On 26 August, a wall of ice, rock and water tore through the Tibet-Nepal border and ran 72 kilometres down the Trishuli valley. It killed more than 1,400 people and damaged 12 hydropower plants, knocking out about a tenth of Nepal’s generating capacity. The country had spent a decade turning its glacier-fed rivers into an ... “A warning to the world”
It’s been over a decade since Tesla revealed its Model S and changed how the world viewed electric vehicles. Once considered a luxury product for a select few, the arrival of affordable Chinese models and increased volatility in the crude oil market has turned the EV tide, with consumers now regarding these vehicles as truly ... The Build-Out (Issue 4)
The September 2026 edition of our Cargo & Capital newsletter examines the impact of the US’ ongoing retreat from global alliances, in particular, Asia-Pacific and its Quad Alliance partners. The US’ retreat is resulting in efforts by non-American members, Japan, India and Australia to deepen bilateral trade and defence. The US’ departure from Quad holds ... Cargo & Capital (Issue 4)
Outbound investment screening impacted corporate investment and M&A activity in recent years, but it now is also fundamentally altering how private capital operates across Asia. With strict legislative screening targeting critical technology sectors—including artificial intelligence, quantum information technologies, and semiconductors—private equity fund managers face a trade-off: offer binding covenants that restrict investment discretion or face ... Capital controls: a catch-22 for Asian private equity
As the US-Iran conflict enters its sixth month, the fallout across the region is redrawing Asia’s economic map. Shipping bottlenecks, grounded air corridors and energy shocks are no longer transient disruptions but deeply impacting regional trade, technology and capital flows. In this August 2026 edition of Cargo & Capital, we examine how geopolitical fragmentation is ... Cargo & Capital (Issue 3)
Asia was supposed to be weaning itself off coal. Instead, it is buying more of it. Seaborne thermal coal imports across the region recorded its highest level in July since the Middle East conflict disrupted global energy supply chains in March. China, India and Indonesia are all leaning harder on coal, even as they continue ... Asia’s coal conundrum
Rising geopolitical aggression is reshaping global energy, digital infrastructure and industry. Military spending in Asia is climbing at its fastest pace since 2009, as the region braces for a world of deepening conflict and geopolitical rivalry. Japan has stepped away from decades of post-war pacifism, drawing closer to the US, Australia and India to develop ... The Build-Out (Issue 3)
Resource nationalism is reshaping the physical foundations of the global economy. Export controls, production quotas and processing mandates have become de rigueur as governments assert control over the critical minerals powering AI and the energy transition. Southeast Asian economies are moving to insulate themselves. Governments are accelerating domestic energy build-outs—from Indonesia’s UNOPS partnership on coal ... The Build-Out (Issue 2)
In this edition of StoneBench’s Cargo & Capital newsletter, we take a closer look at how new routes are being carved in and around Asia, influenced by a convergence of geopolitical shocks and policy moves. The Hormuz crisis has highlighted the cracks in Asia’s energy priorities. Click below to read more.
Asia is pouring hundreds of billions into chip fabs and data centres, but building them on a foundation that is quietly running dry. Around 70% of the world’s major aquifers are in long-term decline, and by 2050, a third of global GDP could be under high water stress. From Taiwan’s drought-exposed fabs to India’s competing ... Water, water, everywhere?