Consumer Tech & Payments: DBS rolled out “tap-to-phone” card payments in Singapore via its DBS MAX app, letting stall merchants accept NFC card payments through a smartphone in a quick setup. Retail & Consumer Spending: McDonald’s unveiled a franchise-focused “McDonald’s > NEXT” strategy aimed at easier store operations and winning back price-sensitive customers. Travel & Lifestyle Services: VistaJet said Malaysia is a standout Southeast Asian market, citing big jumps in flight hours and legs driven by corporate and family demand. Food & Entertainment: China’s “companionship economy” is turning loneliness into paid services like “climbing buddies,” with state media estimating a multi-billion-dollar market. Public Safety & Data: Carnival disclosed a breach tied to social engineering that exposed millions of customers’ personal data. Consumer Finance & Markets: Robinhood is pushing deeper into Canada after completing its WonderFi acquisition, adding regulated crypto platforms to its ecosystem. Inflation Watch: Netherlands CPI inflation rose to 3.5% in May (flash estimate), with regular figures due June 9. Energy & Household Costs: India’s June 1 changes include new LPG connection rules for PNG households and added name verification for UPI payments. Competition in Groceries: New Zealand’s supermarket watchdog says competition remains “disappointing,” despite reforms meant to open up the duopoly.