Book A Call

Central Texas Global Business Pulse

Big Plan Highlights

F1 in Austin
IMG_6119
Big Plan had an incredible sneak peek of F1 at a private event with Carlos Sainz ahead of the race. He praised the Austin track as one of his favorites, blending modern design with old-school charm. Proud to see F1 continue putting Austin on the global stage. Huge thanks to Las Vegas Sands Corp for the invitation! Welcome and best of luck to all the amazing F1 racers from around the world!

News & Updates

International

Oil falls 2% as OPEC cuts oil demand growth view
Apple Inc. worked with Chinese automaker BYD Co. for years as part of its now-canceled car project, developing long-range batteries that helped lay the groundwork for technology used today, according to people familiar with the situation.

Apple and the Shenzhen-based company teamed up around 2017 to build a battery system using lithium iron phosphate cells, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the effort hasn’t been disclosed. The technology was designed to be longer-range and safer than typical electric-vehicle batteries at the time.
IMF Sees Soft Landing for Global Economy, But Weak Growth Ahead as Trade Barriers Rise
Inflation rates are falling and the global economy is on track for a soft landing, but the outlook for growth is tepid and rising trade barriers are a headwind, the head of the International Monetary Fund said Thursday.

In a speech ahead of the fund’s annual meetings in Washington, D.C., next week, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said governments should act quickly to halt a sharp rise in their debts, and work together to resolve growing trade tensions.
General Atlantic Chairman Upbeat On China Outlook Despite Tensions
The chairman of General Atlantic, among the largest U.S. investors in China with stakes in TikTok owner ByteDance and online fashion retailer Shein, said in a speech in New York on Tuesday that he remains upbeat about a rebound in collaboration and business ties between the two powerful countries despite increased tensions in the bilateral relationship.
Peru's Chinese-built mega port to soft launch in late November with Shanghai route
Peru's massive Chancay port, which authorities hope will become a major shipping hub for South America-Asia trade, will ship two container ships a week beginning late next month, an executive for port operator Cosco Shipping said on Friday.

After the port's inauguration in mid-November, it will initially cover a direct route to Shanghai and then may ship to other points in the Asian market, depending on demand, said Carlos Tejada, general manager of Hong Kong-based Cosco's local subsidiary, Cosco Shipping Chancay Peru.

USA

U.S. Budget Deficit Rises to $1.8 Trillion in 2024
Oil prices fell 2% on Monday as OPEC again lowered its outlook for 2024 and 2025 global oil demand growth while China's oil imports fell for the fifth straight month.

China's stimulus plans failed to inspire investor confidence while markets kept watching for potential Israeli attacks on Iranian oil infrastructure.
Biden administration announces $2 billion in funds to strengthen electric grid
The Biden administration on Friday announced $2 billion in funding for projects to strengthen the resilience of the U.S. grid against extreme weather, an increasing concern following two consecutive major hurricanes in the Atlantic.

The funding, which will go to 38 projects in 42 states, will be provided through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, a $10.5 billion initiative included in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Energy Department officials told reporters on a call.
US closes $861 million loan guarantee for solar, energy storage in Puerto Rico
The U.S. Energy Department said on Tuesday it closed an $861 million loan guarantee to finance the construction of two solar photovoltaic farms and two battery storage systems in Puerto Rico.

The power grid of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, has been battered by hurricanes in recent years, and people in remote mountain towns were left without power for nearly a year after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Between 3,000 and 4,600 people died after Maria knocked out power, studies say.
Amazon, Google make dueling nuclear investments to power data centers with clean energy
Amazon on Wednesday said that it was investing in small nuclear reactors, coming just two days after a similar announcement by Google, as both tech giants seek new sources of carbon-free electricity to meet surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence.

The plans come as the owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant said last month it plans to restart the reactor so tech giant Microsoft can buy the power to supply its data centers. All three companies have been investing in solar and wind technologies, which make electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions. Now they say they need to go further in the search for clean electricity to meet both demand and their own commitments to cut emissions.

Texas

SpaceX launches its mega Starship rocket; this time, mechanical arms catches it at landing
SpaceX launched its enormous Starship rocket on Sunday on its boldest test flight yet, catching the returning booster back at the pad with mechanical arms.

Towering almost 121 meters, the empty Starship blasted off at sunrise from the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border. It arced over the Gulf of Mexico like the four Starships before it that ended up being destroyed, either soon after liftoff or while ditching into the sea. The last one in June was the most successful yet, completing its flight without exploding.
Blue Owl Capital Forms $3.4 Bln JV to Fund Texas AI Data Center
Blue Owl Capital has formed a $3.4-billion joint venture with Crusoe Energy Systems and Primary Digital Infrastructure to fund an AI data center in Texas.

The three companies said Tuesday that they will come together to fund the purpose-built data center capacity at the Lancium Clean Campus in Abilene, Texas. The campus is a 998,000 square foot, 206-megawatt data center designed, built, and operated by Crusoe, an AI infrastructure company.
Federal court ruling threatens to derail Texas’ clean energy future
In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a ruling in City of Port Isabel vs. FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) that took the unprecedented step of vacating the federal permits of two South Texas liquefied natural gas facilities — the $18.4 billion Rio Grande LNG terminal and Texas LNG — more than a year after they were issued. But the ramifications of this decision extend far beyond LNG. If it stands, the ruling would set a precedent that could derail future development for all forms of energy, and Texas’ position as a clean energy leader could be squandered.

Austin

Flex to buy California company for $325M
A supersized Austin-based manufacturer announced it has acquired a California-based manufacturer for $325 million.

Flex LTD. announced on Oct. 17 that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Crown Technical Systems in an all-cash transaction. The deal is expected to close by December.
Austin candy startup doubling its store count from 1,500 to 3,000 this year
Better Sour Co. is doubling its retail door count in less than one year, inking new deals and solidifying previous partnerships.

The better-for-you sour candy company, co-founded by childhood friends Isabella Hughes and Semira Nikou, is slated to be in 3,000 stores by the end of this year. Just about a year ago, Better Sour was in about 100 stores. But it seems that its candy has captured a wide audience, with its target consumer being Gen Z and Millennial candy foodies, as well as their parents, Hughes said.
Intel to cut workers in Austin amid cost-cutting move
Intel Corp. is laying off more than 250 employees in Austin, part of a broad cost-cutting move announced by the chipmaker over the summer in which it is eliminating about 15,000 jobs companywide.

The Santa Clara, California-based company detailed plans for 251 Austin layoffs in a notice to the Texas Workforce Commission required under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which mandates that employers alert local governments to large job cuts.

Opinion Editorial

FedEx founder says corporate data predicted the rise of Tesla and Nvidia—and can flag new trends
Long before Fred Smith was the billionaire founder of FedEx, he was a Vietnam veteran with a love of flying and a small fleet of planes for hire. “I would be flying these parts and pieces from Xerox in Rochester to Pittsburgh or wherever the case may be,” he told a gathering of 200 Goldman Sachs executives and entrepreneurs on Thursday. “And I would sort of sit in amazement there and say, ‘They’re hiring me and this whole damn airplane to carry this little part.’”
Why data centres are a bottleneck for the AI boom: podcast
Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT depend on chips and energy. But a $1 trln rush to build data centres faces constraints on planning and power. In this episode of The Big View podcast, Morgan Laughlin of asset manager PGIM explains the virtual frenzy’s physical limits.
The U.S. economy's biggest threat? China's clean energy push.
As China ramps up renewable-energy production, the U.S. risks becoming dependent on oil and other outdated energy sources

China is positioning itself as the global leader in tomorrow's technologies, outpacing the U.S.

The U.S. faces a surprising economic threat: ultra-cheap energy.

While low energy prices have long been hailed as a boon for economic growth, they undermine America's future competitiveness, particularly in the face of China's rapid rise. If the U.S. doesn't swiftly invest in renewable energy and other promising energy-related technologies, its economic leadership could be challenged by a rival now strategically positioning itself through long-term energy investments.

Events

F1 Race day (Oct 20th @ 2 pm)
How to Fund, Grow and Succeed: Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Oct 29th, 5-8 pm)
U.S. Mexico Supply Chain Summit in El Paso Texas (March 27, 2025)
Global Diversity Export Initiative (GDEI) Trade Mission to India, Singapore, and Hong Kong (March 2-8, 2025)
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Certified WBE, MBE & HUB.

Certified by:

  • City of Austin, Tx.
  • State of Texas 
  • National Minority Supplier Development Council
Book A Call

© 2024 Big Plan. All rights reserved.

Join The club

Stay informed weekly. Subscribe to Central Texas Global Business Pulse.

Get A Free Consultation
And Estimate

Skip to content