S&P Global Stock Price, News & Analysis

Leading organizations launch Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) to standardize carbon market data. A coalition of 30 businesses, nonprofits, and public sector organizations, co-chaired by GCMU, Sylvera, RMI, and S&P Global Commodity Insights, aims to develop protocols harmonizing carbon credit project data across markets and geographies.

The initiative addresses the current lack of standardization in voluntary carbon markets, which hampers collaboration and market scaling. CDOP will align with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and complement existing industry initiatives. The World Bank Group has recognized CDOP as a important multi-stakeholder initiative for carbon market interoperability.

The committee will work throughout 2025 to create a common data schema and governance framework, with the first protocol version expected to launch at New York Climate Week. The initiative has gained support from key industry players including Climate Action Data Trust, Puro.earth, Verra, and Isometric.

S&P Global Commodity Insights has announced the launch of new daily cathode active material (CAM) calculated price assessments for China, Europe, and North America, effective March 24, 2025. The assessments focus on LFP and NMC lithium-ion battery chemistries, which currently dominate the market with LFP holding 43% and NMC variants holding 18% of global demand.

The new suite includes 24 price assessments that will provide transparency in the battery supply chain, particularly for CAMs which are important components affecting battery performance. The calculations leverage Commodity Insights' battery cell cost model and incorporate various factors including material intensity and processing costs for the Chinese market, which accounts for 81.3% of global production.

This initiative comes amid significant growth in battery demand, driven by electric vehicles and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Global BESS capacity additions grew 49% year-on-year in 2024 and are forecast to grow another 29% in 2025.

CARFAX Canada has launched its new Service Suite, an integrated customer engagement solution for Canadian dealerships and service shops. The suite comprises two main components: Car Care, an automated communication tool for service reminders, and Service Insights, a report predicting upcoming maintenance needs.

The solution aims to boost service revenue and customer loyalty by sending timely co-branded reminders and providing data-driven maintenance insights. Car Care features automated email communications with real-time performance metrics and customer review management. Service Insights leverages proprietary data analytics to predict repair needs, with nearly 60% of car owners more likely to approve additional work when presented with a CARFAX Canada Service Insights report.

GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index fell to -0.45 in February from -0.21 in January, reaching its lowest level since July 2023, indicating increased global supply chain underutilization. Regional variations show significant contrasts:

U.S. manufacturers increased raw materials demand and accelerated stockpiling to prepare for potential tariff impacts. In contrast, Mexican and Canadian manufacturers sharply reduced purchases due to declining exports and trade uncertainty. European supply chains remain underutilized with continued industrial sector sluggishness, though showing early recovery signs. Asian supply chains operate at full capacity, with China, Taiwan, and India reporting strong export growth.

Key findings include stable global demand for raw materials, decreased stockpiling activity, robust material supply levels, and unchanged transportation costs. The index varies regionally: North America at -0.18 (7-month high), Europe at -0.72, UK at -0.85, and Asia at 0.00.

CARFAX has been named one of the Best Places to Work by Virginia Business Magazine for the 12th time since 2011, based on anonymous employee surveys evaluating workplace experiences. CEO Bill Eager emphasized the company's commitment to fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and leadership.

The company, which has grown from a small team to over 1,400 employees in 2025, is relocating to a new 90,000-square-foot headquarters at Reston Station. The move to 1906 Reston Metro Plaza represents a significant milestone in CARFAX's expansion.

Known for its vehicle history database, CARFAX maintains a strong workplace culture guided by the Team CARFAX Playbook, emphasizing collaboration and work-life balance. The company actively supports community initiatives, including the Boulder Crest Foundation, which provides free posttraumatic growth programs for military members, veterans, and first responders.

S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) released its 'Look Forward: Energy at the Crossroads' report highlighting significant shifts in global energy transition. The research reveals that governments are prioritizing affordable energy over sustainability, making net-zero emissions by 2050 unlikely. Key findings show that:

- Companies in the S&P 500 have achieved 62% decarbonization over 20 years
- Only 35% of major companies have climate adaptation plans, despite potential $25 trillion climate change implications by 2050
- Western economies need significant investments to reduce dependence on China for clean technology
- New technologies reveal higher methane emissions than previously reported
- Growing interest in nuclear energy for decarbonization

The report emphasizes that the energy transition will be multidimensional, varying by region, rate, and technology mix. AI integration could transform energy production and distribution systems.

CERAWeek by S&P Global, the world's leading energy conference, will be held in Houston from March 10-14, 2025, featuring prominent leaders from tech giants and innovative companies. The event's theme 'Moving Ahead: Energy strategies for a complex world' will explore transformational changes in policy, technology, and geopolitics.

The conference's Innovation Agora will showcase over 250 startups and feature discussions on AI, decarbonization, cybersecurity, hydrogen, and nuclear energy. New for 2025 are the NexGen Program, focusing on academia-industry connections, and The Nexus, an interactive destination for emerging technologies.

Notable speakers include executives from Microsoft, AWS, Google, Fervo, and Commonwealth Fusion. The event will feature the Energy Venture Day pitch competition, hosting 40 energy transition ventures, and explore key themes including AI, power grid electrification, hydrogen, climate sustainability, and managing emissions.

CARFAX and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation's Vehicle Recall Search Service has reached a significant milestone, checking U.S. vehicles for unfixed recalls nearly 8 billion times since its 2018 launch. The tool, primarily used by state motor vehicle departments and inspection agencies, has examined approximately half of all U.S. cars.

Currently, eight state DMVs utilize this service: California, New York, Ohio, Arizona, Texas, Connecticut, Maryland, and Washington, along with Puerto Rico. These jurisdictions check recall status during registration, titling, or inspection processes. Notably, Ohio has identified over 7.2 million recalls since joining in 2021, with 2 million recalls successfully remedied.

CARFAX data reveals that one in five cars in the U.S. currently has an unfixed recall, potentially affecting critical safety features like airbags and seatbelts. The service aims to increase road safety by helping vehicle manufacturers close recalls through enhanced awareness.

S&P Global has released a comprehensive study revealing that additional US LNG export capacity would significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions compared to alternative energy sources. The study focuses on projects representing 40 million ton per annum (Mtpa) of capacity additions from 2028 to 2040.

The expansion would result in 324-780 M tCO2e lower emissions over 2028-2040, equivalent to 65 million tons annually. This reduction equals more than twice the annual emissions from Los Angeles County's car fleet.

The study's Phase 1 found that US LNG export growth would support 500,000 domestic jobs annually and contribute $1.3 trillion to US GDP through 2040. Additionally, 37% of total jobs (180,000+) and 30% of GDP contributions ($390 billion) would occur in non-producing areas, with 90% of spending remaining within the US supply chain.