Global Scans · Supply · Weekly Summary

• [New] Researchers at EPFL in Switzerland have now calculated how asteroid mining could supply metals directly to Mars. ScienceDaily
• [New] On the AI side: hyperscaler capex is accelerating, AI optical demand is outrunning supply, AI application workloads are growing explosively, and the spending cycle has clear visibility into 2027 and 2028. investing.com
• [New] Supply challenges include declining ore grades and costly new mines, while uncertainties like US tariffs and geopolitical risks could impact future prices. ST
• [New] Meeting that demand could require around 80 new copper mines worldwide, underscoring growing concerns over future supply. The Astana Times
• [New] AI demand is reshaping memory markets, with HBM TAM exceeding $100 billion while supply remains structurally constrained through 2027. Seeking Alpha
• [New] China could then replace imports of components, software, and machine tools with its own supply chains, becoming more self-sufficient in robotics. Merics
• [New] Extended supply chain disruptions risk hindering innovation cycles, delaying critical advancements needed to meet the rapidly expanding global demand for data storage. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Global supply chains face ongoing disruptions due to semiconductor shortages, logistical delays, and geopolitical tensions. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The gold / silver ratio widened as silver underperformed gold, though resilient industrial demand and a projected 2026 supply deficit continue to underpin the medium-term picture. NordFX
• [New] More supply was rising outside OPEC and American shale: Brazil's offshore fields, Guyana's expanding projects and Argentina's Vaca Muerta were expected to provide roughly half of the projected 800,000-barrel-a-day increase in global crude production in 2026. www.feedlotmagazine.com
• [New] AI growth and secular demand remain robust, with memory chip prices and supply constrained into 2027, supporting a bullish long-term thesis. Seeking Alpha
• [New] In the context of the Middle East, disruptions to energy markets are having a particularly profound impact on supply chains. Pharmaphorum
• [New] Broadcom's Form 8-K discloses a Long Term Agreement to develop and supply custom TPUs for Google's future generations, plus a Supply Assurance Agreement covering networking components through up to 2031. AIMultiple
• [New] Forcing young people to travel into London and other major cities or be limited to local roles that are often in short supply, does not support aspiration or opportunity within the UK. BBC News
• [New] The Trump administration's attacks on immigrants will reduce the size of the care labour force in both child care and ageing and disability care, squeezing the labour supply further and negatively impacting careworkers' ability to support themselves, their families, and care recipients. / USA The Century Foundation
• [New] Near-term trend for egg suggests regionally divergent movement, with China expected to remain firm on tighter supply cycles while India stays range-bound with mild downside risk depending on consumption recovery. Procurement Resource
• [New] The recent expansion of export controls globally has transformed concerns around high supply concentration from a theoretical vulnerability into an immediate economic security challenge. IEA
• The 2026 closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggered the largest oil supply disruption on record, driving a sharp increase in crude oil and jet fuel prices and impacting airline operating costs worldwide. Global Business Travel Association - GBTA
• The structural dependence on China, which controls nearly 90% of global refining, will continue to prompt manufacturers to build alternative REEs supply chains. Coface
• Heightened tensions around Iranian targets have historically raised concerns about shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil supply flows. Crypto Briefing
• The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East has led to increased gasoline prices, reflecting heightened concerns about supply disruptions. Crypto Briefing
• The disruption to shipping caused by conflict in the Middle East is the latest reminder of the fragility of global supply chains. Dare, HEC Media Hub
• There is execution risk around data center capacity, power availability, chip supply, OpenAI-related economics, enterprise AI adoption, and competitive pressure from Amazon, Google, Anthropic, Meta, and open-source models. investing.com

Last updated: 10 August 2026