Live blog updates from 6 PM – 9 PM IST on October 13, 2026. All times are in IST.
6:17 PM IST: US Restricts Government Employees’ Travel in Saudi Arabia Amid Drone Attack Warnings The US imposed travel restrictions on government employees stationed in Saudi Arabia, citing security threats from… (12:47 pm UTC · 8:47 am ET)
US Restricts Government Employees’ Travel in Saudi Arabia Amid Drone Attack Warnings
- The US imposed travel restrictions on government employees stationed in Saudi Arabia, citing security threats from Iran, Houthi militants and terrorism.
- US authorities warned that American interests in Saudi Arabia face potential drone attack risks and advised reconsidering travel to the country.
- The US also advised against travel to areas near the Yemen border due to terrorism threats.
- Yemen’s Houthi militants warned employees and civilians to evacuate areas near Saudi Aramco oil facilities, describing the sites as legitimate targets.
- Houthi leaders warned Saudi Arabia of severe retaliation against Riyadh if attacks on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, continued.
7:37 PM IST: Russia Fires Five Ballistic Missiles at Kyiv; Zelenskiy Says Western Allies Gave No Advance Warning Russia struck Kyiv with five ballistic missiles, hitting civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian Presiden… (2:07 pm UTC · 10:07 am ET)
Russia Fires Five Ballistic Missiles at Kyiv; Zelenskiy Says Western Allies Gave No Advance Warning
- Russia struck Kyiv with five ballistic missiles, hitting civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
- Zelenskiy said Ukraine did not receive the usual advance warning from Western allies ahead of the strikes.
- Ukraine continues to receive Western intelligence on Russian attacks and relies heavily on US intelligence sharing.
- Ukraine also depends on US-made weapons purchased with funding from other NATO members.
- The US temporarily suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine last year following a public dispute between Zelenskiy and US President Donald Trump.
8:24 PM IST: Russian Crude Oil Exports Fall as Black Sea Loading Operations Slow Russia’s seaborne crude exports averaged 3.70 million barrels per day in the four weeks to October 11, down 110,000 barrels per day… (2:54 pm UTC · 10:54 am ET)
Russian Crude Oil Exports Fall as Black Sea Loading Operations Slow
- Russia’s seaborne crude exports averaged 3.70 million barrels per day in the four weeks to October 11, down 110,000 barrels per day from the previous four-week period.
- Loading operations at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk have slowed amid heightened security concerns and drone attack risks.
- Tankers at the Sheskharis terminal have occupied major loading berths for up to four days, roughly twice the loading time at comparable Baltic ports.
- A fully loaded tanker was struck by a drone after leaving Novorossiysk last week, raising safety concerns among shipowners and crews.
- Russia has rerouted Kazakh crude exports through Sheskharis to free capacity at Ust-Luga, but increased Baltic shipments have not fully offset the Black Sea shortfall.
8:40 PM IST: Microsoft Surges Over 50% Since June, Adds $1.5 Trillion in Market Value Microsoft shares have rallied more than 50% from their June low, adding approximately $1.5 trillion in market value and approac… (3:10 pm UTC · 11:10 am ET)
Microsoft Surges Over 50% Since June, Adds $1.5 Trillion in Market Value
- Microsoft shares have rallied more than 50% from their June low, adding approximately $1.5 trillion in market value and approaching a record closing high.
- The stock’s recovery marks its fourth consecutive monthly advance, driven by improving investor confidence in Microsoft’s AI competitiveness.
- In June, Microsoft plunged 17% in its worst monthly performance since 2000, wiping out around $600 billion in market value.
- The rebound accelerated after its July 29 earnings report showed cloud revenue growth at its fastest pace in four years, triggering a 16% one-day surge.
- At least two investment firms have upgraded Microsoft to Buy, citing its potential to capture rising demand for AI services.
8:40 PM IST: JPMorgan, Citigroup and Wells Fargo Post Record $56.5 Billion in Q3 Net Interest Income JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo reported combined third-quarter net interest income (NII) of $56.5 bil… (3:10 pm UTC · 11:10 am ET)
JPMorgan, Citigroup and Wells Fargo Post Record $56.5 Billion in Q3 Net Interest Income
- JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo reported combined third-quarter net interest income (NII) of $56.5 billion, marking their fifth consecutive quarter of record NII.
- Consumer and corporate borrowing remained resilient despite elevated interest rates, supporting banks’ lending income.
- JPMorgan expects net interest income to increase further in 2027, challenging earlier expectations of a decline.
- All three banks reported lower nonaccrual loans and said borrowers generally remain capable of servicing their debt.
- Banks remain cautious about risks from geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and the Middle East, persistent inflation and elevated oil prices. Bank of America is scheduled to report Q3 results on Wednesday.
8:51 PM IST: California Billionaire Wealth Tax Faces $318 Million Opposition Campaign Building a Better California, a political group backed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin and other billionaires, has raised appr… (3:21 pm UTC · 11:21 am ET)
California Billionaire Wealth Tax Faces $318 Million Opposition Campaign
- Building a Better California, a political group backed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin and other billionaires, has raised approximately $318 million to oppose California’s proposed wealth tax.
- The proposal, known as Proposition 40, would impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on California billionaires.
- The group received $21 million in newly disclosed donations and expects its fundraising to reach around $350 million by Election Day.
- Opponents are using their financial resources to fund television and digital advertising campaigns against the proposal.
- The wealth tax has divided California Democrats and triggered a major political debate over taxing billionaire wealth, with polls reportedly showing a close contest ahead of Election Day.
8:54 PM IST: SpaceX Plans Up to 456 Starship Launches and 912 Landings Annually in Texas SpaceX has proposed expanding Starship operations at its Starbase facility in southern Texas to as many as 456 launches and… (3:24 pm UTC · 11:24 am ET)
SpaceX Plans Up to 456 Starship Launches and 912 Landings Annually in Texas
- SpaceX has proposed expanding Starship operations at its Starbase facility in southern Texas to as many as 456 launches and 912 landings per year.
- The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will prepare an environmental impact report and hold public hearings as part of its review of the expansion plan.
- The proposal envisages returning Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy boosters to base for reuse, supporting a higher launch frequency.
- Elon Musk has said SpaceX aims to increase Starship launch frequency significantly, with a long-term ambition of launching more than once per hour within a decade.
- SpaceX has also announced plans to invest up to $100 billion in a large launch site in southern Louisiana to support high-frequency Starship operations.
8:56 PM IST: Analysts Warn US Stocks Have Little Room for Earnings Disappointment as Growth Expectations Cool Bank of America data shows S&P 500 earnings growth is expected to slow in 10 of 11 sectors in Q3 20… (3:26 pm UTC · 11:26 am ET)
Analysts Warn US Stocks Have Little Room for Earnings Disappointment as Growth Expectations Cool
- Bank of America data shows S&P 500 earnings growth is expected to slow in 10 of 11 sectors in Q3 2026 compared with the previous quarter.
- Analysts expect earnings growth to ease from 25% in Q3 2026 and 28% in Q4 to 18% in the first half of 2027.
- US stocks remain near record highs, while persistent inflation concerns add pressure on companies to deliver strong results.
- Pictet Asset Management chief strategist Luca Paolini warned that earnings growth momentum may be peaking, leaving markets vulnerable to disappointing results.
- Analysts caution that even modest earnings misses could trigger sharp market reactions as elevated valuations leave limited room for error.
Intraday recap covering 6 PM – 9 PM IST. All times are in IST (UTC/ET equivalents in brackets). For real-time updates, visit our Live News Blog.
