SME Export Push (Sri Lanka–Thailand): Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board (EDB) backed 11 export-ready food and beverage SMEs with a technical exposure and capacity-building program alongside THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 in Bangkok, including factory visits and marketing know-how for ASEAN market entry. MSME Finance Boost (India): India’s RBI ran an MSME awareness camp in Jammu for about 160 entrepreneurs, covering ULI, CBDC, and TReDS, plus access-to-credit challenges and government schemes. Digital Payments Shift (India): A PayNearby MSME Digital Index report says UPI and Aadhaar-enabled banking now drive 61% of transactions at last-mile MSME retail outlets, while cash still makes up 37%. Credit Ecosystem Reform (India): RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra urged banks to lean into digital public infrastructure for lower-friction MSME lending and treat MSMEs as long-term partners, not just a compliance task. Gold Loans Go Mainstream (India): Experian reports gold loans are scaling fast in India, with sourcing value growth rising from 69% (FY25) to 84% (FY26) and portfolio expanding to Rs 19.4 lakh crore by March 2026. Trade Risk (Pakistan): Pakistan business groups warn an India-EU trade deal could endanger nearly $9bn of Pakistan’s EU exports, citing high energy costs and pressure on export competitiveness. Local Jobs Shock (Pacific): Northland’s timber sector in New Zealand faces a major blow as Juken’s Northland Mill and Triboard Mill closure threatens hundreds of jobs and local supply-chain activity. Policy & Business Climate (US–Pacific): Samoa and New Zealand’s US ambassador Scott Brown defended Trump’s Paris climate withdrawal while stressing continued clean-energy innovation for Pacific partners.