Daily Briefing · 2026-10-09

In the Middle East situation, ballistic missile attacks on the Saudi capital by Yemen's anti-government forces have intensified, raising the risk of oil price increases due to concerns over oil supply disruption. Meanwhile, President Trump has shown a stance of avoiding an attack on Iran before the midterm elections and continuing diplomatic talks, contributing to oil price stability. In Europe, peace talks between the US special envoy and the Ukrainian delegation continue, and depending on the outcome, this is expected to have a major impact on Europe's economy and defense spending. Also, following Russian attacks on energy facilities, planned power outages have been implemented in Kyiv, causing serious disruption to economic activity. In the United States, the administration has suspended permanent residency procedures for foreign employees of major IT companies such as Microsoft, raising concerns about rising talent costs. In corporate earnings, Fast Retailing achieved record-high operating profit and profit margin, and decided to increase its dividend. In the financial sector, Prudential dismissed 64 employees following a fraud incident, with customer damages reaching approximately 5.2 billion yen. Starbucks is considering the acquisition of a Mexican food company, aiming to expand into new markets, while integration costs pose a financial challenge. Domestically, forced investigations were conducted at regional branches of four major beer companies on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act, raising additional legal risks. Asahi's president referred to profitability pressure from economic slowdown and intensifying competition, while denying the cartel allegations. On the trade front, South Korea has decided to prioritize protection of its agricultural and fisheries industries and will postpone its TPP membership application for the remainder of the year. As a geopolitical risk, Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized that the Taiwan issue is an inviolable red line, and the risk of instability in US-China trade relations continues. On the industrial front, dependence on China in the decarbonization technology sector is deepening across countries, raising concerns about energy security and declining industrial competitiveness. In diplomacy, President Trump urged President Xi Jinping to engage in dialogue with Prime Minister Takaichi, raising expectations for the stabilization of trade and economic relations in East Asia.