Canadian financial and audit regulators highlighted technology, governance, fraud and disclosure risks affecting audit quality. They called for stronger oversight, risk-focused fraud defenses and more robust scrutiny of financial statement disclosures involving estimates, judgments and uncertainty.
The Central Bank of Libya said it has received April public sector salary orders from the Ministry of Finance and sent them to commercial banks for processing through the Ratabk Lahthi Instant Salary system. About 1.7 million of 2.2 million public employees are enrolled, a 75% participation rate. The bank also plans to automate complaints handling and address unpaid salaries with the Ministry of Finance.
The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force has commenced working group, committee, and forum meetings ahead of its 42nd Plenary. Member-country experts, observers, and regional and international organizations are discussing progress in national anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems and recent trends, typologies, and risks related to money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The Alberta Securities Commission reported on a roundtable co-hosted with OSFI, the Canadian Public Accountability Board and the Canadian Securities Administrators on risks to audit quality in Canada and the role of high-quality audits in supporting trusted capital markets. Participants highlighted challenges from rapid technological change, including artificial intelligence, evolving fraud risks and complex judgment-based disclosures, and emphasized regulatory coordination, clearer guidance and strong oversight as firms adopt new technology and enhance fraud prevention and detection.
The Department of Finance Canada outlined Spring Economic Update 2026 defence measures, including a proposed CAD 103.8 million over five years and CAD 22.3 million ongoing to establish the Defence Investment Agency as a standalone entity, and CAD 2.0 billion over three years for Operation UNIFIER. The government plans legislation to create the agency with expanded authorities at the centre of the Defence Industrial Strategy, and highlighted NATO’s confirmation that Canada reached defence spending of 2 per cent of GDP with more than CAD 63 billion spent in 2025-26.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has appointed Mike Casey, president and chief operating officer of Tuff Shed, Inc. in Denver, to the Denver Branch Board of Directors for the remainder of a term ending 31 December 2027. The seven-member Denver Branch Board, with four directors appointed by the Kansas City Fed and three by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, meets to discuss economic and financial developments and business conditions.
The Rwanda Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and ZEP-RE opened the ZEP-RE Annual Meetings 2026 in Kigali, focusing on strengthening financial resilience in Africa through disaster risk financing and inclusive insurance. Finance Minister Yusuf Murangwa highlighted Africa’s low insurance penetration of 2.7 percent versus a 7 percent global average and called for enabling regulation and expanded industry capacity, while the National Bank of Rwanda led roundtables on protecting public assets, fiscal stability and coverage for climate-vulnerable groups. ZEP-RE also announced a strategic partnership with iTOO Special Risks to bolster specialty insurance capacity and retain more risk within Africa.
The Indonesia Financial Services Authority used a Digital Financial Literacy event in Ambon to warn young consumers that digital and crypto assets are high risk, high return instruments and to caution against trend-driven investing amid rapid market growth. OJK highlighted risks from illegal investment schemes, digital fraud, cyber vulnerabilities, regulatory uncertainty and extreme price volatility, and positioned students as literacy agents within its Crypto Literacy Month initiative to improve responsible use of digital financial products in regions with low financial literacy.
Mexico’s National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Users of Financial Services reported 1,485 financial services complaints in Baja California in the first quarter of 2026, representing 2.1% of the national total and a 21.6% year-on-year decline. Complaints were concentrated in commercial banks (66.3%), mainly involving unrecognized electronic transfers and other unrecognized transactions, with credit cards, debit cards and personal loans accounting for 71.0% of banking complaints and a 33.8% user favorable resolution rate.
The IMF’s Article IV staff concluding statement on Cyprus found the economy resilient, with robust growth and moderate inflation. It advised that any fiscal loosening be gradual, focused on growth-enhancing investment, and avoid broad tax cuts or weakening the foreclosure framework. Staff urged keeping the medium-term primary balance at or above the debt-stabilizing level, prioritizing targeted transfers over broad price-based measures, and limiting public wage increases to the COLA index. Banks were deemed resilient, and staff supported raising the countercyclical capital buffer to 1.5 percent from January 2026. The statement also called for further structural reforms in skills, innovation, judicial efficiency, and the energy sector.
The IMF’s 2026 Article IV staff statement on Chile notes a resilient economy but elevated external risks, urging readiness to tighten monetary policy if second‑round inflation effects appear, alongside targeted fiscal support and a credible medium‑term consolidation plan. Staff projects real GDP growth of 2.2 percent in 2026 and 2.5 percent in 2027, and a 2026 headline fiscal deficit of about 2.5 percent of GDP. Achieving a broadly balanced structural position by 2030 while keeping debt below 45 percent of GDP will require fiscal measures of 2–3 percentage points of GDP and careful calibration of tax cuts. Banks remain sound; the IMF welcomes full Basel III implementation, a gradual increase in the countercyclical capital buffer to 1.0 percent of risk‑weighted assets, completion of the central bank’s reserve accumulation program, stronger financial market infrastructure and bank resolution, and progress on pension reform.
The Superintendency of Banks of the Dominican Republic has issued a circular, effective 5 May 2026, limiting visibility of unpaid credit information in the Central de Riesgos registry to four years from a debt’s maturity or default, effectively creating a financial-sector “right to be forgotten” for registry visibility. The measure does not alter the legal status of debts or creditors’ collection rights, excludes debtors in judicial restructuring or liquidation, and applies only to information displayed via the Superintendency’s credit inquiry system.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has published Community Reinvestment Act performance evaluations made public between April 1 and April 30, 2026 for national banks, federal savings associations, and insured federal branches of foreign banks. The ratings, which range from outstanding to substantial noncompliance, reflect how institutions meet community credit needs, including in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound operation.
Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance released remarks by Minister and Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis ahead of the Eurogroup meeting, highlighting discussions on the economic impact of the Middle East crisis and a coordinated European response, with any support to be targeted and temporary. He noted the shock to households and businesses via energy prices, backed diplomatic efforts to safeguard navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and flagged Eurogroup discussions on European banking union, the Kukies-Noyer report on scaling startups, cross-border bank M&A, and the implications of artificial intelligence for banking, particularly cybersecurity risks.
The National Bank of Ukraine reported that its special fundraising account to support the defense forces held over UAH 2.9 billion as of 1 May 2026, after receiving more than UAH 178 million in April and cumulative inflows of nearly UAH 155.5 billion equivalent since 24 February 2022. Since the start of the full-scale war, almost UAH 153.6 billion has been allocated, primarily to the Defence Procurement Agency (over UAH 97.5 billion) and the Ministry of Defence (over UAH 38.4 billion), with over UAH 275 million of unused ministry funds returned in April.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Market Oversight and Division of Clearing and Risk issued a no-action position on swap data reporting and recordkeeping requirements for fully collateralized event contract transactions executed on or subject to the rules of Railbird Exchange, LLC and cleared through Bitnomial Clearinghouse, LLC. The divisions will not recommend enforcement action against Railbird, Bitnomial, or their participants for certain swap-related recordkeeping and reporting failures, and have removed a prior condition that prohibited participants from clearing contracts through a third-party clearing member, subject to the no-action letter.
The Single Resolution Board published a note for the May 2026 Eurogroup outlining a resolvability update and operational crisis readiness. The note also addresses resilience as a factor for competitiveness, emerging risks, and related conclusions.
The European Central Bank published its Annual Report 2025 and a package of Governing Council decisions, including the legal implementation of its December 2025 policy to remunerate all excess reserves at the deposit facility rate from 17 June 2026. The decisions advance work on the digital euro and tokenised wholesale central bank money, move the Integrated Reporting Framework and Analytics and Data projects into the realisation phase, tighten securities holdings reporting, and impose a EUR 6.2 million penalty on BofA Securities Europe SA. The Governing Council also approved a comprehensive payments strategy and key arrangements for the digital euro pilot.
The Bank for International Settlements’ Financial Stability Institute has issued an FSI Insights paper proposing a supervisory risk appetite framework for banking supervisors, urging authorities to explicitly define the level of supervisory risk they will tolerate. Aimed at safety and soundness mandates, the framework has five elements: risk taxonomy, tolerance scales, high-level appetite statements, indicators, and governance, to improve resource prioritisation and more timely, consistent intervention. The paper notes few authorities currently use such frameworks and suggests future international guidance, including a harmonised definition of supervisory risk and Basel Core Principles criteria on supervisory risk appetite frameworks.
The Czech National Bank drew attention to New York Times coverage on central banks’ increasing gold reserves and storage practices, which referenced its strategy to raise gold holdings within international reserves to 100 tonnes by 2028. The strategy was outlined to the newspaper by Bank Board member Jan Kubíček.
The Central Bank of Chile reported preliminary March Imacec data showing overall economic activity down 0.1% year on year but up 0.3% on a seasonally adjusted monthly and 12‑month basis. A 5.2% year‑on‑year contraction in goods production, driven by lower mining, manufacturing and other goods, was partly offset by gains in trade and services, while non‑mining Imacec rose 0.9% year on year and 0.5% month on month. Preliminary first‑quarter GDP figures will follow under the National Accounts release schedule.
The Bank of Italy is hosting an international workshop in Rome, jointly with the European Central Bank, the Euro Area Business Cycle Network and the Centre for Economic Policy Research, on how digital assets affect monetary policy transmission, focusing on stablecoins and central bank digital currencies. The programme features opening remarks by Deputy Governor Chiara Scotti, a keynote by Hélène Rey, three thematic sessions on liquidity provision, safe asset prices, financial stability and monetary policy transmission, and an interview with European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone.
The European Securities and Markets Authority has issued a final report proposing a common EU framework for investment fund reporting and an interim report on simplifying transaction reporting. ESMA proposes replacing fragmented national fund regimes with a single modular EU template under a “report once, use many times” model, with data collected nationally but validated, stored and analysed via an EU-level hub. For transaction reporting, ESMA will further assess an instrument-based simplification and a longer-term integrated “report once” framework across EMIR, MiFIR and SFTR, without yet making policy recommendations.
The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group has confirmed a renewed composition of its Sustainability Reporting Technical Expert Group, effective 1 May 2026, combining five new appointments with several reappointments to maintain balanced expertise across stakeholder groups, sectors and geographies. The announcement details new and reappointed members, national standard setter liaison representatives, and acknowledges outgoing members for contributions to European Sustainability Reporting Standards simplification, VSME design and implementation support.
Sweden’s Ministry of Finance announced that Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson will attend the Economic and Financial Affairs Council in Brussels, where ministers are expected to approve new rules granting the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the European Anti-Fraud Office access to EU-level value added tax data to strengthen action against cross-border VAT fraud. The Council will also discuss the economic and financial consequences of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the economic impact of EU legislation on market integration and supervision.
The Bank of Spain has launched Mi CarpetaBE, a personal digital space that allows the public to centrally access information related to their interactions with the central bank, including documents submitted via the Electronic Register, electronic notifications and communications, and verification of electronic documents using the Secure Verification Code. Access requires digital identification, and future enhancements will add appointment calendars and procedure management under the Strategic Plan 2030 initiative “Un Banco conectado” to modernize digital administration.
The Bank of Spain has published April official reference interest rates for variable-rate mortgage loans, with the one-year Euribor, the main benchmark for Spanish mortgages, rising to 2.747% from 2.565% in March and 0.604 percentage points above its level a year earlier. It also released updated Euribor, €STR-based and Mibor reference rates across the curve, noting these become official once published in the Official State Gazette and that Mibor will continue to be published monthly for legacy operations.
The Central Bank of Slovenia’s latest Financial Stability Review assesses overall banking system risks as moderate but worsening, with macrofinancial and cyber risks elevated despite strong capital, liquidity and a preventive macroprudential stance. Macrofinancial risk is rising amid trade and geopolitical tensions, higher energy prices and supply chain disruptions. Credit, real estate and interest rate risks are moderate but increasing, especially for energy‑intensive firms and housing and fixed‑rate lending. Funding and climate risks are moderate with stable outlooks, income risk is low, deposits remain the main funding source, and no material cyber incidents were reported in 2025 or early 2026.
The Bank of Finland has announced that its Board members will join the Parliamentary Supervisory Council’s visit to Washington D.C. and New York in early May 2026 for meetings with the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. Treasury, the New York Stock Exchange, research institutes and financial sector representatives. Discussions will focus on the outlook for the U.S. and global economies, U.S. monetary and fiscal policy, financial sector and market developments, the international financial system and U.S. views on global economic challenges amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance published an interview in which Minister and Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis warned of a stagflationary tilt in Europe due to a Middle East-related energy shock, while deeming the current European response appropriate and stressing targeted, temporary support. He highlighted Europe’s improved energy preparedness, the need to avoid turning an energy crisis into a fiscal crisis, and said any broader EU fiscal response should depend on the crisis’ duration and severity. Pierrakakis also flagged imminent Eurogroup progress on the Savings and Investment Union, including more centralised capital markets supervision, and cited the SAFE instrument, the defence escape clause, joint procurement and artificial intelligence as key topics in current finance ministers’ discussions.
The European Central Bank has published a working paper on how income inequality shapes the international transmission of US monetary policy, using data for 87 countries from 1966 to 2020. It finds that foreign GDP falls more after US monetary tightening when inequality is higher, with output contracting up to one and a half times more when inequality is above average. Inequality amplifies spillovers in advanced economies but mitigates them in emerging markets. Using a three-country open economy Two-Agent New Keynesian model, the authors attribute this divergence to differences in households’ access to international financial markets and find similar cross-country patterns for consumption.
The European Central Bank’s 2025 Annual Report to the European Parliament’s ECON Committee noted euro area growth of 1.4%, average inflation of 2.1%, and a cumulative 100 basis point cut in the deposit facility rate to 2.0% by mid-2025, with rates then kept unchanged amid uncertainty. It reaffirmed its symmetric 2% medium-term inflation target and outlined broader work including the digital euro’s shift to a technical readiness and legislative phase, a pilot envisaged for 2027 and potential issuance in 2029, plus initiatives on cash and banknotes, DLT-based wholesale settlement, capital markets and banking union, and simplification of prudential, supervisory and reporting frameworks.
The National Bank of Romania, together with the Financial Supervisory Authority and the Romanian Banks Association, will host the spring semiannual meeting of the OECD International Network on Financial Education in Bucharest in May 2026, culminating in a conference on financial literacy and inclusion. Linked by the central bank to Romania’s OECD accession efforts and broader cooperation with OECD member states, the event will gather more than 200 participants from 65 countries and builds on OECD/INFE support for Romania’s National Strategy for Financial Education 2024-2030.
The National Bank of Romania reported that foreign exchange reserves declined to EUR 64.836 billion at end-April 2026 from EUR 67.032 billion a month earlier, with total international reserves, including gold, falling to EUR 78.007 billion from EUR 80.278 billion. Gold holdings remained unchanged at 103.6 tonnes, valued at EUR 13.171 billion, while April saw EUR 1.800 billion of inflows and EUR 3.996 billion of outflows, and public debt payments due in May on foreign currency-denominated debt total EUR 1.417 billion.
The Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority’s 2026 risk and vulnerability analysis finds Norway’s financial infrastructure remains robust, with satisfactory operational stability and payment service availability. However, it assesses the digital threat level as high, driven by organised criminal groups, state actors, wider use of artificial intelligence and heightened geopolitical tensions, and highlights supplier and value chain risk as a critical vulnerability. The authority notes new rules requiring firms to manage third-party risk, identify critical suppliers and maintain exit options.
The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway reported NOK 558 million in gross fraud in the second half of 2025, up NOK 154 million from the first half, driven mainly by a NOK 146 million rise in account transfer fraud to NOK 384 million. For 2025 overall, reported gross fraud totaled NOK 962 million, NOK 265 million lower than in 2024, with actual losses expected to be lower due to not-yet-quantified recoveries. The figures are based on mandatory fraud reporting by banks, credit institutions, electronic money institutions, payment institutions, and relevant branches under payment service systems rules and PSD2 guidelines.
Angola’s Ministry of Finance published Banco de Poupança e Crédito figures showing a return on equity of 1.6 percent, a regulatory capital ratio of 26.7 percent and total deposits of AOA 1.211 trillion, with capital well above prudential and SREP thresholds and deposits up more than 11.5 percent from 2024. The update also reported strong growth in remote channels and payments, with ATM transaction volume rising 15.8 percent year-on-year to AOA 1.442 trillion and automatic payment transactions increasing 154.6 percent to about AOA 701 billion.
The IMF Executive Board’s Article IV consultation for Andorra found the economy remains strong but entering slower growth, with real GDP projected to decelerate from 3.9 percent in 2025 to 2.1 percent in 2026 and 1.5 percent by 2030, and inflation expected to return to 2 percent by end-2027. Directors deemed the looser 2026 fiscal stance broadly appropriate but urged readiness to tighten if inflation persists, welcomed fiscal surpluses and declining public debt, and stressed pension and healthcare reforms plus structural measures to boost productivity, housing affordability, diversification, and manage EU Association Agreement transition costs. They assessed the financial sector as strong, highlighted progress in risk-based AML/CFT supervision, and noted the upcoming Financial Sector Assessment Program to review vulnerabilities and resilience.
The National Bank of Moldova published remarks by Governor Anca Dragu at the Bucharest Leaders’ Summit highlighting Moldova’s progress in financial modernisation, European integration and macroeconomic stabilisation, without announcing new policy measures. She cited integration into the Single Euro Payments Area, rollout of the MIA Instant Payments system, strengthened financial supervision, inflation returning to the 5% target range in 2026, and a cumulative three-notch sovereign rating upgrade over two years as key outcomes.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance published remarks by ADB Governor for Japan Satsuki Katayama outlining Japan’s priorities for the Asian Development Bank, including resilience, regional integration, private sector development, ADB capacity and multilateral development bank cooperation. Japan confirmed a USD 20 million contribution to ADB’s Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing Financing Partnership Facility, highlighted energy and supply-chain resilience initiatives and additional funding for regional facilities, and announced it will host the 2027 ADB Annual Meeting in Aichi-Nagoya.
The Maldives Monetary Authority will host the Maldives Financial Expo in Hulhumalé to promote financial inclusion and literacy by providing a single venue for public engagement with financial service providers and regulators. Participating institutions will showcase new products and services, and the authority will introduce seven Maldives Financial Sector Awards aligned with its strategic priorities, including digital finance, SME finance, and green and sustainable finance.
The Indonesia Financial Services Authority has introduced QR codes on registration certificates for insurance and reinsurance brokers to enable real-time verification of identity and registration status, aiming to reduce dealings with unregistered parties and strengthen supervision and consumer protection. The authority has also streamlined broker registration through its Integrated Licensing and Registration System (SPRINT), which automates issuance of registration numbers and aligns with Law No. 4 of 2023 and OJK Regulation 24/2023.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority published first quarter 2026 survey results indicating that small and medium-sized enterprises’ access to bank credit remained broadly stable, with 73% of respondents perceiving banks’ credit approval stance as similar or easier than six months earlier. Among SMEs with existing credit lines, none reported a tighter bank stance, while only 2% of all respondents applied for new credit and 91% of those with known outcomes reported fully or partially successful applications, though the authority cautioned that these sub-samples are small and may not reflect actual credit supply.
The Vietnam State Securities Commission has notified seven individuals to pay a VND 1,000,000 fee per person for issuance of a securities practice certificate, in line with the Ministry of Finance fee schedule. Payment may be made by bank transfer or directly at the Commission, and certificates will be cancelled if not collected within one year of the fee notice.
The Congo Insurance Regulation and Control Authority joined the launch of a World Bank–supported disaster risk financing diagnostic at the Forum on Financing Resilience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, underscoring the need for pre-arranged financing and positioning insurance and microinsurance within a broader resilience framework. Director General Alain Kaninda highlighted priorities including compensation for material damage, protection of citizens’ assets, financial market stability, and development of locally adapted microinsurance products to address rising climate risks and reduce reliance on post-disaster budget support.
The Central Bank of Taiwan reported that banks’ outstanding derivatives notional amounts reached TWD 99,473.3 billion at end-March 2026, up 4.95 percent from end-December 2025, driven by a TWD 3,002.7 billion increase in over-the-counter swap contracts. Over-the-counter instruments accounted for 99.80 percent of the total, with interest rate and foreign exchange contracts representing 55.18 percent and 44.65 percent respectively, and the five largest banks holding 50.33 percent of outstanding amounts.
European Central Bank Executive Board member Piero Cipollone outlined the Eurosystem’s approach to tokenisation, confirming that tokenised central bank money settlement for distributed ledger technology-based transactions will be offered from September via the Pontes project. He noted that since March the Eurosystem has accepted marketable assets issued in central securities depositories using distributed ledger technology as eligible collateral and is considering extending eligibility to other distributed ledger technology-issued assets, and highlighted the Appia roadmap on architecture and standards to avoid market fragmentation and reliance on private settlement assets such as stablecoins.
The Saudi Central Bank has licensed Lite Advanced Financial to provide e-wallet solutions, bringing the number of licensed payment service providers in Saudi Arabia to 32. The authority reiterated that customers should deal only with authorized financial institutions listed on its website.
The Institute of International Bankers submitted a comment letter on the OCC’s proposed rule to implement the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, urging that foreign bank groups and their U.S. operations be allowed to participate in the payment stablecoin market on terms comparable to domestic institutions. It recommends permitting stablecoin reserve holdings and operational backstops at U.S. branches of foreign banking organizations, ensuring parity in licensing, custody and regulatory treatment, limiting supervision to U.S. stablecoin activities, allowing non-USD reserve assets for non-USD stablecoins, and publishing application and reporting forms for public comment.
The Saudi Arabia Capital Markets Authority approved Future Vision for Health Training Company’s capital increase from SAR 10,000,000 to SAR 20,000,000 through one bonus share for every existing share, funded by transferring SAR 10,000,000 from the share premium account. Outstanding shares will rise from 10,000,000 to 20,000,000, with eligibility based on shareholders registered at the Securities Depository Center at the close of the second trading day after the due date set by the board, subject to an extraordinary general assembly within six months and all regulatory requirements being met.
The Kuwait Capital Markets Authority has granted Al-Ruwaih & Partners Financial and Administrative Consulting preliminary approval to undertake the securities activity of investment adviser. The six-month renewable approval, effective from 4 May 2026 to 3 November 2026, allows the firm to meet regulatory requirements and pay the prescribed fee, after which it will receive a three-year renewable licence from the date of licence issuance.
Lithuania’s Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekunas will use ECOFIN and Eurogroup meetings in Brussels to support stronger EU cooperation against VAT fraud, including giving the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the European Anti-Fraud Office direct, centralised access to VAT data. ECOFIN will also review a EUR 90 billion EU support loan for Ukraine for 2026-2027 and discuss the Commission’s Market Integration and Supervision Package, including possible direct ESMA supervision of major cross-border market infrastructures and all crypto asset service providers, plus changes to ESMA’s governance and funding.
The National Bank of Denmark’s 2025 oversight report finds that core Danish payment and securities systems remained secure, efficient and generally stable, with central systems highly compliant with international standards and supporting average daily payment flows of DKK 838 billion, although cyber and hybrid threats are increasingly complex. The report notes rare operational disruptions but highlights major incidents in TARGET Services and card payments, urging stronger contingency planning for extreme scenarios. The bank will monitor in 2026 how firms implement its recommendations and flags forthcoming infrastructure changes, including Finance Denmark’s STEP2 DKK project with EBA CLEARING and ES-CPH’s convergence to the Euronext platform.
The UAE Ministry of Finance joined the annual meetings of Arab financial institutions, where Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini called for stronger Arab financial and institutional cooperation amid current regional and global conditions. He emphasised flexible financial tools, closer policy integration, and cooperation on governance, efficiency, knowledge exchange, and investment in infrastructure, supply chains and the digital economy, while the meetings reviewed performance and approved financial statements.
The National Bank of Ukraine has approved the methodology for the 2026 bank stress test, the third stage of its resilience assessment, covering 26 banks representing over 90% of sector assets. The three-year exercise will assess capital adequacy under a baseline macroeconomic forecast and a severe adverse scenario, capturing credit, interest rate, foreign-exchange and operational risks. Banks falling short of required capital ratios must submit capitalization or restructuring plans, and bank-specific results will be published by end-2026.
Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance published the Brussels agenda for Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis, highlighting Eurogroup, ECOFIN and related appearances focused on the macroeconomic impact of the Middle East crisis, euro area banking stability, further banking union work and the EU Savings and Investments Union strategy. Eurogroup ministers will discuss the crisis impact with an IMF assessment, hear from the Single Supervisory Mechanism and Single Resolution Board, and consider FIVE Report proposals to deepen capital markets and private financing. At ECOFIN, ministers will examine a draft Council regulation on EPPO and OLAF access to EU VAT data and the market completion and supervision package, while Pierrakakis will also appear before the European Parliament and an IE Competitiveness Hub event.
The Ministry of Finance (Oman) participated by videoconference in the 2026 annual joint meetings of Arab financial institutions, which focused on global economic challenges amid geopolitical pressures and the role of Arab institutions in supporting growth, stability, and sustainable development in the region. Oman was represented by Minister of Finance Sultan bin Salem Al Habsi, accompanied by the Governor of the Central Bank of Oman and other officials.
The European Central Bank published a summary of staff contacts with 67 leading euro area non-financial companies, indicating solid first-quarter business momentum led by services, with manufacturing and construction also improving and investment supported by strong artificial intelligence and defence-related demand. Contacts reported broadly stable employment, steady but expected-to-soften consumer spending, and moderate selling price growth before the Middle East war, with the subsequent oil price spike feeding into double-digit increases in oil-intensive sectors. Wage growth expectations moderated to 3.5 percent in 2025, 2.9 percent in 2026 and 2.8 percent in 2027, though a prolonged conflict was seen as a risk to inflation and demand.
The European Central Bank published its Q1 2026 euro short-term rate (€STR) transparency on errors report. No errors with an absolute impact greater than 0.1 basis points, or 0.001 percentage points, were identified for the quarter based on data with a 15 April 2026 cut-off.
The Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan held its first open roundtable with real estate market representatives, establishing a quarterly dialogue on market conditions, trends and development prospects. Discussions covered price dynamics and drivers, supply-demand balance, mortgage lending and interest rates, transparency and disclosure, the escrow system and risk management, with the central bank aiming to improve communication, reduce information asymmetry and support more informed, stability-oriented housing market policy.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is conducting a proof of value with five banks, the Government Technology Agency and the Singapore Police Force to test artificial intelligence and machine learning for pre-emptive scam detection using combined banking data. MAS has established a secure data-sharing environment with cryptographic protections, hashed account identifiers, restricted access and data deletion at the end of the exercise, and may later expand the models’ scope and datasets to cover additional financial crime use cases.
The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau reported that Secretary Christopher Hui attended the 59th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank in Samarkand and affirmed Hong Kong’s readiness to support the bank’s mission amid heightened volatility from Middle East tensions. Hui highlighted Hong Kong’s role in providing diversified funding channels and risk management services, including green and catastrophe bonds, risk tools, and gold reserves and delivery, to support greener economies and more diversified global value chains.
The Dubai International Financial Centre highlighted Sarwa’s surpassing of USD 1bn in client assets as the first such milestone by a UAE-founded FinTech platform, attributing part of its growth to DIFC’s FinTech support ecosystem. DIFC underscored Sarwa’s participation in its accelerator, graduation from the Dubai Financial Services Authority regulatory sandbox, and backing from the DIFC FinTech Fund as examples of how financial centres provide frameworks for FinTech scaling in the UAE and wider region.
The Thailand Office of Insurance Commission joined the Siam Square Walking Street For All: May Day 2026 event to promote its “insurance for all, easy to access, close to home” message, highlighting insurance as a practical risk management tool for workers and lower-income groups, with a focus on microinsurance and consumer protection. The Office operated its first activity booth, showcasing insurance innovation via the Center for Insurance Technology, providing information on insurance benefits and its supervisory role, and reporting strong public interest in the microinsurance policies.
The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has published an independent review into Financial Markets Authority Chair Craig Stobo, which found no impropriety in his personal relationships, travel applications or management of a governance-related interest, although it criticised delays in his resignation from that interest and aspects of his public commentary that fell short of expected political neutrality. Following the review, Minister Brewer accepted Stobo’s resignation, with Steven Bardy to continue as Acting Chair pending appointment of a permanent Chair.
The Department of Finance (Ireland) outlined Tánaiste Simon Harris’s agenda for Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings in Brussels, where EU finance ministers will review the economic impact of the Middle East conflict, advance the Savings and Investment Union, and debate the Market Integration and Supervision Package. Key items include a Eurogroup presentation on the Kukies-Noyer report on financing innovative ventures, updates on Banking Union and digital finance, and discussion of a regulation granting the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and OLAF access to EU-level VAT information. Harris will also use Ireland’s incoming Council Presidency for bilateral meetings, including on a proposed new Investment Account for 2027, and to continue work on tracking EU regulatory costs.
The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force has convened Working Group, Committee and Forum meetings ahead of its 42nd Plenary. Experts from member countries, observers and international organizations will review progress in developing national anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems and discuss current trends, typologies and risks, including those related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance released the co-chairs’ summary of the 3rd Japan–Pacific Islands Finance Ministers’ Meeting, noting agreement with 13 Pacific Island Countries to deepen cooperation on cross-border payments, disaster risk financing, domestic resource mobilization, and economic resilience, and support for Japan’s USD 10 billion Partnership for Strengthening Energy and Resource Resilience in Asia. Ministers backed work on a Pacific Payment Mechanism under the World Bank’s correspondent banking project and Japan’s support for maintaining correspondent banking relationships, strengthening AML/CFT and counter-proliferation financing, and contributing to IMF work on digital money. The summary also highlights Japan’s pilot Climate Resilient Debt Clause in new ODA loans, a planned Solomon Islands loan as the first to use it, and contributions to ADB’s Pacific PREPARE trust fund and tax and customs capacity building.
The Central Bank of Honduras reported that net international reserves increased by USD 1,290.2 million between 27 January and 30 April 2026 to USD 11,596.0 million. Over the same period, coverage of imports of goods and services improved from 6.0 to 6.7 months.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario has suspended the life insurance and accident and sickness benefits insurance agent licence of Reditha Abila Castillejos for failing to facilitate an FSRA examination and to provide requested information, contrary to sections 443(1) and 442.3(3) of the Insurance Act. The order followed Castillejos’ decision not to request a hearing before the Financial Services Tribunal and not to contest FSRA’s proposal.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario has appointed Dino DiMarco and Meseret Haileyesus to two-year terms on its Consumer Advisory Panel and named long-serving member Julie Kuzmic as co-chair alongside Harvey Naglie. The panel provides consumer perspectives to inform FSRA policies and initiatives affecting Ontarians, and the regulator acknowledged outgoing co-chair Lucy Becker and departing members Ellen Bessner, Leeann Corbeil, and Peter D’Iorio.
The People's Bank of China reported that Deputy Governor Zhu Hexin attended the ASEAN Plus Three Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' Meeting in Uzbekistan, where participants discussed the impact of the Middle East situation on global and regional macroeconomic conditions. The meeting also addressed enhancements to the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation and the ASEAN Plus Three Macroeconomic Research Office, and included the first ASEAN Plus Three central bank dialogue on regional cross-border payment cooperation.
SEC staff in the Divisions of Investment Management and Corporation Finance issued guidance on how federal securities laws apply to pooled employer plans, clarifying when they may rely on exclusions and exemptions used by single-employer retirement plans. Certain ERISA-governed pooled employer plans may treat themselves as single-employer plans for Investment Company Act and Securities Act purposes. The guidance explains how participating employers can register offerings of their own securities through a pooled employer plan using Form S-8, reiterates that Securities Act anti-fraud provisions continue to apply, and notes the Investment Management statement reflects staff views rather than Commission action.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uruguay and the Office of Planning and Budget have launched a formal work agenda with pension savings fund administrators to review the organization, operation and regulation of the mandatory individual retirement savings regime. The review will focus on improving net returns, reducing costs, enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening competition and investment portfolio rules, and supporting development and liquidity of the domestic securities market in line with the objectives of the Ministry and the Central Bank of Uruguay.
Staff of the SEC’s Division of Investment Management clarified how federal securities laws apply to pooled employer plans under the SECURE Act. The staff will not object if these plans treat themselves as single employer plans for the Investment Company Act’s single trust exclusion and if bank collective investment trusts rely on Securities Act rule 180 to issue interests to them, provided the plans are ERISA-covered and meet Internal Revenue Code and rule 180 conditions. The non-binding guidance confirms that rule 180’s financial sophistication analysis may be applied at the pooled plan provider level and that interests relying on rule 180 remain subject to Securities Act anti-fraud provisions.
The Panama Superintendency of the Securities Market issued a resolution concluding the forced liquidation of SEAGATE CAPITAL CORP. under the consolidated text of Decree Law No. 1 of 8 July 1999. The authority also cancelled the firm’s licenses.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has reminded providers of digital asset financial products to promptly assess their licensing needs ahead of the expiry of its sector-wide no-action position, warning that unlicensed conduct may attract civil and criminal penalties of up to 10% of annual turnover. Updated Information Sheet 225 clarifies which digital asset products are financial products and outlines licensing pathways, while certain relief for stablecoins and wrapped tokens remains. The guidance supports implementation of the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Act 2026, under which digital asset and tokenised custody platforms will enter the financial services licensing regime after an 18‑month transition, with ASIC signalling further consultations.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, issued a statement on a new Department of Justice filing that she argues could restart a criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell by seeking to vacate an order blocking criminal subpoenas. She said the filing, following comments by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, is inconsistent with closing the case and urged the Senate not to vote next week to confirm Kevin Warsh.
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has revoked in1Bank Limited’s authorised deposit-taking institution licence under the Banking Act 1959 after the bank completed the return of deposits process and exited the banking industry. APRA monitored the transfer of more than AUD 15.9 million in deposits, with the final 14 accounts, totalling approximately AUD 14,500, voluntarily transferred to Commonwealth Bank of Australia under an APRA-approved transfer.
The Slovenia Securities Market Agency reported that supervisory proceedings continue to identify breaches of rules on the marketing of alternative investment fund units by some registered alternative investment fund managers. The breaches relate to prohibited business practices.
The Central Bank of Egypt reported on Governor Hassan Abdalla’s meeting with African Development Bank Group President Sidi Ould Tah, focused on expanding cooperation, strengthening their development partnership, and reviewing progress on bank-financed projects in Egypt. Discussions addressed financial stability and economic reform across Africa, increasing investment flows, and financing priority projects, with Egypt signalling its intention to broaden coordination on sustainable development and African economic integration. The bank noted that Egypt is its second-largest regional shareholder and third-largest overall, with cumulative operations exceeding USD 8 billion.
The Bank of Israel’s Banking Supervision Department held a professional conference positioning fairness in banks’ dealings with customers as a guiding principle of supervision and the modern financial system. Supervisor of Banks Daniel Hahiashvili said fairness is fundamental in banking, noted that some existing processes should be preserved while others require improvement, and emphasized that supervision will continue to monitor and act on banking fairness as part of a broader effort to strengthen fairness in the banking system.
Japan’s Ministry of Finance released the joint statement from the 29th ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting, which endorsed an updated strategic direction for the ASEAN+3 Finance Process and measures on regional financial safety nets, market development and disaster risk financing, while warning that Middle East tensions pose downside risks to the regional outlook. Key decisions include advancing reforms to the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation, evolving the Asian Bond Markets Initiative into the Asian Bond and Financial Markets Initiative, endorsing the Disaster Risk Financing Initiative Roadmap 2026–2028 with the Asian Development Bank as permanent secretariat, and tasking Deputies to develop modalities for deeper cooperation on cross-border digital payments, including potential work on stablecoin.
The Maldives Capital Market Development Authority announced the retirement of Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Hussain Maniku effective 30 April 2026. Deputy Chief Executive Officer Fathimath Abdulla Kamaaluddeen will assume responsibility for and oversee the Authority’s operations on an interim basis.
The Jordan Securities Commission, in cooperation with experts from the National Cybersecurity Center, held a cybersecurity awareness workshop for its staff and employees of capital market institutions. The workshop covered key cyber risks, prevention methods, workplace information security best practices, compliance with security standards, and users’ responsibilities in mitigating cyber threats.
The Egypt Financial Regulatory Authority agreed with UN Women on joint programmes and events to support women’s economic empowerment and expand non-bank financial services for low-income women and microfinance beneficiaries, focusing on financial literacy, capacity building, cyber security awareness and financial technology. Activities include workshops, training and seminars to improve access to microinsurance, micro leasing and microfinance, particularly in underserved regions, building on an existing framework under which 1.9 million women received about EGP 36 billion in enterprise financing and non-bank financial institutions are subject to gender-related governance and non-discrimination requirements.
The Saudi Arabia Capital Markets Authority approved Al-Rajhi Company for Cooperative Insurance’s capital increase from SAR 1,000,000,000 to SAR 2,000,000,000 via one bonus share per existing share, funded by transferring SAR 1,000,000,000 from retained earnings. Outstanding shares will rise from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000, with entitlement for shareholders registered at the Securities Depository Center at the close of the second trading day after a due date set by the board, subject to an extraordinary general assembly within six months.
European Central Bank Vice-President Luis de Guindos backed the Governing Council’s decision to wait before further rate changes, citing a materially different and highly uncertain environment from the post-pandemic inflation shock. He noted euro area inflation has fallen from 10% to 2% and said strong bank capital and liquidity are supporting lending and financial stability, warning against easing regulatory standards. De Guindos also reiterated support for cross-border bank consolidation and said the euro area should function as a single banking jurisdiction, with capital and liquidity moving freely across borders.
The Central Bank of Iraq reported that its Basra branch sponsored Financial Inclusion Week activities focused on financial health as a path to sustainable and more stable financial inclusion, with plans to expand awareness efforts in 2026. Events organised with the Iraqi Private Banks League and the Association of Islamic Banks featured fairs at Basra shopping centres, bringing together 36 public and private banks and 9 electronic payment companies to promote banking services to residents.
The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan held talks with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation on the sidelines of the Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting to review ongoing jointly financed projects and expand and enhance cooperation. Discussions focused on public-private partnership infrastructure projects in healthcare, energy including renewable energy, and transport and logistics, as well as attracting Japanese companies and refining project financing arrangements.
Bahrain’s Ministry of Finance and National Economy reported that Financial Affairs Undersecretary Yusuf Abdullah Al Hammoud led Bahrain’s delegation to the 2026 annual joint meetings of Arab financial institutions, held virtually and hosted by the United Arab Emirates. Participants reviewed institutional programmes, annual reports and financial statements, and discussed support for economic and social development, enhanced Arab financial and investment cooperation, and regional and international economic developments.
South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance reported that the 26th China-Japan-Korea Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting focused on strengthening trilateral cooperation to support regional financial stability amid heightened uncertainty from the Middle East conflict. Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol called for enhanced information sharing, joint responses to structural challenges, and improving the effectiveness of the USD 240 billion Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation and the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance reported that a cross-government task force has identified more than KRW 600 billion in suspected illegal foreign exchange transactions, including hundi schemes and unlawful overseas remittances, with two major cases referred to prosecutors and further investigations into export under-invoicing and tax evasion. The update highlights coordinated enforcement by the Financial Supervisory Service, Korea Customs Service, National Tax Service, National Intelligence Service and the Bank of Korea, and notes that the Ministry and the Bank of Korea are pursuing reforms to enhance foreign exchange information sharing and address investigation bottlenecks.
The Kuwait Capital Markets Authority has referred four reports to the Attorney General regarding a former licensed company’s failure to implement final Disciplinary Board decisions requiring payment of fines under resolutions No. 64/2024, 65/2024, 66/2024 and 67/2024. The authority stated that the resolutions were duly notified to the company on 11 February 2026, but remained unimplemented as of 2 April 2026, constituting the crime set out in item 2 of article 127 of Law No. 7 of 2010.
The Central Bank of Iraq published remarks by Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq affirming that the bank is maintaining economic and financial stability, with salary payments secured and ongoing, despite the country’s challenges. He highlighted a “working silently” policy to preserve reserves and manage crises, noted that the current financial situation is less acute than in 2014, and said external transfers and cash sales to travelers are proceeding smoothly under strict compliance standards.
The Central Bank of Venezuela endorsed the strategic agreement between Heeney Capital and the Venezuelan Mining Corporation as part of the country’s productive diversification strategy and a source of foreign currency income beyond oil. The bank said mineral-related foreign exchange should diversify external revenues, strengthen the balance of payments and increase foreign currency supply for imports, and it will coordinate with the national executive to ensure this income is efficiently incorporated into the exchange and financial system.
The Egypt Financial Regulatory Authority has issued rules for registering and regulating insurance risk assessment, inspection and damage estimation experts, creating registers for firms and individuals and setting professional, governance and conduct standards under Unified Insurance Law 155 of 2024. Requirements include Egyptian joint stock company status with minimum paid-in capital of EGP 3 million for firms, fit and proper criteria, examinations and training for individuals, professional liability insurance, and strict integrity, independence and documentation obligations, with sanctions up to removal from the register for serious breaches.
The Egypt Financial Regulatory Authority and the Central Bank of Egypt held a workshop for non-bank finance companies to strengthen integration with credit databases and improve customer data reporting, particularly for credit facilities of around EGP 300,000. The workshop provided training on the Central Bank’s information network and procedures manual to enhance data quality and support sounder credit decisions and risk reduction. Both authorities will continue joint efforts to improve credit market efficiency and expand training across non-bank financial activities.
The National Bank of Tajikistan met with an IMF delegation, which congratulated the country on completing the Policy Coordination Instrument program and the removal of three financial institutions from the EU sanctions list. They reviewed macroeconomic developments, noted stable growth with low inflation and a stronger external position, and expressed readiness to deepen cooperation through technical assistance and structural reform programs with international financial institutions.
The Japan Financial Services Agency has published draft amendments to its notices on recognised corporate accounting standards for financial and consolidated financial statements, and opened a public consultation. The proposal would add Accounting Standards Board of Japan standards issued on January 9, 2026, including Accounting Standards No. 41 and No. 42, to those treated as generally accepted fair and reasonable corporate accounting standards, with related revisions to the Financial Statements Rules to follow.