TEXAS

In addition to exclusive insights from Womble Bond Dickinson Partner Stephanie Yarbrough, this news roundup from the Lone Star State also includes a close look at Frisco; the $1.2 billion controlled environment agriculture investment from Plant-AS in West Texas; and energy project updates from solar to LNG.

INVESTMENT PROFILE: HOOSIER ENERGY

In a world where the only constant is change, Hoosier Energy and its member cooperatives demonstrate unchanging commitment to communities and customers.

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Elkem in February said it would invest around NOK 200 million (US$18.8 million) to increase production capacity at its Carboderivados plant in Greater Vitoria, State of Espirito Santo, Brazil, for pitch, a raw material for electrode paste.

Photo courtesy of Elkem via PR Newswire

Last week Dun & Bradstreet released the inaugural edition of its Global Business Optimism Insights report, which purports to provide “a unique and comprehensive view into the thinking behind the operational and investment expectations of business leaders” via an amalgamation of five indices for 32 economies: the Global Business Optimism Index, Global Business Supply Chain Continuity Index, Global Business Financial Confidence Index, Global Business Investment Confidence Index and Global Business ESG Index. Among its findings:

• “Businesses in emerging economies such as Brazil (0.9%) and India (0.4%) report some of the biggest jumps in optimism for Q3 2023; Eurozone markets report the biggest declines (-3.9%).”
• “Businesses across Financial Services, Automotive, and Metals & Mining are least optimistic, whereas those across Utilities, Trade, and Hospitality are the most optimistic for growth.”
• “Technology and R&D investments top the list of expected capital expenditures, with nearly 40% of businesses anticipating 6-10% growth in investments for these categories …”
• After a quarterly decline in the Global Business Supply Chain Continuity Index, “given the economic uncertainty and regulations, it is advisable to review supply chain resilience and look for opportunities presented by reshoring, nearshoring and friendshoring trends.”

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Photo by Brenda T. Schwartz used by permission courtesy of the National Park Service

The Tower of Voices at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County in southwestern Pennsylvania is seen surrounded by a sea of tickseed wildflowers. “The 93-foot-tall musical instrument serves as both a visual and audible reminder of the heroism of the 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93,” says the National Park Service of the memorial to those who perished when the aircraft was crashed into the ground by terrorists at 10:03 a.m. on September 11, 2001, after the crew and passengers attempted to take control.