In a complex and rapidly changing corporate communications environment, keeping an eye out for key industry trends and developments is critical. Here’s the Crystal team’s regular snapshot of some of the highlights and points of note from around the IFC and corporate comms world this past month…

Global Risks: the OECD published its Global Risks Report 2026, which outlines the key macros issues comms teams should be alive to…

UK: City UK published a new report outlining London’s stature as an IFC, spanning banking, fintech and investment and insurance, which was followed up by a comprehensive report looking at the challenges and actions required to secure the UK’s growth as a leading international financial

EU: UK and EU regulators signed an MoU to collaborate on supervising ‘critical third parties’, such as data providers. The aim is to strengthen stability, market confidence and international cooperation.

Pillar II: more than 145 countries agreed to exempt US multinationals from paying more corporate taxes overseas, watering down a 2021 deal. The agreement comes six months after G7 economies negotiated a carve-out for US companies from parts of a global minimum corporate tax deal.

Social media platforms compete: according to stats, Threads has superseded X in daily active users.

Non doms: Wealthy foreigners leaving the UK to escape the government’s crackdown on non-doms were behind two of every three super-prime property sales last year, according to a new analysis of London property transactions.

AI ads: Open AI said it was starting to pilot paid ads in ChatGPT, as the platform looks to balance user trust and monetisation.