Global Growth Drag from Iran War: A new analysis warns the US-Iran escalation is turning into a prolonged energy, shipping, fertilizer, food and financial shock, with global growth projected around 2.8–3.1% through 2027 even if fighting eases. Indonesia Investor Jitters: Indonesia’s rupiah slid below 18,100 per dollar and stocks are down sharply this year as fuel and food spending strains finances, while export controls and central-bank oversight fears spook investors—though rate hikes offered brief relief. Hong Kong Jobs Plan: Hong Kong’s first five-year blueprint aims to upgrade the economy and use AI to create quality jobs, with public consultation starting soon. New Zealand Budget Backlash: Critics say Budget 2026 missed the productivity problem, while political sparring over funding gaps and transport fare caps heats up. Cuba Economic Overhaul: President Díaz-Canel announced sweeping reforms to loosen state control across agriculture, trade, investment and government size amid deep crisis and sanctions. Pakistan Rate Pressure: Exporters and business groups welcomed Budget 2026-27 but urged the central bank to avoid further rate hikes ahead of the MPC. Bangladesh Digital Push: The government is betting on freelancing, outsourcing and a bigger digital economy to reach $1T by 2034, alongside a trade-and-growth diplomacy roadmap. Local Growth Bottleneck: Bangladesh’s Jamalpur Economic Zone faces delays as only one of 19 firms has gas connections, leaving nearly $200m in investment stalled. Tech/Finance Trend: Rain’s report says Latin America transacted about $1.5T via stablecoins from 2022–2025, cutting cross-border fees dramatically and boosting crypto-card adoption.