Business briefing — October 13, 2026.

Unverified Iran tanker claim lifts Hormuz shipping risk as Brent eases

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it struck a third “violator” supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz, but did not identify the vessel, and the claim has not been independently confirmed. UKMTO reported one projectile strike on October 11, while India’s shipping minister named two ships hit that day, including one at Oman’s Sohar anchorage. Brent rose to about $106.80 on Monday before easing to around $105 on Tuesday, according to the report.

What changed Brent partially reversed Monday’s rise, easing from about $106.80 to around $105 on Tuesday; the source reports no confirmed barrel loss behind the move.

Why it matters Oil shippers face exceptionally expensive transport even without a confirmed loss of supply: elevated tanker rates can raise the delivered cost of crude.

What to watch next Whether a third tanker was struck remains unresolved; Iran’s warning also leaves commercial operators uncertain about which voyages could be targeted.

Samsung and SK hynix slide as CXMT touts next-generation server memory

Samsung Electronics fell 7.39% to 232,000 won on Tuesday, while SK hynix dropped 10.09% and the KOSPI fell 5.46%, triggering a sell-side trading pause. The declines followed China’s CXMT saying it plans DDR5 server modules based on a 4F2 memory-cell design by the end of 2026; the report says CXMT disclosed no detailed specifications, launch date or customer qualifications. Foreign investors had sold about 2.45 trillion won of main-board shares by late morning, according to exchange data cited in the report.

What changed Samsung’s decline extended across two sessions: Monday’s 4.39% fall was followed by Tuesday’s 7.39% drop, taking the cumulative loss to about 11.5%.

Why it matters For Samsung, the competitive risk extends beyond technology leadership: a stronger commodity-memory supplier could pressure the high memory prices supporting earnings.

What to watch next CXMT’s ability to demonstrate stable mass production and customer qualification remains the key unresolved test of whether its roadmap becomes meaningful supply.

Prediction-market trading reaches $409.7 billion as US regulatory fight deepens

Prediction markets recorded $409.7 billion in trading volume across about 2.6 billion trades so far in 2026, according to Artemis data cited in the report. Kalshi and Polymarket accounted for a combined 89% of volume and about 97% of trades. Conflicting appeals-court decisions have sharpened a dispute over whether sports-related event contracts fall under federal derivatives oversight or state gambling laws.

What changed An April ruling in Kalshi’s favour was followed by opposing decisions in August and September, turning the dispute into an explicit split among appeals courts.

Why it matters Kalshi cannot assume federal oversight shields its sports contracts from state gambling rules: adverse appeals rulings have allowed Ohio and Tennessee to regulate them.

What to watch next The unresolved issue is whether federal derivatives law protects sports-event contracts from state gambling enforcement—not merely whether sporting outcomes have economic consequences.

South Korea orders website blocks on 27 unregistered overseas crypto platforms

South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit announced restrictions on 27 websites operated by unregistered cryptocurrency providers, including KuCoin, MEXC and BingX, extending earlier limits on app access. Authorities say the measures target services offered to Korean customers without required registration; they do not amount to a nationwide ban on cryptocurrency trading or closure of the exchanges. The FIU said it would coordinate withdrawal guidance for customers who may have difficulty accessing accounts.

What changed Earlier app restrictions left websites as a potential access route. The new authorization extends enforcement to that remaining channel.

Why it matters Existing customers may lose convenient access to funds as enforcement tightens: website blocking can impede account management, position closures and withdrawals.

What to watch next Authorities plan withdrawal guidance with DAXA and monitoring of replacement websites; further blocks are conditional on attempts to continue unauthorized services.

Binance to discontinue its mining pool and related services on November 10

Binance said it will permanently shut Binance Pool and associated mining services at 07:00 UTC on November 10, including cloud mining, Pool Savings and its transaction accelerator. Mining connections and reward submissions will stop at the cutoff, though eligible outstanding balances and rewards will continue to be processed subject to product terms and account requirements. Users will have until November 24 to access historical mining records and payout information.

Why it matters Participating miners face an operational migration rather than an exchange-wide closure: computing power left connected at the cutoff will stop generating rewards through Binance Pool.

What to watch next Historical records and payout-status pages become inaccessible at 07:00 UTC on November 24, leaving a separate records-retrieval deadline after mining stops.

Mintos launches commission-free stock trading as it expands beyond loans

Latvian investment platform Mintos began offering more than 4,000 US, European and global stocks, with fractional shares from €1, and says it charges no order or custody fees. Customers can buy shares manually or set recurring weekly, monthly or quarterly plans; the company says US stocks are priced and traded in euros without a currency-conversion charge. The launch extends a platform that began as a consumer- and business-loan marketplace into a broader investment account.

What changed Mintos is moving from its loan-marketplace origins into direct stock trading, entering a market where zero-commission pricing is already established.

Why it matters For customers buying non-euro shares, euro-denominated trading does not eliminate exchange-rate exposure; the absence of a conversion fee should not be confused with the absence of currency risk.

What to watch next Mintos says it will expand the initial stock list, but the report supplies no timetable or specific additions.

Investec selects IG’s white-label trading platform for South African institutional clients

IG Prime has partnered with Investec Prime Services to provide a white-label trading platform in South Africa, with Investec retaining its brand and IG supplying technology, execution, analytics and risk tools. The offering covers derivatives on equities, indices, foreign exchange, commodities and fixed income, and Investec clients can access about 19,000 instruments listed globally by IG, according to the report. The arrangement gives IG a local institutional channel after it closed its South African rand-denominated retail accounts in mid-2025.

What changed After closing its rand-denominated retail accounts in mid-2025, IG is reaching South Africa through a bank’s institutional desk rather than its own local retail offering.

Why it matters Investec’s institutional clients gain broader market access, including extended-hours equity trading and weekend index and FX trading, rather than simply a new branded interface.

What to watch next IG’s October 22 strategy update in London is the next reported opportunity for broader detail on its diversification beyond leveraged retail trading.