaforma di servizi educativi basata sull'intelligenza artificiale a livello globale, per ampliare l'accesso internazionale alle risorse di apprendimento digitale. • La piattaforma integra strumenti guidati dall'AI per l'apprendimento personalizzato, l'erogazione di contenuti multilingue e moduli interattivi che supportano oltre 100 lingue. • Questa iniziativa rafforza il soft power della Cina nella tecnologia dell'istruzione, in un contesto di intensificantesi competizione globale nelle applicazioni di AI per i mercati del Sud-est e dell'Asia orientale.

• Una campagna durata decenni, alimentata dalle prospettive delle pazienti, ha portato al passaggio da PCOS – un nome che ha causato confusione e sofferenze indebite – a PMOS • Dopo più di un decennio di consultazioni globali, la sindrome dell'ovaio policistico (PCOS) – una condizione che colpisce una donna su otto – ha cambiato nome. • Il disturbo ormonale, che si stima riguardi 170 milioni di donne in tutto il mondo, sarà ora noto come sindrome ovarica metabolica poliendocrina (PMOS). Continua a leggere...

• Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) ha annunciato l'intenzione di raccogliere la cifra record di 20 miliardi di dollari per il suo più grande megafondo focalizzato sull'AI, superando i fondi precedenti del 25%. • La raccolta di fondi avviene in un contesto di crescita accelerata dell'industria globale dell'IA, con a16z che punta a investimenti in infrastrutture, modelli e applicazioni AI. • Questo megafondo sottolinea la fiducia dei VC nel potenziale trasformativo dell'IA, alimentando potenzialmente startup nei settori del compute, dei dati e del software aziendale in mezzo alla concorrenza di rivali come Sequoia e SoftBank.

• Banco Santander ha lanciato l'11 maggio 2026 il Santander X Global Challenge | The Quantum AI Leap, alla ricerca di aziende innovative con le migliori soluzioni nel calcolo quantistico e nell'IA. • La sfida vede come partner IBM, Bluzec e Oxentia Foundation per identificare scoperte in grado di affrontare applicazioni del mondo reale nella finanza e in altri settori. • Aperta a partecipanti globali, l'iniziativa sottolinea il crescente investimento aziendale negli ibridi quantum-AI per risolvere problemi computazionali complessi più velocemente rispetto ai sistemi classici.

• Antara News reports Indonesia initiating steps to establish Bali as a global financial hub, capitalizing on its status as Southeast Asia's largest economy with over 280 million people and GDP exceeding US$1.4 trillion. • The initiative counters global slowdowns, trade wars, and investment competition by fostering financial services, fintech, and sustainable investment in the tourism-rich island. • Key measures include regulatory reforms, tax incentives, and infrastructure upgrades to attract international capital and position Bali as a rival to Singapore and Hong Kong.

• Asia's tech leaders including Tencent and Alibaba are becoming central to the global AI boom through massive investments and innovations. • The industry center of gravity shifts eastward as Chinese firms develop competitive AI models and infrastructure. • These companies challenge Western dominance by scaling applications in e-commerce, cloud, and consumer tech.

• Global cancer cases have surged dramatically, doubling since 1990 with 18.5 million new diagnoses recorded in 2023, representing a significant increase in disease burden worldwide. • Cancer deaths have climbed to over 10 million annually, with the steepest increases occurring in low- and middle-income countries where healthcare infrastructure remains limited. • The surge underscores widening health disparities and highlights the urgent need for expanded cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment programs in underserved regions.

• South Korea's Kospi index surged 78% year-to-date, with Taiwan shares among the world's top performers this month as investors redirect capital flows to Asian equities for the next leg of the global rally. • Morgan Stanley forecasts Asia's fixed asset investment will jump from $11 trillion in 2025 to $16 trillion by 2030, driven by AI infrastructure, energy security, and defense spending reshaping the region's industrial cycle. • Semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. are key beneficiaries, with implied volatility for Taiwan and Korea climbing to peak levels versus the S&P 500 as option costs rise amid investor enthusiasm.

• Asia-focused ETFs representing Japan, China, South Korea, and Taiwan are outperforming in 2026, driven by a structural re-rating of Asian growth prospects as global investors seek alternatives to high-valuation U.S. mega-cap technology stocks. • Semiconductor and hardware infrastructure sectors are the primary beneficiaries of ongoing global AI expansion, with integrated supply chains across Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea attracting significant catch-up trades from international investors. • A broader stabilization in the U.S. dollar is acting as a tailwind for developed and emerging Asian equities, reducing the cost of dollar-denominated debt for regional corporations and improving competitive positioning.

• Shares in South Korea and Taiwan have rallied the most globally this month, with South Korea's Kospi index surging 78% year-to-date amid optimism for tech-driven gains. • Traders are positioning for Asia's technology leaders to lead the next phase of the worldwide stocks rally, focusing on semiconductor and electronics firms in these markets. • The outperformance underscores Asia's pivotal role in global equities, potentially sustaining momentum if U.S. and European markets stabilize.

• China is aggressively scaling its AI-driven cyber defense market as US developers Anthropic and OpenAI unveil new models with enhanced cybersecurity capabilities, intensifying competition in AI security innovation. • IDC projects China's AI cybersecurity industry will reach 59.35 billion yuan ($8.7 billion) by 2030, representing a more than 37-fold increase from 1.58 billion yuan ($230 million) in 2025. • Anthropic's Mythos model, launched in April, sparked rapid global response due to its unprecedented speed and efficiency in discovering and exploiting cybersecurity vulnerabilities, prompting competitive responses from Chinese developers.

• China's fourth-generation independent superconducting quantum computer, "Origin Wukong 180," officially went online on May 9, 2026, and began accepting quantum computing tasks from users worldwide. • The 180-qubit system represents a significant advancement in China's quantum computing capabilities and marks progress toward building indigenous quantum technology infrastructure independent of foreign systems. • The launch demonstrates China's commitment to achieving technological self-sufficiency in emerging computing domains and competing with quantum research initiatives in the United States and Europe.

• A U.S. trade court declared President Trump's proposed 10% tariffs on global imports unlawful, marking a significant legal setback for his trade agenda. • The ruling, issued within the past 2 hours, stems from challenges by importers arguing the tariffs exceed presidential authority under existing trade laws. • This decision matters as it disrupts Trump's strategy to pressure trading partners like China and the EU amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

• India's Department of Financial Services Secretary has raised alarms over Anthropic's new AI model, stating it has amplified global cybersecurity concerns. • The development has drawn attention from banking regulators worldwide, prompting calls for immediate action to mitigate potential risks from this AI advancement. • This warning underscores the escalating threats posed by advanced AI in financial sectors, urging regulatory bodies to prioritize safeguards amid rapid technological changes.

Trump also issues new deadline for EU to implement trade deal terms before raising tariffs to ‘much higher levels’The US trade court on Thursday ruled against Donald Trump’s latest 10% global tariffs, finding across-the-board tariffs were not justified under a 1970s trade law.The US Court of International Trade ruled in favor of small businesses that challenged the tariffs, which took effect on 24 February. The ruling was 2-1, with one judge saying it was premature to grant victory to the small business plaintiffs. Continue reading...

Powerful property and farming firm Grosvenor Group says knock-on effect of Iran war could arrive next yearFertiliser shortages caused by the Iran war have driven up costs for UK farmers by up to 70% and will have a “dramatic” impact on food prices globally next year, according to one of Britain’s most powerful property and farming companies.Mark Preston, executive trustee of the 349-year-old Grosvenor Group, controlled by the Duke of Westminster, said fertiliser “was already quite expensive” before the 50% to 70% surge in prices since the start of the Iran war in late February. Continue reading...

The death of the media mogul who transformed TV news was confirmed by his family and reported by CNNTed Turner, the media mogul who founded CNN, has died at 87, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing a news release from Turner Enterprises.In a statement, Mark Thompson, the chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide said that “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement.” Continue reading...

With most major European cities well-served by trains and buses, bringing US transit up to par would cost $4.6tnThe only train station in Houston, the US’s fourth-largest city and one of the fastest-growing conurbations in the country, is a diminished, morose sight. Intercity trains arrive at this squat, shed-like Amtrak building, which cringes in the shadows of roaring highways, just three times a week.That such a meager train station could ostensibly serve a metropolitan area of about 7 million people is a stark symbol of how the sprawling, car-dominated US has fallen behind cities around the world where people can rely on extensive, high-quality public transport to get around. Continue reading...

• Singapore hosted a gathering of global leaders at Capella Singapore to examine the economic and policy impacts of artificial intelligence deployment worldwide. • The event focused on how governments and organizations can implement AI responsibly while fostering innovation and maintaining digital competitiveness in their respective markets. • This policy-focused dialogue reflects Singapore's strategic positioning as a regional hub for technology governance and AI ethics discussions in the Asia-Pacific region.

US president pauses ‘Project Freedom’ to work on ‘final agreement’ with Tehran; stocks also ride high on AI euphoriaGood morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.Asian stock markets hit record highs, following in Wall Street’s footsteps, and oil prices retreated after Donald Trump hailed “great progress” towards a “final agreement” with Tehran.on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran”.Investors bought and continue to add to positioning in the 2026 winners. There has been some buying in S&P 500 materials stocks, but it’s tech that continues to attract the bulk of flows, notably in Apple and the memory plays.9am BST: Eurozone services and composite PMIs for April9.30am BST: UK services and composite PMIs for April1.15pm BST: US ADP employment change for April Continue reading...

• Consul General Pratik Mathur stated in Caixin Global that India is emerging as a global AI system-builder, showcased at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. • IndiaAI initiative forms a full-stack ecosystem including compute, data, models, skills, startups, and governance, beyond typical R&D grants. • A nationally accessible GPU backbone democratizes AI development, preventing monopolization by large firms.

• Moody's has identified India as one of the most resilient economies globally, demonstrating strong market stability through recent international financial disruptions without significant capital market access constraints. • The rating agency noted that India maintained limited and short-lived movements in sovereign credit spreads, contained currency depreciation, and stable bond yield volatility during episodes of global stress. • India's central bank and institutional framework successfully anchored investor confidence and smoothed currency volatility, setting it apart from weaker peer economies facing similar external pressures.

Lenders increase borrowing rates by 0.25%; pro-Palestine meeting barred from council venue goes ahead outside in Darlington. Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNext week’s federal budget will fund a dedicated national centre to detect and disrupt the evolving threat of online violent extremism and terrorism.The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, will announce the $74m in funding over two years for the project on Wednesday. It is part of the government’s response to the Bondi terror attack in December.A bolstered online threat capability will give AFP and Asio the resources they need to target terrorists and violent extremists online.Just because I, and other people, might find it personally offensive does not mean that governments have unlimited power to constitutionally strike down the right of everybody else to freedom of political communication. Continue reading...

• AI agent startup Sierra Technologies announced a $950 million funding round at a $15 billion valuation, just eight months after closing a $350 million Series A round. • Alphabet Inc.'s GV venture capital arm and Tiger Global led the investment round, joined by Benchmark, Sequoia, Greenoaks, and several other investors. • The rapid $15 billion valuation reflects investor confidence in Sierra's AI agent capabilities for enterprise applications.

• DeepInfra, a Palo Alto-based AI infrastructure company, secured $107 million in Series B funding to expand its global AI inference cloud platform. • The funding will be used to enhance the company's cloud infrastructure capabilities and support for AI model deployment across regions. • DeepInfra competes in the rapidly growing AI infrastructure market alongside companies like Together AI and Replicate, addressing demand for cost-effective inference services.

• India emerged as top global investment destination, surpassing China with strong capital inflows per Quant Mutual Fund report. • Nominal GDP growth outpaced China's, bolstered by stable fiscal policies, liquidity support, and credit expansion. • Investor shift to large-caps with selective mid/small-cap plays follows equity correction stabilization and improving earnings outlook.