Business

AI, Energy, and the Geopolitics of Profit

Paolo Trulli

— 1 min read
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AI spending, clean-energy contracts, and high-stakes diplomacy just redrew the map of money and power.

Energy Firms Defy Volatility

  • Shell posted a $5.4 billion profit, exceeding expectations despite a dip in oil prices following the Trump–Xi meeting (The Guardian).
  • TotalEnergies likewise reported stable profits amid weaker crude demand (Investing.com).

    → Takeaway: The oil majors are positioning for policy-driven stability—less speculative exposure, more infrastructure focus.

China’s Markets Cool as Talks Deliver Few Surprises

Chinese equities and the yuan both softened after Trump and Xi’s meeting yielded more optics than outcomes (Bloomberg).

→ Takeaway: Investors are shifting from headline diplomacy to structural fundamentals; China’s credit cycle and U.S. tariffs will dictate Q4 momentum.

The Corporate Earnings Mosaic

  • Meta was downgraded by Oppenheimer over AI spend concerns (Investing.com).
  • ASE Industrial and Avolta both outperformed with record margins (Investing.com).
  • Budweiser Brewing disappointed as consumer momentum wanes (Investing.com).

    → Takeaway: AI budgets are becoming an earnings risk factor—markets are rewarding balance, not just boldness.

Nuclear and Solar: The Next Energy Frontier

  • Denison Mines (TSX:DML) surged 15.9% following the U.S. government’s $80 billion nuclear development pledge (Yahoo Finance).
  • ENGIE (ENXTPA:ENGI) partnered with Meta for a 600 MW solar deal in Texas—its largest U.S. asset yet (Yahoo Finance).

    → Takeaway: Energy transition plays are aligning with big-tech procurement—carbon-free isn’t just moral; it’s contractual.

Fintech Reinvention and Audit Readiness

  • Deloitte’s 2026 Internal Audit Priorities report highlights cyber-risk, AI controls, and climate disclosure as top governance themes (Deloitte).
  • HotelRunner’s “Ruby” launched as an embedded finance platform for travel, merging fintech rails with booking ecosystems (HospitalityNet).

    → Takeaway: Compliance is now code—expect embedded audit logic in every next-gen finance stack.

Bottom Line:
From policy summits to boardroom budgets, AI and sustainability are now macro forces. Seems that everything revolves around AI. $NVIDIA or OpenAI; which are looking at a late 26 or early 27 IPO!

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