Indonesia is considering a moratorium on new nickel smelters to address global overproduction and protect its minerals sector, a move that could significantly disrupt Chinese investors who account for roughly 75 percent of Indonesia's nickel refining industry. The proposed restrictions would target semi-finished products like nickel pig iron and nickel matte, which comprise 50-60 percent of Indonesia's output and are used in stainless steel and electric vehicle batteries. Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia is preparing recommendations for President Prabowo Subianto on which smelting segments should be restricted.
Two posts discuss AI capital expenditure concerns. The first argues that massive AI hardware investments may represent a historic misallocation, potentially causing market collapse when returns fail to materialize, questioning whether AI can generate GDP gains without creating deflationary pressures. The second analyzes eMudhra, an Indian digital signature company that has rapidly increased capex to ₹185 Cr in FY26, building data centres and IP infrastructure across regulated markets to monetize expanded services.