We’ve published our updated Net Zero Transition Plan (NZTP), setting out an evolved, commercially grounded approach to helping customers succeed as the world moves towards a net zero economy. Building on our inaugural NZTP published in January 2024, this updated plan reaffirms our ambition to become a net zero bank by 2050, while responding to a global landscape that has shifted markedly, making the pace of transition more uneven. It’s informed by a deeper understanding of customer transitions, the latest scientific...

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By Benjamin W. Perry and Justin T. Tarka, Ogletree Deakins The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, effective from August 1, 2024, imposes a risk-based framework on AI systems used within the EU, affecting U.S. employers that use AI for HR functions involving EU candidates or employees. With significant penalties for noncompliance, the AI Act categorizes many workplace AI uses as “high risk,” requiring immediate adherence to specific obligations and full compliance by August 2027. Quick Hits • The EU AI Act took effect on...

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The advanced SHOUT nano 200 device will offer comprehensive features and multiple communication methods for increased user safety and operational resilience MANASSAS, Va., October 7, 2025 – NAL Research, a leader in innovative, global connectivity solutions trusted by government and enterprise customers, is announcing a powerful addition to its industry-defining SHOUT product line with SHOUT nano 200. The new tracker provides federal agencies and militaries with enhanced performance, assurance, and adaptability for connectivity in any mission. Unlike traditional handheld trackers that require a clear...

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Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephenson Harwood Data Protection update, covering key developments in data regulation and cyber security law in October 2025. In data regulation news, the European Data Protection Board (“EDPB”) focuses its coordinated enforcement framework on transparency and information obligations under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”); and the ICO launches a consultation on supporting charities to use the “charitable purpose soft opt-in”, introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. In cyber security news, Capita...

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About the EIB Investment Survey The EIB Group Investment Survey (EIBIS), conducted annually since 2016, is a unique survey of some 13 000 firms across all EU Member States, with an additional sample from the United States. The survey collects data on firm characteristics and performance, past investment activities and future plans, sources of finance, financing issues and other challenges, such as climate change and digital transformation. The EIBIS uses a stratified sampling methodology and is representative across all 27...

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The USPTO has opened a new pathway in the examination queue with its Streamlined Claim Set Pilot Program. Effective October 27, 2025, this limited-duration initiative allows qualifying applications to move “out of turn” to a first Office action, offering potential advantages for applicants willing to narrow their claim sets and meet strict procedural requirements—while requiring careful navigation of tradeoffs and procedural pitfalls. What the Program Does—and Does Not Do The pilot advances eligible utility applications to the front of the line...

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By Andy Boettcher, Head of Research, Trepp, and Rachel Szymanski, Chief Economist, Trepp After two years of tightening credit and economic uncertainty, the commercial real estate (CRE) debt market is revealing a split across different lender types. Using data from the Federal Reserve’s Financial Accounts of the United States (Z.1), we examine how outstanding balances are distributed across the market and the timing of future maturities. While some lenders are deploying fresh capital where they see opportunity and stability, others are...

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The world economy is limping into November 2025, buffeted by geopolitical crosswinds, policy fragmentation, and structural shifts that defy easy categorization. Despite record highs in many equity markets, beneath the surface, the global order is being re-engineered—one export restriction, cyberattack, and parliamentary deadlock at a time. US-China Tensions Move Away from the Immediate Brink Let’s start with the main event: the U.S.–China tech war. Washington thought it had cornered the semiconductor chessboard. By the end of September, the U.S. had expanded...

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A new study published today by the European Investment Bank (EIB) shows that scaling up bio-based industries can strengthen EU’s strategic autonomy as well as competitiveness, foster innovation and create growth and jobs, particularly in rural and coastal regions. Improving access to finance by expanding venture debt and early-stage investment offerings can accelerate the upscaling of new technologies that use renewable natural resources to produce sustainable food, materials, and energy. The study, which was commissioned and supported by the European Commission’s Directorate...

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