World Cup boost for SMEs: Seattle’s Pioneer Square is gearing up for a month-plus of public art, music and food events tied to World Cup 2026 crowds, aiming to turn foot traffic into business for local restaurants and cultural entrepreneurs. K-startup push: South Korea’s MSS opened applications for the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2026, a full-cycle accelerator for international startups targeting Korea and Asia from July 2026 to April 2027. China SME lending shift: China’s top financial regulator dropped a rule requiring banks to grow small-business inclusive loans as fast as overall lending, pivoting toward loan quality and sustainability. Thailand resilience plan: Thailand’s finance officials say there’s no stagflation signal yet, while pushing energy transition and EV adoption to blunt oil-price pressure. Banking and payments for growth: Bank of America plans next-quarter cross-border real-time payments via Swift or CashPro, targeting faster settlement for business and remittance flows. India tourism rethink: India’s tourism ministry urged a move from promotion-led travel to building globally competitive destinations and better visitor experiences. MSME credit friction in India: Tamil Nadu’s MSME groups say micro-enterprise funding is lagging, with banks reluctant to extend CGTMSE loans. Ghana FDI surge: Ghana reported $2.61B in 2025 FDI inflows, with new projects in manufacturing, energy, agro-processing and digital infrastructure.