Iran Sanctions Escalation: U.S. Treasury outlined an “economic D-Day” against Iran, expanding secondary sanctions and targeting digital assets, tech, gold, aviation and shipping—while Iran’s president conceded exports and imports have fallen 25–35% and inflation is rising. Trade War Pressure: Canada-U.S. tariffs keep widening uncertainty for jobs and prices, as Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith heads to meet U.S. officials and warns against using energy as a bargaining chip. Monetary Policy Watch: New Zealand’s RBNZ is expected to lift the OCR again on Sept. 2 after July’s hike, with banks broadly aligned on a move toward 2.75%. Budget Process: India kicked off the 2027–28 Union Budget cycle, setting timelines for revised and budget estimates and noting disinvestment proceeds. Local Tax Policy: Saskatoon launched public input on municipal property tax sharing between residential and non-residential classes ahead of 2029 reassessments. Growth Snapshot: Sweden reported stronger-than-expected Q2 GDP growth, driven by investment, exports and household spending. Armenia’s Economic Diplomacy: Armenia renamed its foreign ministry to fold trade and economic functions into international relations, while EU accession was said to be off the table for now. Infrastructure for Trade: Ghana’s Tema Port faces congestion and high logistics costs, with calls for road upgrades and better coordination to cut delays and boost exports. Court Reform in Kuwait: Kuwait plans specialized economic courts to clear commercial case backlogs and improve investor confidence.