Technology

Data center cooling issue halts world's largest derivatives exchange — CME trading shutdown ripples across Malaysia, UK, and EU markets

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

Nov 28, 2025

TL;DR

AI Generated

A cooling issue at a CyrusOne data center forced the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) to halt trading globally, impacting markets in Malaysia, the UK, and the EU. The outage affected a wide range of trading activities, including agriculture, energy, equity indices, foreign exchange, and more. While some trading systems have resumed, most remain offline, with BrokerTec US Actives and BrokerTec EU being exceptions. The incident highlights the risks of relying on a single system for such a massive operation, potentially affecting trillions of dollars and entire economies. The outage's timing limited its impact on U.S. trading but is expected to have a more significant effect on Asian and European markets until the issue is resolved.

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Six AI data centers proposed for a small town of 7,000, equal to 51 Walmart Supercenters in 17 square mile area — four out of the seven town council members have resigned from their positions as town fights back

Developers have proposed building six AI data centers in Archbald, Pennsylvania, a small town with a population of 7,000. These data centers would cover 14% of the town's 17-square-mile area and are equivalent in size to 51 Walmart Supercenters. The community is pushing back due to concerns about the impact on local utilities, noise, and light pollution. The fight has led to resignations from town council members and delays in the projects, with President Donald Trump getting involved in urging hyperscalers to address community concerns.

Tom's Hardware•

3 days ago

CEO Interview with Xianxin Guo of Lumai

Xianxin Guo, CEO of Lumai, discusses the company's optical computing technology for AI and data center acceleration, aiming to address power efficiency and scalability limitations of traditional silicon-based approaches. Lumai's hybrid optical-electronic design enhances compute efficiency by leveraging light for key operations, reducing energy consumption and breaking through AI system bottlenecks. The technology is well-suited for high-throughput AI inference workloads in data centers, offering a more cost-effective and scalable solution. By focusing on optical compute, Lumai differentiates itself from competitors and aims to redefine AI compute efficiency for long-term scalability and performance gains. The company engages with customers through collaborative discussions and partnership-driven approaches to integrate optical computing seamlessly into existing AI infrastructure.

SemiWiki•

6 days ago

New Jersey datacenter expansion got $77m in tax breaks to create exactly one permanent job — JPMorgan's site already scored $35m and currently employs just 25 workers

A JPMorgan datacenter expansion in New Jersey received $77 million in tax breaks to create just one permanent job, marking a high subsidy-to-jobs ratio. The expansion, which is part of a $1 billion investment, currently employs only 25 workers despite the substantial tax incentives. The Industrial Development Agency (IDA) believes the deal will benefit the local economy, projecting a $100 million infusion. While the IDA acknowledges the lack of permanent jobs, they argue that the overall economic impact justifies the subsidy. The situation highlights the need for closer scrutiny of datacenter subsidies and their true economic impact.

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

SemiEngineering

Silicon Photonics Lights The Way To More Efficient Data Centers

Silicon photonics is paving the way for more efficient data centers by potentially increasing bandwidth density and reducing power consumption, particularly driven by AI workloads. However, challenges such as process compatibility, thermal issues, and mechanical stress arise due to the use of various materials in photonic interconnects. Integrated electro-optical I/O modules are the desired outcome, but design and process complexities need to be addressed. The article delves into the technical aspects of silicon photonics, including the components involved, such as light sources, modulators, waveguides, and photodetectors, as well as the challenges of integrating optical and electronic components for efficient data transmission.

SemiEngineering•

2 weeks ago