International News 08 October 2026
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Asian Emerging Market Equities Slump as Oil Tops $100 and US Yields Dampen Risk Appetite
Asian emerging market equities faced sharp selling pressure on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, as crude oil rebounded above $100 per barrel and U.S. Treasury yields held near multi-year highs, prompting global investors to trim exposure to risk-sensitive regional assets. According to Reuters, the MSCI Emerging Markets Asia Index fell 0.9%, marking its steepest single-day drop in over a week since September 28, 2026. Compounding headwinds from rising energy import costs and high global interest rates continue to strain capital flows and market sentiment across regional bourses.
Iran Threatens to Shut Southern Transit Passages in Strait of Hormuz, Claiming 'Illegal' Tanker Smuggling
Iran plans to block several maritime transit channels in the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran deems illegal, escalating uncertainty over commercial tanker traffic and crude exports exiting the Persian Gulf. Speaking to the semi-official Fars News Agency on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, Mohammadreza Naqdi, an adviser to the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), identified the targeted routes as running along the southern periphery of the strait near Oman's territorial coastline. Naqdi alleged the passages were artificially cleared by blasting rocky formations in the strategic waterway and are actively utilized by "small boats smuggling oil and transferring it to tankers." Naqdi emphasized that Tehran still considers the Strait of Hormuz formally closed to standard transit, dismissing recent maritime data pointing to an uptick in regional oil flows.
https://internasional.kontan.co.id/news/iran-ancam-tutup-jalur-transit-ilegal-di-selat-hormuz
Russian Missile and Drone Barrage Kills at Least 20 Across Ukraine on Putin's Birthday
Russia launched a massive combined missile and drone strike targeting multiple Ukrainian regions on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, killing at least 20 people—including children—and inflicting severe damage on industrial facilities and power infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the operation as one of the most vicious assaults of the war, noting the widespread bombardment coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin's birthday. The heaviest casualties occurred in the northern town of Pryluky in the Chernihiv region, where a Russian missile strike demolished a five-story residential building. Local officials confirmed at least 14 fatalities in the collapsed structure, including four children, alongside dozens of injured civilians. Denouncing the strike, Zelenskiy stated that the Russian military delivered the civilian tragedy in Pryluky as a birthday "gift" to Putin.
https://internasional.kontan.co.id/news/rusia-gempur-ukraina-dengan-70-rudal-20-orang-tewas