Our Scans · Private Capital as Systemic Infrastructure · Weekly Summary

• [New] Canada's federal budget for the 2026 cycle proposes to create the First and Last Mile Fund, which would absorb the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund and leverage existing funding to provide CAD 1.5 billion in support through to the 2029-30 fiscal year. IEA
• [New] When we think about private equity activity for the remainder of the year, we expect resilience to be driven by a record-breaking rotation into asset-heavy sectors, such as energy and infrastructure, where tangible cash flows offer a vital hedge in a higher-for-longer rate environment. EY
• [New] Canada continues to work to establish the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank - a new multilateral financial institution that will bring together likeminded partners to mobilise and deploy private capital and support collective security. Prime Minister of Canada
• Accelerating reforms towards EU membership, more investment in human capital and digital infrastructure, and mobilizing private capital will boost investment, create jobs, and accelerate convergence with the EU. / Albania ALBANIA DAILY NEWS
• To drive Europe's defence modernization, it will be essential to mobilize private capital by: Streamlining export controls and innovation sharing with trusted partners. CEPA
• Global data center construction and European infrastructure spending could require significant amounts of funding from both public and private credit markets. J.P. MORGAN
• Events in the United States since the start of 2026 have highlighted the associated risks, with open or semi-open private credit funds - such as business development companies heavily exposed to software and AI - facing sizeable redemption requests, often testing redemption gates to their limits. European Central Bank
• The $1 billion Arctic Infrastructure Fund program (2025-26 to 2028-29) will fund projects that build and expand dual-use (community and defence) transportation infrastructure in the Arctic regions across Canada. Transport Canada
• Funding under the Arctic Infrastructure Fund will be provided through unconditionally repayable, conditionally repayable and non-repayable contributions. Transport Canada
• If DeepSeek closes its reported $45 billion raise, China's generative AI sector will have absorbed close to $10 billion in private capital within a single calendar year, intensifying competition for talent, compute, and enterprise contracts. BUSINESS 2.0 NEWS
• The private credit industry's significant role in funding the AI boom could lead to sizeable financial losses. FTI Strategic Communications
• The private credit industry's role in fuelling the AI boom could backfire, with a sharp correction leading to sizeable losses. The Guardian
• An Arctic Infrastructure Fund, capitalized by governments and supported by national development banks, could provide early-stage and risk-sharing financing for strategic infrastructure. gmfus
• The Asean Catalytic Green Finance Facility under the Asean Infrastructure Fund has built a lending pipeline of 30 regional projects worth US$ 19.4 billion for 2026 to 2028. Council on Economic Policies
• Projected global defence spending of $6 trillion is fueling a private capital surge. Broadband Breakfast
• The 2026 budget includes a 3.5% increase in public spending, investment growth of nearly 10% thanks to the deployment of the Infrastructure Fund (1.3% of GDP through to 2029, compared to 0.9% in 2025) and defence spending of 2.8% of GDP (2.0% in 2025). / Germany CaixabankResearch
• The Arctic Infrastructure Fund will support transportation projects in northern and Arctic regions, including dual-use infrastructure that enhances both defence readiness and community connectivity. / USA AIAC

Last updated: 24 June 2026