The Central Bank of Brunei Darussalam (BDCB) hosted the Economic and Investment Outlook 2026 under the theme “Progress Under Pressure – Opportunities Amid Global Strains”, convening around 150 participants from government, financial institutions and local higher education to discuss key economic and market trends and the outlook for 2026 and beyond. In the keynote address, BDCB Board Chair and Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin highlighted the interplay between rising geopolitical fragmentation and the rapid advancement of transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), including the implications for international cooperation, market vulnerabilities and investor sentiment, and called for close monitoring alongside rigorous assessment of related opportunities and risks. A special presentation by University of Brunei Darussalam Associate Professor Dr Hafezali bin Iqbal Hussain examined how economic policy uncertainty can disrupt global supply chains and emphasised the role of national capabilities such as digital readiness, innovation capacity and financial depth, while noting risks linked to emerging technologies. A panel involving the Ministry of Finance and Economy, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Securities, BDCB and the Brunei Investment Agency discussed resilience strategies, including leveraging data-driven insights to navigate vulnerabilities and policy uncertainty, and adopting collaborative approaches while remaining vigilant to technology-related risks.

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