SME Finance Push: Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif urged banks to expand lending to farmers, SMEs and housing under the 2026-28 Access to Finance Plan, citing thousands of “Apna Ghar” applications and pushing for easier, uninterrupted credit. Digital Payments Inclusion: Visa and the World Bank’s IFC launched a risk-sharing initiative to expand digital payments in emerging markets, targeting about $200m of risk sharing over five years and support for under-investment-grade financial institutions serving small businesses. Cybersecurity for SMBs: Kaspersky says 86% of SMBs globally saw at least one cyber incident in the past year, with phishing and web/app exploits among the most damaging—raising the bar for practical protection. AI + Efficiency in Supply Chains: Sysco reaffirmed fiscal 2027 guidance and rolled out a $500m multi-year AI-powered efficiency program aimed at removing structural costs. SMB Tech Distribution: Bitwarden expanded in Australia via Leader Cloud, giving MSPs and resellers a wider channel to sell passwordless and secrets management to SMBs. Workforce & Growth Reality Check: A UK SME survey found MPs focus on regulation and costs, while small firms say weak demand, tax burden and policy uncertainty are the real blockers. Local Business Pressure: Kenya’s foreign-trader crackdown sparked xenophobia fears even as authorities offered a 90-day regularisation window for affected businesses. SMB Learning & Support: Tendring4Growth’s Business Fortnight returns with procurement, HR and funding workshops for local firms and would-be founders. Startup Capital Watch: India’s fintech export push gained momentum at GFF, while Injecto Polymers opened an IPO on BSE SME platform, targeting retail investors.