POSCO's $7.3B India Steel Mill Deal, Brent Crude Breaks $95

LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries accounted for nearly half the global EV market as of 2024. About 80% of batteries produced in China are LFP, which cost 30% less than nickel-based alternatives while offering better safety and longer lifespans. (Source: Chemistry World)

Solar and battery storage captured 79% of new US power generation capacity in 2025. An additional 49% growth is expected before IRA tax credits expire at the end of 2027. (Source: Grist)

China's total grid-connected offshore wind capacity is projected to exceed 100GW within five years, accelerating energy self-sufficiency amid surging oil prices from the Iran war. (Source: Flipboard)

China's domestically built C919 narrowbody delivered just three units in Q1 2026, with zero in January and a cumulative total of 35 since December 2022. The CFM LEAP engine supply bottleneck is cited as the main cause. (Source: South China Morning Post)

A GitHub project called "Colleague Skill" went viral on Chinese social media. The tool replicates coworkers' professional skills and personality as AI agents. The backlash spawned an "anti-distillation skill" that racked up over 5 million likes. (Source: MIT Technology Review)

SK Hynix has started mass production of next-generation SOCAMM2 modules for Nvidia's Vera Rubin AI platform. The modules deliver over 2x the bandwidth and 75%+ improvement in power efficiency compared to conventional RDIMM. (Source: Yonhap News)

Thirteen coal-to-gas (CTG) projects are under construction or planned in China. Once completed, syngas production capacity would increase sevenfold to 52 billion m³, covering 12% of total gas supply — a strategic hedge against a prolonged Hormuz blockade. (Source: OilPrice)

ByteDance's overseas revenue rose roughly 50% year-over-year, exceeding 30% of total revenue for the first time. TikTok Shop's approximately 70% GMV growth was the primary driver. (Source: South China Morning Post)

Brent crude surged roughly 5% to about $95/barrel after President Trump announced the US Navy's seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. The spike reversed Friday's decline, which had followed Iran's statement about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. (Source: BBC World)

Total dividends paid by companies listed on South Korea's benchmark KOSPI (566 of 799 with December fiscal year-ends) reached an all-time high of KRW 35.1T ($23.8 billion) in 2025, marking four consecutive years of growth. KOSDAQ dividends also surged 34.8% YoY to KRW 3.1T. (Source: Yonhap News)

ANA and JAL will raise international fuel surcharges starting May 1 as the Iran war drives jet fuel prices higher. Japan-Europe and Japan-North America routes jump to JPY 56,000 (up 93%), while Japan-Korea routes rise to JPY 6,500 (more than double). Singapore kerosene averaged $146.99/barrel in February-March. (Source: Nikkei Asia)

Germany is launching the privatization process for SEFE, the Gazprom German unit it nationalized after Russia's 2022 invasion. The government plans to raise EUR 1.5-2 billion in capital. (Source: OilPrice)

China's Q1 GDP growth accelerated to 5.0% (from 4.5% in the prior quarter), hitting the top of its annual target range. March PPI also turned positive for the first time in over three years at +0.5%, signaling that rising import cost pressures are starting to permeate the economy. (Source: CNBC)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) signed a contract to build the first three Mogami-class stealth frigates for the Royal Australian Navy — Japan's first-ever warship export deal. Australia plans to invest up to AUD 20 billion in a fleet of 11 general purpose frigates, identifying China's growing military capability as the primary factor in Indo-Pacific security. (Source: CNBC)

Germany's Rheinmetall signed a EUR 1 billion joint venture deal with Bulgaria's VMZ plant in October 2025. The facility will produce up to 100,000 NATO-standard 155mm artillery shells annually, with a separate propellant factory also planned. (Source: BBC World)

Pakistan has put a $1.5 billion deal to supply weapons and jets to Sudan on hold after Saudi Arabia requested the termination of its financing. A separate $4 billion deal with the Libyan National Army is also in jeopardy. (Source: Economic Times India)

North Korea test-fired Hwasong-11 Ra tactical ballistic missiles fitted with cluster bomb warheads and fragmentation mine warheads. Five missiles struck a target area of approximately 13 hectares at a range of 136 kilometers. (Source: Yonhap News)

The 19-day Balikatan 2026 exercise has begun with more than 17,000 troops from the US, Philippines and Japan — the latter contributing about 1,400 personnel as a full participant for the first time. The drills include live-fire exercises in northern Philippines near the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea. (Source: Hong Kong Free Press)

The first-ever fossil fuel transition summit, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, convenes April 24-29 in Santa Marta with approximately 50 participating nations. The attendees represent one-third of global fossil fuel demand and one-fifth of production. (Source: Carbon Brief)

The IMO's net-zero shipping framework — a per-ton carbon emissions levy that 176 member states spent three years developing — has been delayed at least one year from its planned October 2025 adoption due to US sanctions threats. (Source: Grist)

Over 3,000 students have enrolled in the University of Maine's YourPace program, which offers unlimited courses for $1,800 per semester. About one in four of the roughly 300 fall 2024 graduates completed their degree in a single 8-week semester, prompting universities to impose enrollment caps. (Source: LiveMint)