Daily Strategic Briefing

Trump stomps feet, pulls out 't-word' again over China rare earths ban

'They have to give us magnets' world war fee  The Chinese lockdown on rare-earth minerals has drawn the ire of President Trump, who is threatening crushing tariffs if the Middle Kingdom doesn't cough up more rare earths.…

Anthropic teases Claude for Chrome: Don't try this at home

AI am inevitable, AI firm argues Anthropic is now offering a research preview of Claude for Chrome, a browser extension that enables the firm's machine learning model to automate web browsing.…

Google takes Photoshop to the woodshed with new image AI

It will even draw legs and arms not in the source material Google has updated its Gemini AI image generation tool with a build that caused a stir after it was released under the code name Nano Bananas.…

First AI-powered ransomware spotted, but it's not active – yet

Oh, look, a use case for OpenAI's gpt-oss-20b model ESET malware researchers Anton Cherepanov and Peter Strycek have discovered what they describe as the "first known AI-powered ransomware," which they named PromptLock. …

Azure apparatchik shows custom silicon keeping everything locked down

From hardware security chips and trusted execution pipelines to open source Root of Trust modules Hot Chips  Microsoft is one of the biggest names in cybersecurity, but it has a less-than-stellar track record in the department. Given its reputation, Redmond can't afford to mess around when it comes to securing its cloud customers' data and workloads.…

Assort Health nabs $50M to automate patient phone calls, sources say

Summary:

The startup, now valued at $750 million, is one of three that recently raised funding to use AI agents for helping healthcare practices answer patient calls.

Microsoft headquarters go into lockdown after activists take over Brad Smith’s office

Summary:

The incident is the latest escalation by current and former employees who are demanding the company end its cloud contracts with Israel.

Anthropic launches a Claude AI agent that lives in Chrome

Summary:

Anthropic is the latest AI lab to offer an AI agent with the ability to view and take action in a user’s Chrome browser.

Anthropic settles AI book-training lawsuit with authors

Summary:

Called Bartz v. Anthropic, the case deals with Anthropic’s use of books as training material for its large language models.

Why the US government is not the savior Intel needs

Summary:

Intel doesn’t need cash. Instead, the struggling semiconductor giant needs to figure out how to drum up interest for its foundry business.

Baby care quick commerce startup Peeko raises $3.2M led by Stellaris Venture Partners

Bengaluru startup Peeko bets on curated supply, AI-driven recommendations, and under-60-minute delivery to ease shopping woes for young parents.

CredRight raises $10M in Series B funding from Abler Nordic, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

CredRight said it will use the capital to expand its loan book, upgrade its technology platform, and extend its reach across Tier II to Tier IV towns.

Housing finance NBFC Altum Credo raises Rs 170 Cr from British International Investment

The non-deposit-taking housing finance company focuses on first-time homeowners in the low-income segments and has served more than 15,000 customers across six states in southern and western India.

NBEC 2025 awards Rs 40 Cr in funding to biotech startups

Projects spanned multiple focus areas, including artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery, carbon capture technologies, biomaterial-based degradable batteries, and neonatal healthcare devices.

Fintech Kiwi raises $24M from Vertex, Stellaris, Nexus, and Omidyar

Kiwi said it will use the funds to speed product development and reinforce unit economics.

Zaggle inks 5-yr deal with Standard Chartered for corporate payment services

Zaggle signs 5-year domestic referral deal with Standard Chartered Bank. Agreement involves corporate prepaid payment services; no promoter interests. Source: ScoutQuest

CITI Seeks Govt Aid as US Tariffs Hit Textile Exports

CITI urges govt support for textile exporters facing 50% US tariffs. Indian textile exporters face challenges as US tariffs start Wednesday. Source: Business Standard

CCI Clears Adani's Buy of JP Associates via Insolvency

CCI approves Adani Enterprises' acquisition of Jaiprakash Associates. The acquisition involves Adani Infra via insolvency resolution process. Source: Business Standard

MSME Loan Stress Rises, Bad Loans Hit 5.8%

MSME and vehicle loans show rising stress, with MSME loans growing at a 27% CAGR to ₹40L Cr but fresh originations down 7% in FY24-25. PAR for micro MSME loans improved slightly to 4.2%, while bad loans in small MSMEs rose to 5.8%; stress in unsecured personal loans also increased. Source: The Economic Times

MSME Credit Gap: Bandhan Bank MD Calls for Reforms

Bandhan Bank MD highlights MSME challenges: credit gap, delayed payments, and lack of structured financial data. Bankers urge simplified guarantee schemes, better data sharing, and systemic reforms to bridge MSME credit gap. Source: Financial Express

Nickel Futures Steady Amid Indonesia’s New Processing Hub, Policy Shift

Country: Commodity, Description: Nickel futures held near $15,300 per tonne in late August, keeping within their recent range as investors weighed fresh policy shifts in Indonesia, the world’s top producer. Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund Danantara signed a deal with China’s GEM to develop a large-scale nickel processing hub as part of efforts to capture more value in the EV supply chain, underscoring the country’s downstream ambitions. At the same time, the government scrapped its requirement to use official benchmark prices for mineral and coal sales, raising the prospect of looser market-driven pricing even as taxes remain tied to the old system. While these developments highlight structural changes in the nickel trade, global markets remain under pressure from persistent oversupply and subdued demand, keeping prices capped despite efforts to support the sector.

Malaysia Seeks to Avoid ‘Standard Risk’ Label Under EU Law

Country: Malaysia, Description: Malaysia has contingency plans to safeguard its competitiveness in European markets as it seeks to avoid being classified as a "standard risk" country under the EU’s new deforestation rules, the commodities ministry said Tuesday. Currently, Malaysia—alongside Indonesia and Brazil—falls under the EU’s "standard risk" category, requiring 3% of shipments to undergo inspection, compared with lighter checks for "low risk" countries. By contrast, "high-risk" nations such as Belarus, Myanmar, Russia, and North Korea face the strictest compliance. The EU’s Deforestation Regulation, set to take effect in December, will apply to key commodities including soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, and coffee, as well as products like leather, chocolate, and furniture. The ministry noted that if Malaysia cannot secure "low risk" status, it will engage with exporters to ensure compliance and work to meet the EU’s qualitative assessment criteria, stressing the current classification relied on "old data."

Silver Holds Steady Amid Fed Concerns

Country: Commodity, Description: Silver prices held above $38.5 per ounce on Wednesday, hovering near a one-month high as renewed worries over the Federal Reserve’s independence boosted demand for safe-haven assets. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump said he would dismiss Fed Governor Lisa Cook over allegations of mortgage fraud, though Cook’s lawyer confirmed she will pursue legal action to prevent her removal. Analysts suggested that Cook’s potential ouster could raise the likelihood of earlier rate cuts as Trump exerts greater influence over the central bank. On the industrial side, silver demand was supported by strong photovoltaic sector data from China. Recent figures showed Chinese solar cell exports surged more than 70% in the first half of the year, driven largely by strong demand from India. This followed China’s installation of over 93 gigawatts of solar capacity in May, a record high and a 300% year-on-year increase, ahead of policy changes that will make it harder to connect new panels to the grid.

New Zealand Dollar Holds Steady

Country: New Zealand, Description: The New Zealand dollar was steady around $0.585 on Wednesday as investors weighed global uncertainties against expectations of further domestic monetary easing. Concerns about the US Federal Reserve’s independence unsettled the US dollar after President Donald Trump on Monday announced he was removing Cook over claims of mortgage borrowing impropriety. Adding to market unease, reports suggested that Trump threatened to impose “200% tariffs or something” on China if it does not export rare-earth magnets to the US, putting the fragile truce between the world’s two largest economies at risk. At home, the kiwi remains under pressure after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand cut rates last week and signaled more easing ahead, amid domestic and global growth risks. RBNZ Governor Christian Hawkesby said the outlook is data-dependent, though he added that if businesses and consumers remain cautious and need more support, that might be something that prompts more action.

Monetary Policy Should Remain Accommodative: BoT Minutes

Country: Thailand, Description: Thailand’s monetary policy should remain accommodative to support the economy, and an easing would not significantly increase financial stability risks, the minutes of the Bank of Thailand’s (BoT) August 13 policy meeting showed on Wednesday. “At the same time, it was important to ensure macro-financial stability, while taking into account the limited policy space.” At the meeting, the monetary policy committee voted unanimously to cut the one-day repurchase rate by 25 basis points to a near three-year low of 1.50%. The August cut was the fourth reduction in 10 months to support a sluggish economy grappling with US tariffs and softer tourism. The central bank expects the economy to grow by around 2.3% in 2025 and 1.7% in 2026, down from 2.5% in 2024. Recent data showed that Thailand's economy expanded by 3% in the first half of this year.

Mysterious interstellar object sparks alien probe debate

Summary: Harvard scientist suggests 3I/ATLAS could be extraterrestrial technology based on unusual glow patterns, though NASA focuses on its record-breaking speed., Description: NASA astronomers are closely monitoring 3I/ATLAS, a mysterious interstellar object speeding through our solar system at extraordinary velocities, as new observations reveal unusual characteristics that have prompted some experts to speculate about its potential extraterrestrial origins. The object, discovered July 1 by NASA's ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, represents only the third confirmed...

China pivots to Africa as US trade tensions reshape exports

Summary: Chinese exports to Africa jumped 25% to $122 billion in seven months, driven by cheap solar panels and Trump's tariffs., Description: China's exports to Africa have reached unprecedented levels in 2025, as trade tensions with the United States drive Beijing to diversify its global markets while African nations capitalize on a surge in cheap Chinese solar panels and manufactured goods. According to Bloomberg, China's exports to Africa jumped 25% to $122 billion in the first seven months of 2025, already surpassing the entire...

Israel escalates Gaza City assault as famine grips north

Summary: At least 34 Palestinians killed overnight as Israeli forces prepare final assault on Hamas stronghold amid UN-declared famine., Description: Palestinian families fled Gaza City on Tuesday morning as Israeli forces escalated their bombardment of the northern Palestinian enclave, marking a dangerous new phase in the nearly two-year war. At least 34 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Tuesday, with 18 fatalities reported in Gaza City alone, as Israel prepared for what officials described as a final assault on Hamas's last...

ExxonMobil held secret talks with Russia on oil return

Summary: Discussions centered on rejoining the Sakhalin-1 project, which Exxon abandoned in 2022 after recording a $4.6 billion loss., Description: ExxonMobil executives held confidential discussions this year with Russia's state energy giant Rosneft about potentially returning to the Sakhalin-1 oil project, marking a dramatic potential shift after the American oil company's forced exit from Russia following the 2022 Ukraine invasion. The talks, led by ExxonMobil's Senior Vice President Neil Chapman and Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, were first...

UK to test emergency alert system on Sept. 7

Summary: Millions of phones will receive sirens at 3pm as government tests life-saving technology used during major storms and emergencies., Description: The UK government will conduct a second nationwide test of its Emergency Alert system on 7 September 2025, sending sirens to millions of mobile phones across the country at 3pm to ensure the life-saving technology works when needed most. Mobile phones connected to 4G and 5G networks will vibrate and emit a loud, siren-like sound for up to 10 seconds during the test, even if devices are set to...