The European Central Bank’s annual Forum on Central Banking kicks off June 29 in Sintra, Portugal, and this year’s lineup reads like a central banking Avengers assembly. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, ECB President Christine Lagarde, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, and Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem will share a policy panel stage to discuss innovation, growth, and the question every market participant is asking: what does AI actually mean for financial stability?
For Warsh, this marks his first major international appearance as Federal Reserve Chair. That alone makes Sintra 2026 one of the most closely watched central banking events of the year, rivaling the Fed’s own Jackson Hole symposium in terms of market-moving potential.
What’s actually on the agenda
The three-day forum, running through July 1, carries the theme “Shaping Europe’s future: innovation, growth and stability.” Dedicated panels will tackle AI’s implications for financial stability. Jared Chatterji, Chief Economist at OpenAI, will contribute insights on AI’s role in economic development. Lagarde has emphasized AI’s crucial role in driving global growth and innovation, though the agenda explicitly includes the risks related to AI investments and inflation, two forces that continue to challenge central banks worldwide.
