Nvidia fuels Taiwan AI push amid geopolitical strain - Nov 17, 2025

As of November 17, today’s news sees developments in artificial intelligence investments and international relations. U.S.-based cloud services provider GMI Cloud said today it will build a 500 million dollars artificial intelligence data centre in Taiwan with the support of U.S. chipmaker Nvidia. The data centre will come online by March 2026 and will run on Nvidia’s new Blackwell GB300 chips. Turning to the macroeconomic landscape, global supplies of yttrium, a rare earth element critical for aerospace and energy production, are dwindling due to Chinese export restrictions. This move, part of China's retaliation against U.S. tariffs, has resulted in concerns over potential shortages and escalated prices affecting various industries. The situation is compounded as optimism around a resolution following high-level talks between U.S. and Chinese leaders has yet to materialize. On the financial front, copper prices fell by 0.5% amid macroeconomic concerns, including a stronger dollar and uncertainties regarding U.S. Federal Reserve policies. Analysts suggest that market activities remain subdued as participants await vital economic data for directional clues. Elsewhere, TotalEnergies has entered into a substantial all-stock deal valued at 5.1 billion euros to acquire 50% of the flexible power generation portfolio from Czech energy company EPH. This acquisition is a strategic move to increase TotalEnergies’ net gas generation capacity, aligning with their ambition to strengthen their position in the electricity market and cater to the growing demand from sectors like data centers. In the automotive sector, Stellantis' Chairman John Elkann has called on the European Commission to allow for the averaging of car emissions targets over a five-year period leading up to 2030. Elkann's proposal seeks to provide car manufacturers with greater flexibility to meet regulatory requirements while addressing environmental concerns. Internationally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited France to secure a deal for 100 Rafale fighter jets, enhancing Ukraine’s military capabilities amid ongoing threats from Russia. Back in Asia, tensions between Japan and China escalated following remarks from Japanese officials about a potential military response to a threat on Taiwan, prompting diplomatic efforts to clarify Japan's security stance.