Bangkok
Photo: Preecha.MJ, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
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- Oct 17
Delegates walk out as Russian finance minister Siluanov speaks at IMF meeting in Bangkok
About ten European delegations, along with the Netherlands and Germany, left an IMF steering committee meeting in Bangkok on Saturday, 17 October, as Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov began to speak.
- Oct 16
Bank of Italy raises 2026 growth forecast to 1%, warns of 2027-28 contraction in adverse case
The Bank of Italy now expects GDP to grow 1% in 2026, up from its June forecast, but says output could turn negative in 2027 and 2028 if commodity prices spike sharply.
- Oct 16
G7 finance ministers agree to run AI cyberattack drills on banks
G7 finance ministers agreed to run simulation exercises on AI-enabled cyberattacks against financial institutions, Japan's finance minister said in Bangkok on Thursday, 15 October, days after an IMF warning about the sector.
- Oct 16
Fed chair Kevin Warsh calls AI the most consequential economic change of his lifetime
Speaking at the IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, Warsh also said AI could push prices up in the short term before lifting supply, while the IMF flagged risks of a sharp market reversal.
- Oct 15
Healey weighs bank tax rise as UK bank shares fall before 28 October Budget
Lloyds and NatWest led falls on the FTSE 100 on 16 October after a Guardian report said the Chancellor is considering reversing a cut to the bank surcharge before his Budget on 28 October.
- Oct 15
IMF sees Greek public debt falling to 136% of GDP in 2026 and 128.7% in 2027
At the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Greek finance minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis said only five EU states run budget surpluses, while the fund projects Greek debt falling further through 2031.
- Oct 15
IMF sees India overtaking Japan as fourth-largest economy in 2027
The IMF projects India's nominal GDP at $4.52 trillion in 2027, pushing Japan to sixth place behind the United Kingdom. The Fund released the forecast on Thursday, 15 October, at a press conference in Bangkok.
- Oct 15
Italy's 2027 budget draft totals 23.5 billion euros, with banks asked to contribute
The draft budget planning document went to Brussels and Parliament overnight, with 13.5 billion euros funded by EU fiscal flexibility and a contribution from banks and insurers.
- Oct 14
Bailey urges social media firms to tackle fraud as IMF warns on cyber risk in Bangkok
Speaking at the IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said social media platforms face too little liability for criminal content. IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva warned that cyber fraud is eroding trust in finance.
- Oct 14
Lagarde says France must solve its debt problem at home as 10-year rate nears 5%
Speaking in Bangkok on Wednesday, 14 October, Christine Lagarde said France must first address its bond market pressure through its budget, cooling talk of an ECB rescue while the 2027 budget faces an uncertain adoption.
- Oct 14
US consumer prices rise 3.7% in September as gasoline jumps 9.1%
Energy costs linked to the war with Iran pushed US consumer prices up 3.7% from a year earlier, weeks before the 3 November midterm elections. The Federal Reserve now faces pressure to raise rates again at its 27-28 October meeting.
- Oct 14
IEA sees diesel market staying tight through 2027 as oil demand drops
The International Energy Agency expects diesel supply to stay constrained into 2027 and sees global oil demand falling 2.6 million barrels per day in 2026. Renewed attacks in the Gulf add risk to the recovery in Middle East oil exports.
- Oct 13
IMF warns AI selloff, bond yield spike and cyberattacks could threaten global markets
The International Monetary Fund's semiannual Global Financial Stability Report, published on 13 October 2026, says markets remain resilient but risks are still elevated. It names an AI-driven market correction, a spike in sovereign bond yields and severe cyberattacks as the main near-term catalysts.
- Oct 13
IMF forecasts Romania recession in 2026 with higher inflation and unemployment
The International Monetary Fund now expects Romania's economy to shrink 0.5% in 2026, down from a 0.7% growth forecast in April. Inflation, unemployment and the current account deficit are all revised upward.
- Oct 13
IMF cuts Greek growth outlook and sees inflation rising to 4.2% in 2026
The IMF projects 1.8% growth for Greece in both 2026 and 2027, below the government's draft budget. It expects inflation to rise to 4.2% this year from 2.9% in 2025, with energy costs feeding into prices.
- Oct 13
IMF raises Portugal's 2026 growth forecast to 2.1%, still below government's 2.3%
The IMF now expects Portugal's economy to grow 2.1% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027, both upgrades from its June estimates. The PCP confirmed it will vote against the 2027 State Budget, citing a public investment cut of more than 30%.
- Oct 13
France's 2027 budget faces a majority gap as the central bank governor urges action
The National Assembly began examining the 2027 finance bill on Tuesday, 13 October, as the government, the Banque de France and the IMF all pressed for a swift budget with the deficit kept at 5% of GDP.
- Oct 13
IMF sees 3.1% global growth in 2026 as AI investment offsets energy shock
Speaking at the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, the fund says AI spending has kept the world economy afloat, while energy costs, inflation and debt are shrinking room for policy.
- Oct 9
Thai Queen Suthida flies Gripen fighter jet solo, becoming Thailand's first female Gripen pilot
Queen Suthida, 48, flew a single-seat Saab JAS 39C Gripen for 41 minutes from an air base in Surat Thani province on Thursday, 8 October, with King Maha Vajiralongkorn watching. The Royal Household released footage of the flight on Friday.
- Oct 8
Hong Kong's Bar Leone named world's best bar for second year as Moebius Milano takes second
The 18th edition of The 50 Best Bars took place on 7 October at Palazzo del Ghiaccio in Milan, where Cartagena's Alquímico completed the global podium in third place.
