Pension Fund Assets Exceed GEL 10 BLN; Investment Returns Reach GEL 3 BLN

MEPs call on the EU and its member states to impose targeted personal sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals responsible for democratic backsliding, violent repression and political persecution. The resolution specifically names Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Shalva Papuashvili and Kakha Kaladze. The document also refers to the constitutional lawsuit filed in November 2025 by the Georgian Parliament seeking to ban opposition parties, including the United National Movement, Coalition for Change and Strong Georgia – Lelo. The Federalists were subsequently added to the case, while For Georgia, described in the resolution as the only opposition party represented in Parliament, was added in September 2026.According to the resolution, the European Parliament also calls for: the immediate release of all political prisoners and those detained for peaceful protests, including Elene Khoshtaria, 2025 Sakharov Prize laureate Mzia Amaglobeli, Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Baramidze and Nika Melia; the dropping of charges in politically motivated “sabotage” cases; the repeal of provisions allowing disproportionate restrictions on banned parties and individuals; an end to the use of legislation and state institutions to silence political opponents; the removal of obstacles facing European political foundations, including the Konrad Adenauer and Friedrich Naumann foundations. The resolution describes the situation in Georgia as increasingly deteriorating in terms of democracy, media freedom, human rights and the rule of law. MEPs characterize the attempts to ban opposition parties as part of what they describe as a broader Georgian Dream strategy to establish a one-party regime by eliminating political pluralism, comparing it to the models of Russia and Belarus. The European Parliament also reiterates its support for the Georgian people’s European aspirations and recalls its previous warnings that banning existing political parties would move Georgia away from the EU and hinder any steps toward EU membership. It also rejected two amendments submitted by Tomasz Froelich and Petar Volgin that sought to remove references to the alleged one-party strategy and targeted sanctions from the resolution.

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In total, Brazil imported wine worth $558.71 million (165.09 million liters) in 2025, at an average price of $3.38 per liter.Chile remains the undisputed leader of the Brazilian market, accounting for nearly half (47.3%) of the total volume of imported wine - 78.10 million liters valued at $213.06 million - and offering the lowest average price ($2.73/liter). The top ten also includes Argentina ($99.42 million), Portugal ($84.44 million), France ($63.84 million), and Italy ($49.26 million).Among European countries, French wine stands out with the highest average price ($9.27 per liter).

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The opening was attended by representatives of SUNMI, BS/2, ASHBURN International, and local and international businesses. The demonstration space was officially opened by Aleksandr Bespalyi, Managing Director of MEA at SUNMI; Idrakas Dadašovas, Chairman of the Board of the Penki Kontinentai Group; and Emilio Kiris, CEO of BS/2 Georgia. The program included a tour of the demonstration space, technology demonstrations, and business meetings.Located within the BS/2 Georgia office, the space combines SUNMI devices with BS/2’s expertise in payment infrastructure, self-service technologies, and software integration. Business representatives can evaluate both individual devices and complete technology solutions, as well as their potential applications in their own operations.BS/2 Georgia imports SUNMI devices and payment terminals into Georgia and provides commercial banks with deployment and technical maintenance services.“The opening of SUNMI Home Tbilisi is important both for Georgia and for the entire region. Here, customers and partners can test SUNMI technologies in practice, while BS/2 provides the knowledge and expertise needed to integrate them into business environments. Together with the Baku center, the Tbilisi space creates new opportunities for cooperation with our customers across Central Asia and the Caucasus,” - said Emilio Kiris, CEO of BS/2 Georgia.The opening was also preceded by international recognition for the BS/2 Georgia team, which was named among the winners of SUNMI’s global Store Revolution campaign.Today, October 8, Fusion Georgia 2026: Banking & Retail, organized by BS/2, will take place at Paragraph Tbilisi. The forum will be attended by representatives of the retail and banking sectors, technology partners, and industry experts. SUNMI devices will also be showcased at the event.SUNMI Home Tbilisi is open to customers, partners, and business representatives.Address: 6 Pimen Kurashvili St., Tbilisi(R)

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According to the NBG, compared to the previous month, the level of international reserves increased by USD 26.5 million. Reserve adequacy indicators also improved. The current level of foreign exchange reserves surpasses the 100 per cent threshold defined by the International Monetary Fund’s ARA metric, standing at 128.7 per cent.“International reserves serve as a vital guarantor of the country’s macroeconomic stability. Accordingly, the long-term policy of the National Bank of Georgia remains focused on reserve accumulation and the efficient management of reserve assets. Whenever foreign exchange market dynamics and macroeconomic conditions permit, the central bank replenishes its reserves.As a result of the NBG’s policy, reserve volumes have doubled over the past two years compared to October 2024. Throughout 2026, favourable market conditions enabled net foreign currency purchases totalling USD 3,122,2 million between January and August. Net purchase statistics for September 2026 will be published on October 26.Notably, in 2024, the NBG took a strategic decision to diversify its reserve holdings by making its inaugural investment in gold. Subsequent appreciation in gold prices has contributed to further growth in gross international reserves. In June 2026, the NBG acquired an additional USD 100 million in monetary gold.Since then, the significant rise in the price of gold has contributed to the growth of international reserves. As of September, the volume of monetary gold stands at USD 1,051.8 million, representing 12.9% of total reserves.The National Bank of Georgia will release updated international reserve figures on November 6, 2026,” the National Bank’s statement read.

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With the help of the AI assistant, customers no longer need to know the exact name of a product. They can simply describe what they are looking for or upload a photo of the desired product. The assistant searches thousands of products to find relevant options, takes the customer’s specified budget into account, and provides personalized recommendations.How Does the PSP AI Assistant Help You?The new functionality supports customers throughout the product selection and ordering process, while also providing information about delivery. Through the AI assistant, customers can get information about product availability, features, and current offers, as well as choose their preferred delivery option - a Locker, Pick Up, or courier delivery.In addition, the AI assistant allows customers to access information about their existing online orders and check their order status.“More than 10 years ago, PSP introduced Georgia’s first online pharmacy. For years, customers have been using our online pharmacy services not only in Tbilisi but also in major regional centers across Georgia. By introducing 24/7 AI assistance across PSP’s digital platforms, our goal is to make the online pharmacy experience even simpler and more convenient, with support available whenever customers need it - from finding the right product to receiving their order, all in one place,” a PSP representative stated.#PSPAIAssistant #AIThatHelpsYouChoose

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The National Bank of Georgia is publishing the 2026 Financial Stability Report, which provides a comprehensive assessment of the resilience of the country's financial system, as well as existing vulnerabilities and potential risks. The analysis focuses primarily on the medium- to long-term outlook, examining both the state of the financial sector and key economic trends and factors relevant to financial stability. The report evaluates vulnerabilities stemming from the external sector and provides a detailed analysis of trends and risks within the household, non-financial corporate, and real estate sectors. A significant portion is dedicated to analyzing the financial sector itself and assessing its resilience to shocks. The document also reviews the policy measures implemented by the National Bank of Georgia to foster financial stability and evaluates their impact. In this regard, particular attention is paid both to macroprudential policies aimed at mitigating risks across the financial system as a whole and to individual financial institutions.The National Bank's Financial Stability Committee left the cyclical component of the countercyclical capital buffer unchanged. As of August 2026, the banking sector maintains healthy capital and liquidity indicators. During the same period, excluding exchange rate effects, the annual growth of the credit portfolio stood at 14.8%, driven primarily by the growth of business loans. Data from the first quarter of 2026 indicate that the loan-to-GDP ratio remains below its long-term trend; consequently, the credit gap remains negative. Against the backdrop of high economic growth recorded in the first half of the year, the negative gap in the loan-to-GDP ratio widened further. The Committee assesses that, given sustained credit activity and the gradual normalization of the economic growth rate, the loan-to-GDP ratio will eventually converge toward its long-term level. Given these trends, there is currently no indication of a need to adjust the cyclical component of the countercyclical capital buffer. At the same time, commercial banks will continue the gradual accumulation of the neutral component of the countercyclical buffer in accordance with the established schedule.The Financial Stability Committee has decided to recalibrate the thresholds for the debt-service-to-income (PTI) ratio. The initial thresholds were based on 2017 statistical data and were previously updated in 2022 to reflect the growth of various nominal economic indicators. A need to recalibrate these thresholds has arisen once again. In recent years, alongside strong economic growth, wages and other nominal indicators have risen significantly; consequently, the existing fixed thresholds no longer accurately reflect the current distribution of borrower incomes and debt burdens. If the PTI thresholds were to remain unchanged, a borrower’s shift from one income category to another could be driven primarily by the growth of nominal income rather than by any substantial change in their actual repayment capacity or risk profile. Accordingly, the revision of the thresholds aims to align the PTI framework with the current economic environment while maintaining the original stance of the macroprudential policy. Consequently, the Committee deemed it appropriate to recalibrate this macroprudential instrument. Furthermore, to avoid a sharp, one-off impact and to distribute the effect over time, the Committee decided to raise the debt-service ratio threshold in stages. Specifically, while the 25% debt-service ratio requirement previously applied to individuals with an income of up to 1,500 GEL, this threshold will increase to 2,000 GEL starting February 1, 2027, and to 2,500 GEL starting September 1, 2027. This change helps mitigate the risk of borrower over-indebtedness and supports the resilience of the financial system. "The National Bank of Georgia continues to constantly monitor the country's financial stability and assess domestic and external risks; it will utilize all available instruments as necessary to minimize potential risks.The next meeting of the Financial Stability Committee will be held on November 25, 2026," reads the statement released by the Committee on Wednesday.

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In August 2026, compared to the same period of the previous year, the estimated real growth in following activities contributed significantly: Manufacturing, Information and communication, Financial and insurance activities, Real estate activities, Trade, Transportation and storage.Decline was registered in Construction sector.

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79.2 , or GEL 27.5 billion of these funds are held in current and time deposit accounts at the two systemic banks (down from 81.4% the previous year).The trend has shifted; for years, the combined market share of the two systemic banks (BOG/TBC) exceeded 80%. By September 2026, this concentration had decreased. Meanwhile, Bank Cartu’s market share grew by 47% (an increase of 0.6 percentage points, reaching to 1.87%).TOP-6 Banks by Retail Deposits / GEL '000

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