Oil Markets, AI Investment & EV Growth
From record oil stock draws and soaring AI investment to rapid EV growth in Latin America, energy markets are changing quickly. Rising fossil fuel costs are also making electric transport more attractive, while global fuel trade shows how closely energy supplies are connected to wider industries and economies.
🛢️ Global Oil Stocks Fall at Record Rate
Global oil inventories have been drawn down at an unusually rapid rate over the past six months, with stocks now around 507 million barrels below their level at the start of the Middle East conflict. The decline highlights continued pressure on global oil markets.
🤖 AI Investment Could Reach $1.2 Trillion
Goldman Sachs forecasts that five major US hyperscalers could invest around $1.2 trillion in AI infrastructure in 2027, up from an estimated $800 billion in 2026. The enormous spending wave is driving demand for chips, electricity, data centres and cooling.
🚗 Latin America Emerges as an EV Growth Hotspot
Electric vehicle sales are growing rapidly across Latin America, rising 74% across the region in Q1 2026. Colombia, Brazil and Uruguay recorded particularly strong growth, while EV sales increased much more slowly globally and fell in North America.
⚡ EVs Become Far Cheaper to Drive in the UK
Rising petrol and diesel prices have dramatically widened the running-cost gap between electric and conventional cars in the UK. Carbon Brief analysis suggests EV driving can now cost up to nine times less than using petrol or diesel, depending on vehicle and charging costs.
🛢️ US Diesel Exports Connect Global Supply Chains
The US exports diesel to more than 60 countries, making American fuel supplies an important part of international industrial supply chains. Chile, for example, relies heavily on imported diesel while also being a major copper producer and exporter. Cutting off US diesel exports could put these wider trade flows at risk.