U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent met with Australia's Treasurer on Monday to discuss critical minerals strategy—a key topic as nations ramp up competition for essential resources. The talks extended to broader G7 and G20 coordination efforts, with France playing a central role in aligning positions across the bloc.

Why this matters: Control over critical minerals underpins everything from semiconductor production to renewable energy infrastructure. These metals are crucial for battery tech, computing hardware, and power grids. When major economies coordinate on supply chains, it ripples through markets and affects everything from tech adoption to inflation dynamics.

The Bessent-led discussions signal deeper economic reshuffling—nations are locking in resource strategies that will shape trade relationships and investment flows. For those tracking macroeconomic trends and geopolitical shifts impacting markets, this kind of behind-the-scenes coordination often precedes policy moves that affect asset valuations.