Oct 30, 2025

I recently learned that insurers are increasingly turning to private markets, with a significant percentage planning to utilize reinsurance sidecars in the near future. The peaking power plants market is expected to see substantial growth, reaching a projected value of $153.46 billion by 2029. Changes in China’s policies, particularly the cancellation of the 13% VAT export rebate, are anticipated to impact the solar market prices significantly. The electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market is set to surpass $6.6 trillion due to efforts in renewable energy transition and decentralization.

Moreover, there is a noticeable shift in focus among life insurers towards providing support for longer retirements through wealth and care services. Swiss Re has introduced senior-targeted cancer coverage bundled with health or annuity plans. The wind electricity market is also poised for significant expansion, predicted to reach $304.47 billion by 2029 driven by investments in clean energy. Notably, smaller cities in China are boosting consumption in the foodservice sector, with the sector’s value rising to $385 billion in the first half of the year.

In other news, hedge-fund manager Kevin Smith has been seeing success in gold stocks, with his hedge funds doubling in value this year. He holds a positive outlook on gold stocks and a negative view on the tech sector, particularly singling out the Magnificent Nine tech stocks as overvalued. Smith has taken short positions on certain tech stocks, believing the sector to be crowded. He remains optimistic about gold-mining stocks despite short-term fluctuations.

Additionally, several startups have secured significant funding, such as a corporate e-bike fleet startup raising $12.6 million and Uptiq AI, a provider of AI infrastructure for financial services, securing $12 million in funding. Noteworthy among the funding news is Zar, a Pakistani fintech firm raising $12 million led by a16z. Mergers and acquisitions are also making headlines, with FleetPride merging with TruckPro to create a heavy-duty truck and trailer parts distributor, among other notable deals.

Furthermore, big tech companies like Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta are exploring innovative ways to finance data center projects without selling debt, opting for special purpose vehicles (SPVs) or joint ventures to raise necessary funds. This financial engineering approach has seen popularity among tech firms to undertake projects without impacting their credit ratings. The use of SPVs and joint ventures is proving to be a strategic method to address funding needs for capital-intensive projects across various industries, showcasing the importance of financial innovation in the corporate landscape.

Stay Well!