The Bank of Russia unexpectedly maintained its key interest rate at a record-high 21% , defying analysts’ expectations of another significant hike as inflation remains stubbornly elevated. The decision marks a shift toward a more measured approach in balancing economic growth and price stability. Key Details Inflation Concerns: Annual inflation climbed to 8.9% in November, well above the central bank’s 4% target , with inflation expectations reaching 13.9% in December. Policy Rationale: The central bank cited the significant tightening of monetary conditions after October’s 200-basis point hike as sufficient to resume disinflationary processes. Governor Elvira Nabiullina emphasized avoiding both economic overheating and severe slowdowns. Economic Overheating: Elevated government spending on the war in Ukraine and social programs, coupled with labor shortages and rising wages, have fueled strong domestic demand, exacerbating price pressures...
BlackRock Inc sees significant growth opportunities in Asia's infrastructure sector, driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), which is also increasing energy and water demands across the region.
Over the next five years, the demand for data centers in Asia is expected to double, according to Brad Kim, BlackRock’s head of Asia-Pacific diversified infrastructure. In addition, water infrastructure will need to nearly double to meet the cooling needs of these data centers, while overall energy consumption is projected to rise by about 50% across the Asia-Pacific region in the next decade.
As AI technology proliferates, the global surge in electricity demand is straining available power supplies, particularly in data center-dense regions. Asia is no exception, with major tech companies such as Amazon and Microsoft committing billions to build data centers in Southeast Asia.
Despite the rapid development, Asia still lags behind other regions in infrastructure investment, with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimating the region needs US$1.7 trillion annually through 2030 to sustain its growth momentum. While government reforms could potentially cover 40% of this infrastructure gap, private sector investment will be essential for the remainder.
BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, has committed to raising US$30 billion for AI investments in partnership with Microsoft, with most of the funds directed towards US-based projects. Meanwhile, Google has partnered with BlackRock to procure 300 megawatts of solar energy from Taiwan’s New Green Power, a BlackRock portfolio company.
“There’s a real convergence of infrastructure investment opportunities, particularly in energy transition and digital infrastructure,” said Charlie Reid, BlackRock’s co-head of Asia-Pacific climate infrastructure, emphasizing the growing interest from global investors in these sectors.
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