Nvidia To Sell AI Chips to China

Nvidia is set to resume sales of its H20 AI chips to China after securing expected U.S. government licenses. The resumption follows a meeting between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and President Trump and comes just months after Washington had imposed restrictions on high-end AI chip exports to China over national security concerns.

💻 Rush Hour: The H20 chips, though less powerful than Nvidia’s unrestricted models, still run on its globally dominant software tools. Chinese tech giants like ByteDance and Tencent are reportedly racing to place orders as the company reopens applications

💲Money Maker: China accounted for $17 billion in revenue for Nvidia in the fiscal year ending January 26, representing 13% of the company’s total annual sales, according to its latest report

⏭️ Waiting List: Rival AI chipmaker AMD also stated that the U.S. Department of Commerce is reviewing its license applications to export MI308 chips to China, and it plans to resume shipments once the approvals are granted

Apple has announced a landmark $500 million deal with MP Materials, the U.S.’s only fully integrated rare earth producer, to strengthen domestic supply chains and manufacturing of rare earth magnets used in its products.

📱 Apple Magents: The multi-year agreement includes building new neodymium magnet manufacturing lines at MP Materials’ Fort Worth, Texas facility, tailored specifically for Apple’s devices

♻️ Recycled Resources: The companies will establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California. This plant will process recycled materials — including old electronics and industrial scrap — into high-quality magnets for Apple products

🇺🇸 Made in America: Apple views this as part of its broader $500 billion commitment to the U.S. economy over the next four years and its ongoing effort to promote sustainable manufacturing

📊 Stock Sales: MP Materials announced a $650 million upsized public stock offering at $55 per share. Proceeds will support the expansion of its rare earth operations, including the new 10X Facility

The United States and Indonesia have reached a new trade agreement that will see tariffs on Indonesian goods reduced from 32% to 19%, in exchange for expanded U.S. market access and significant American exports.

As part of the agreement, Indonesia will purchase $15 billion in U.S. energy products, $4.5 billion in agricultural goods, and 50 Boeing jets. Trump emphasized that U.S. companies would gain “full access” to the Indonesian market with no reciprocal tariffs.

Indonesia is one of the U.S.’s top 25 trade partners, sending around $28 billion in goods annually, including electronics, palm oil, and footwear. Analysts note that the deal’s economic benefit for Indonesia may be modest, but its geopolitical significance is considerable as Jakarta navigates growing pressure from both Washington and Beijing.

All FDA-regulated imports, regardless of value, must now undergo formal agency review under new U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules, which end exemptions for de minimis shipments valued under $800.

The policy change, announced on July 9, rescinds the previous fast-track entry for products such as cosmetics, dinnerware, TVs, and food items, aligning them with standard FDA entry requirements.

Importers must now submit full FDA data, including product codes, intended use, and manufacturer details, when filing under Entry Type 86, the streamlined process for low-value shipments. Failure to comply could lead to delays, refusals, or enforcement actions, especially for repeat violators

Import cargo volumes at U.S. ports are expected to rise 2.1% year-over-year in July to 2.36 million TEUs, following a sharp spring slump, according to the latest Global Port Tracker from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

The rebound comes after President Trump delayed the implementation of country-specific reciprocal tariffs until August 1, giving importers a brief window to front-load shipments.

The Port of Los Angeles alone is projecting peak season throughput of 950,000 TEUs this month, fueled by retailers racing to stock up ahead of the holiday season. NRF officials say the temporary tariff pause has offered crucial breathing room, particularly for small businesses with limited capacity to absorb cost increases.

However, uncertainty remains. August volumes are forecast to fall 10.4% year-over-year, with September and October expected to drop nearly 20% as tariffs resume.

Brazil and China have signed a memorandum of understanding to begin a feasibility study on a proposed 2,800-mile transcontinental railway linking Brazil’s Atlantic coast to Peru’s Pacific port of Chancay.

The project, which would cost an estimated $70 billion, is being evaluated for its technical, environmental, and economic viability and could take up to five years to study before construction begins.

If built, the railway would significantly reduce shipping times to Asia by up to 12 days compared to current Panama Canal routes and lessen dependence on maritime chokepoints.

The study reflects deepening infrastructure ties between Brazil and China, whose delegations have recently toured key Brazilian logistics hubs, including the Port of Santos and existing railway corridors like Fico and Fiol.

Prologis—the world’s largest industrial real estate owner—says more companies are locking in custom-built warehouse space, even as broader economic uncertainty persists.

In its earnings call on Wednesday, San Francisco-based Prologis reported over $900 million in new development starts for the quarter ending June 30, nearly triple the $324 million recorded a year earlier. Notably, about 65% of these projects were pre-leased before construction even began.

Hamid Moghadam, Prologis' co-founder and CEO, said companies are still seeking space to expand—even as they navigate uncertainty around consumer demand, inflation, and shifting trade policies. He also stated that, build-to-suit leasing over the past three months has been “the strongest it’s been in my career.”

China’s economy grew by 5.3% in the first half of 2025, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The growth was driven in part by a rise in exports following a temporary pause in trade tensions with the United States.

China’s GDP rose 5.2% in the April–June quarter compared to the same period last year. Export volumes increased, with shipments to Southeast Asia up 16.8% year-over-year in June, and exports to the U.S. rebounding after a decline in May.

While official figures suggest the economy is on track to meet Beijing’s annual growth target of “around 5%,” analysts note that the growth remains dependent on external demand and investment. Domestic challenges, including a prolonged property sector slump, falling home prices, and weaker retail sales in June, continue to weigh on the broader recovery.

The U.S. Department of Commerce will impose a 93.5% anti-dumping tariff on anode-grade graphite imported from China. The decision follows officials' conclusion that Chinese producers were selling the material at below fair market value. Graphite is a key component in electric vehicle batteries.

The new tariff applies to graphite with a carbon content of at least 90% and affects over $340 million worth of imports as of 2023. It adds to earlier countervailing duties announced in May, which ranged from 6.55% to over 700% for some Chinese firms. Final rulings are expected by December 5.

The case was brought by a group of U.S. companies producing battery-grade graphite, including Anovion Technologies and Syrah Technologies.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced $488 million in infrastructure funding through the BUILD grant program for 30 projects nationwide. The awards, unveiled by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, will support improvements to roads, bridges, transit systems, rail yards, airports, and ports.

Among the logistics-related projects, the West Virginia Division of Highways will receive nearly $25 million to expand truck parking along key interstate corridors. Another $25 million is allocated to upgrade the Bristol Port Facility in Pennsylvania, including dock construction, dredging, and rail integration.

A $2 million grant will support preliminary design for rail yard and track improvements in Snohomish County, Washington. The grants aim to improve safety, reduce congestion, and boost economic development.

China has added key EV battery production technologies to its export control list, reinforcing efforts to protect domestic innovation and maintain its dominance in the global EV supply chain.

The new restrictions, announced Tuesday, cover technologies related to battery cathode materials and nonferrous metal processing used in lithium-ion batteries.

The move requires exporters to obtain government approval before transferring these technologies abroad, potentially making it harder for foreign automakers and battery producers to access advanced Chinese know-how.

The controls are part of a broader strategy by Beijing to limit foreign access to strategic industrial capabilities. China currently processes about 65% of global lithium and dominates the global EV battery market, with CATL and other Chinese firms accounting for roughly 70% of battery production worldwide.

According to reports, Union Pacific is in preliminary discussions to merge with Norfolk Southern in a deal that could create a $200 billion transcontinental freight rail giant.

The proposed merger would combine the largest and fourth-largest U.S. freight rail operators, spanning over 50,000 miles of track and generating more than $36 billion in annual revenue.

The talks are in early stages, with both companies engaging advisers to explore a potential deal structure. Any agreement would require approval from the Surface Transportation Board, which closely regulates railroad mergers and consolidations. The companies have not confirmed the discussions publicly.

If successful, this would mark the largest rail merger since Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern in 2023.

Beijing has warned that it could block the proposed $23 billion sale of 43 international ports by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison to a consortium led by BlackRock and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), unless China’s state-run shipping giant Cosco is included in the transaction.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Chinese officials told the involved parties that Cosco must be granted a stake or face retaliation.

Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the sale as a strategic move to reduce Chinese influence near the Panama Canal. According to reports, talks are ongoing ahead of a July 27 exclusivity deadline between Hutchison, MSC, and BlackRock. Sources suggest all parties are open to Cosco’s participation, but a final agreement remains uncertain.