Banking & Deals: HSBC has started a review of its Turkish retail and corporate banking unit, weighing all options as part of a push to simplify and exit sub-scale markets, while keeping wholesale/investment banking out of scope. AI & Energy Finance: Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry met SLB Egypt to expand AI use across upstream operations and develop the Egypt Upstream Gateway (EUG) to boost production, cut costs, and improve investment decisions. Payments & FinTech Infrastructure: Ajman Bank partnered with AFS to roll out merchant acquiring and payments capabilities, adding to a wider Gulf push for faster digital rails. Capital Markets & Risk: Middle East conflict is forcing central banks to reassess rate paths, with financial stability risks staying elevated as geopolitical shocks and private credit vulnerabilities grow. Gulf AI Stack: UAE and Saudi Arabia are leading adoption of data streaming platforms to accelerate agentic AI in production, with most leaders expecting bigger returns from AI spend. Syria Investment Mood (with security shock): French President Emmanuel Macron’s landmark Syria visit is tied to reconstruction and investment talks, but explosions near his Damascus hotel injured at least 18, underscoring how security risk can quickly hit deal momentum. Egypt Banking Products: SAIB raised returns on its 3-year Prime Fixed savings certificate to 17.75% and added a daily payout option at 17.25%, signaling continued competition for retail deposits. Shipping & Oil Risk: Reports say Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired missiles at commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while a separate UKMTO advisory flagged a tanker hit east of Oman—raising near-term transport and energy volatility.