Access Middle East - 08-Jun-26

Why It Matters

The direct Iran‑Israel exchanges raise the prospect of broader regional escalation that could further disrupt oil supply and fuel market volatility, while investor risk aversion is already weighing on equities across Asia. Continued attacks on Gulf infrastructure threaten production and heighten geopolitical risk for global energy markets.

Summary

Israel and Iran have escalated direct strikes against each other for the first time since April, threatening a fragile ceasefire as the conflict crosses the 100-day mark. The tit‑for‑tat attacks followed Iranian strikes on Israel and Israeli strikes on Beirut suburbs tied to Hezbollah, with Tehran warning it will continue if Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon persist. Markets turned risk‑off: oil jumped over 3%, wiping out much of last week’s pullback as WTI and Brent have risen sharply since February, while Asian equities—especially South Korea—suffered steep losses and trading halts amid concentrated tech share selloffs. Separately, Riad Air moved closer to launching commercial operations after taking delivery of two Boeing Dreamliners.

Original Description

CNBC's Dan Murphy delves into the Middle East's investment flows and provide insights on the global energy hub and the vast amounts of capital originating from the region on Access Middle East (12:00 – 13:00 SIN/HK). Please note this livestream is only available in Europe and India.