Rates Watch: The US Fed lifted rates 25 bps to a 3.75%–4.00% range, and Goldman Sachs now expects another quarter-point hike in October, citing a “two-hike baseline” and a more hawkish Fed tone. Gulf Policy Link: Central banks in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain also raised rates 25 bps, underscoring how closely GCC policy tracks the Fed. UK Monetary Outlook: The Bank of England is widely expected to hold at 3.75%, while bond-market pressure and quantitative tightening plans keep traders focused on the next move. RBI Enforcement: India’s Supreme Court told the RBI to ensure real compliance by NBFCs and banks on recovery practices, warning that guidelines have “existed only on paper,” and ordered compensation in a forcible repossession case. Liquidity Move: The RBI absorbed Rs 2.90 lakh crore via two VRRR auctions as surplus liquidity stayed high. Banking Deals & Tech: Finloop completed $10m+ Series A+ with HSBC support and launched a corporate wealth service; MatrixLabX rolled out PrescientIQ for governed “human-in-the-loop” agentic AI workflows. UK Banking M&A Buzz: Aldermore is up for sale by Firstrand, with Lloyds, Nationwide and Investec among names linked to the process. Payments & Lending: Naver Pay added KakaoBank to its sole-proprietor loan comparison, expanding rate/limit comparisons across South Korea’s internet banks. Fraud & Oversight: A Missouri MoDOT employee faces federal fraud charges after an auditor-led review found about $50,000 in personal purchases on state purchasing cards.