Trade & Costs: A U.S.-Canada tariff deal appears stuck after the U.S. inserted new demands late in talks, raising uncertainty for small and medium exporters on both sides. Energy Prices & Regulation: Pakistan’s industry adviser says the government is pushing to cut the cost of doing business and improve access to affordable private financing, while Maryland regulators trimmed Pepco’s requested rate hike by more than half. SME Finance Push: Nigeria’s finance ministry is inviting public proposals for Finance Bill 2027, with a focus on taxation, revenue administration, and a better business environment; meanwhile, Atiku promises a $100bn start-up and entrepreneur financing programme. SME Credit on the Ground: India’s Gujarat banks reportedly beat MSME credit targets in 2025-26, and Kuwait’s NBK highlights integrated SME banking and POS financing. Local Business Support: Pennsylvania expanded property tax/rent rebates for seniors and people with disabilities, and a small-town grant in Magnolia, plus a Philippines move to raise cooperatives’ tax exemption ceiling to ₱100m, aim to free up cash for community businesses. Compliance & Licensing: Kuwait is studying freelance and micro-business licensing rule changes to make it easier to start while tightening ownership transparency. Small Business Risk Watch: Investor-rights law firms issued new securities class-action deadlines for UP Fintech and Hyliion, a reminder that capital markets can hit SMB-linked investors fast.