New Delhi, Nov. 3 -- It took thirty years for Nvidia, an American firm whose chips power much of the world's artificial intelligence, to reach a valuation of $1trn. Getting to $2trn took only nine more months. It passed the $5trn mark less than two years after that. It is now the world's most valuable company, worth around $5.4trn. Next year its sales are expected almost to double. Some analysts predict it will take in $1trn in annual revenue by 2029.

It is not just chipmaking that has spurred Nvidia's stunning growth, however. Its boss, Jensen Huang, has also resorted to financial engineering to boost demand for its wares. In mid-August, for example, Nvidia agreed to provide a backstop worth up to $105bn for a vast data centre in Ohio t...