S&P Global - SPGI STOCK NEWS

The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index surged into positive territory in May 2024, hitting 0.21 from -0.18 in April, marking the first positive reading since March 2023. This indicates that global supply chains are busier and capacity is being stretched. Major drivers include increased demand for raw materials and components, particularly from Asia, with China, India, and South Korea at the forefront. European and North American markets also saw significant improvements. However, labor shortages are causing order backlogs, which may lead to price pressures. Overall, the outlook for H2 2024 appears promising.

automotiveMastermind has launched Showroom, a tool embedded in its Mastermind technology, aimed at enhancing hyper-personalized consumer experiences for car dealers. Showroom dynamically creates personalized offer websites to capture customer preferences and improve the customer journey. This tool integrates with Mastermind's Predictive Marketing, allowing customers to customize their deals and start the purchasing process online. Showroom is designed to increase engagement, improve attribution, and enhance visibility of purchase intent. The new feature is available to dealer partners using Mastermind, and adds value by integrating with digital retail providers like CarNow and Gubagoo.

A new report from S&P Global Market Intelligence forecasts a 12% decline in U.S. community bank earnings year-over-year in 2024 due to margin pressure and higher credit costs. Despite expectations of a rebound in earnings by 2025 and 2026, community banks will face challenges from high-interest rates and deposit competition. Rate cuts by the Federal Reserve will provide modest relief in late 2024, but substantial decreases are necessary to lower deposit costs significantly. Community bank credit quality is expected to deteriorate in 2024 and continue weakening into 2025 and 2026, driven by higher delinquencies and losses in commercial real estate portfolios. However, this decline poses more of a hit to earnings than a threat to the institutions' safety and soundness.

S&P Global Market Intelligence forecasts the generative AI software market to reach $52.2 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 58% from 2023. Published by 451 Research, this Generative AI Market Monitor report highlights the rapid adoption of generative AI technologies across various sectors due to advancements in AI models capable of generating new content like text, images, and code. The 2023 market estimate has been revised from $3.7 billion to $5.1 billion. North America currently leads with 64% of revenue, but higher growth rates in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa are expected to erode this dominance. Code generators, including popular products like GitHub Copilot, are forecast to see the highest growth, increasing their market share from 6% in 2023 to 10% in 2028. Key areas where generative AI delivers the most value include process automation, customer interaction, and employee training.

The International Energy Forum and S&P Global Commodity Insights report that upstream oil and gas capital expenditures must rise by 22% by 2030 due to increasing demand and cost inflation. This equates to a cumulative $4.3 trillion investment required from 2025 to 2030. The report forecasts oil demand to grow from 103 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2023 to nearly 110 million bpd by 2030. Annual investment needs to increase by $135 billion to $738 billion by 2030 to ensure sufficient supply. The Americas, particularly the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Guyana, will be major drivers of this capex growth. The report also highlights uncertainty in global oil and gas demand forecasts and emphasizes the importance of energy security and a balanced transition to net zero CO2 emissions.

The latest Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2023, developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, highlights the dominance of East and Southeast Asian ports, with 13 out of the top 20 positions. The report is based on an extensive dataset of over 182,000 vessel calls and 381 million TEUs. Despite easing pandemic-induced challenges, container shipping remains volatile, necessitating investments in resilience, technology, and green infrastructure.

New entrants include Muuga Harbour and Port of Al Duqm. Visakhapatnam Port in India broke into the top 20, while Middle Eastern ports saw a decline. China's Yangshan Port retained the top spot, followed by Oman's Port of Salalah and Colombia's Port of Cartagena. The CPPI ranks 405 ports globally, aiming to enhance efficiency and reduce delays that impact economic development.

Douglas L. Peterson, President and CEO of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), will speak at the Stifel 2024 Cross Sector Insight Conference on June 4, 2024, in Boston, MA. His session, a 'fireside chat,' is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. EDT and will be webcast. The webcast will allow broader access for stakeholders and interested parties to gain insights into the company's strategic direction and financial health. The event signals S&P Global's continued engagement with the investment community and its proactive communication strategy.

S&P Global Commodity Insights announced the launch of new Platts price assessments for poultry and beef markets in the Americas, Asia, and Middle East. This initiative, available via Platts Protein Daily, aims to enhance transparency in the food value chain by offering daily price insights for key cuts of poultry and beef. Seven new price assessments include values for chicken legs and breasts as well as beef forequarters and manufacturing beef. The expansion is expected to meet growing protein consumption demands and provide essential data for stakeholders such as farmers, producers, traders, processors, and end users. S&P Global forecasts a significant rise in global chicken and beef production by 2029, with notable increases in Asia, Latin America, and the US.

CARFAX reports that 6.4 million vehicles in the U.S. still have potentially lethal Takata airbags a decade after recalls were mandated by the NHTSA. Notably, 2.5 million of these vehicles are in high-risk states, including Texas, California, and Florida. Takata airbags, under prolonged heat and humidity, can explode violently, causing shrapnel injuries. To date, 27 fatalities and 400 injuries in the U.S. have been linked to these airbags.

Despite the recalls, 150,000+ unfixed vehicles are reported in 14 states, with the highest numbers in Texas (788,000) and California (739,000). CARFAX emphasizes the urgency of replacing these airbags, which is a quick and free process. The CARFAX Car Care app alerts users about recalls, assisting them in ensuring their vehicle's safety.

CARFAX collaborates with the Alliance for Automotive Innovation in expanding the Vehicle Recall Search Service to more states. This service, launched in 2018, has checked over 5.8 billion vehicles.