Central Banks & Rates: The ECB became the first major central bank to hike since 2023, lifting its benchmark to 2.25% as Iran-linked oil shocks feed inflation, while Japan’s finance minister said BOJ Governor Ueda’s hospital absence won’t derail next week’s meeting. Global Growth Outlook: The World Bank cut its 2026 global growth forecast to 2.5%, citing Middle East conflict, higher energy prices, inflation and tighter borrowing conditions. Banking & Credit: India’s bank credit growth accelerated to 17.7% in May-end, with deposits lagging and widening the funding gap; in markets, India’s Bank Nifty surged past 56,000 as crude eased and US-Iran tensions cooled. Energy & Infrastructure Finance: New York’s grid operator renewed calls for “all-of-the-above” power investment, while South Africa’s Mulilo reached financial close on a 77MW/308MWh battery project and SADC central bank chiefs met to bolster resilience. Investment Pushes in Emerging Markets: Uzbekistan launched a Silk Road Finance & Tech Forum targeting $1bn fintech investment by 2030; Tanzania reported a record 915 projects worth $10.95bn in 2025; Cambodia logged 37 projects worth about $570m in May and doubled down on SMEs. IPO & Investor Sentiment: SpaceX’s $2.2bn IPO raise from Japanese investors stoked global excitement, even as Bank of America urged investors to “take profits” after a sharp market pullback. Tech, Payments & Regulation: SEBI cancelled an investment adviser’s registration over compliance lapses, and Indonesia’s rupiah strengthened after an off-cycle rate hike amid an immigration corruption scandal threatening investor confidence.