The Cool Down

The US Federal Reserve has voted to keep interest rates unchanged while new figures show inflation reaching its highest level in three years. Policymakers are balancing lingering price pressures against signs of a cooling labour market. Analysts are watching closely for hints about when cuts might resume, with markets reacting to the combination of steady rates and elevated inflation.

Media coverage is spotlighting the environmental toll of the data centers powering the AI boom, from high electricity demand and water use for cooling to growing carbon emissions. As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates worldwide, the expansion of server infrastructure is raising questions about whether tech companies' climate commitments can keep pace with the resources AI requires.

New findings indicate Mercury is contracting more quickly than previous estimates suggested. The smallest planet in the solar system has been cooling and shrinking for billions of years, causing its crust to wrinkle and crack. The updated measurements challenge existing models of how the planet's interior cools, prompting discussion among planetary scientists about what this reveals about Mercury's geological evolution.

Investors continue putting money into Asia-Pacific real estate even as higher interest rates raise borrowing costs across the region. Reporting by the South China Morning Post examines what is attracting capital, pointing to interest in the region's property markets despite a tougher financing environment. The question of why buyers are still committing funds is drawing attention among regional property watchers.

Housing prices are climbing even as government regulations aim to cool the real estate market, prompting widespread debate about why policy measures are failing to curb costs. Commentators are weighing supply shortages, low interest rates and investor demand as possible drivers, with buyers expressing growing frustration over affordability and uncertainty about what policy steps might come next.

Plug-in electric cars accounted for a quarter of all new car sales worldwide last year, according to figures highlighted by InsideEVs. The number cuts against talk of an EV slowdown, showing that despite cooling growth rates in some markets, electric and plug-in hybrid models continue to take a growing share of the global auto market.

UBS's latest housing bubble index names Zurich and Tokyo as the developed markets at greatest risk of a housing bubble, while overall price growth across the cities it tracks continues to slow. Investors are watching the findings for signals on where valuations may be most stretched, with real estate ETFs such as Vanguard Real Estate (VNQ) also in focus as sentiment on global property cools.

Realtor.com has updated its 2026 housing forecast, projecting that home price growth will cool further and fall behind the pace of inflation. The revised outlook suggests sellers may see weaker price gains while buyers could face somewhat improved affordability, though elevated mortgage rates continue to weigh on the market heading into next year.

The head of the UN Environment Programme says financing is the main obstacle to rolling out solutions that help communities cope with extreme heat. The warning comes as heatwaves intensify worldwide, with measures such as cooling systems, urban shading and early-warning plans available but underfunded. The comments underline growing pressure on governments and donors to direct more money toward climate adaptation.

US mortgage rates have pushed past 7%, prompting questions about where the housing market is headed. Higher borrowing costs are expected to price out more buyers, reduce affordability, and cool home sales further. Commentators are debating whether prices will fall as demand weakens, or whether tight housing supply will keep values elevated despite the steep cost of financing.

Bulgarian National Radio reports that night-time temperatures in Bulgaria have risen sharply over the past two decades. The finding points to warming that is most visible after dark, a pattern scientists link to climate change because it reduces nighttime cooling and puts additional strain on health, agriculture and energy use. The report is drawing attention as heat records continue to fall across the region.

Austrian cooling specialist Noctua says it is working on bringing server-grade cooling capable of handling around 2000W of heat to desktop PCs. The technology, used in data centre environments to cool extremely power-hungry processors, would address the rising thermal demands of high-end desktop chips. The announcement has caught the attention of PC hardware enthusiasts watching power consumption climb.

Home asking prices in the United States have declined over the past year, according to a new analysis from Laredo Morning Times. The report also tracks how prices have shifted over the past decade, giving buyers and sellers a longer view of the housing market beyond the recent cooling. The dip adds to ongoing debate about whether the housing market is finally softening after years of steep increases.

Google is moving forward with an unusual experiment to test running data centers in orbit, a project long discussed as a way to harness continuous solar power and ease the energy and cooling demands of AI computing. The news that the project is finally leaving Earth is drawing attention across the tech press, with observers weighing whether space-based infrastructure could become a realistic answer to data centers' growing power needs.

PropNex, Singapore's largest listed property agency, is laying out plans to grow its business beyond its core residential brokerage operations in the domestic market. The company is reported to be plotting its next phase of expansion, with observers watching how it will diversify revenue streams and extend its reach as Singapore's housing market matures.

Universities across Louisiana are reworking career preparation programs as graduates face an increasingly narrow job market. The report details how institutions are adjusting advising, internships and curricula to help students compete for fewer openings, a concern echoed by educators and students statewide as hiring slows across many sectors.