The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree, hit by a missile near the Strait of Hormuz during U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, remains stranded off Iran’s Qeshm Island in this Sept. 11, 2026, image.
Fatemeh Bahrami | Anadolu | Getty Images
Hello from Singapore. I’m Anniek Bao, and welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open.
Meta and Tesla gave investors a boost, reporting results that surpassed expectations after Wednesday’s closing bell.
In the Middle East, the U.S. ordered non-emergency personnel to leave Saudi Arabia, reigniting concerns about a broader escalation. Brent crude climbed above $110 a barrel as reports indicated that plans for potential strikes on Iran could be ready after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Elsewhere, a PHP security vulnerability disrupted government websites around the world, while a mystery surrounding Starlink’s slowdown in Ukraine deepened after President Donald Trump said he neither knew who was responsible nor played a role.
What you need to know today
The U.S. has directed non-emergency government workers and their families to depart Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks against the kingdom intensify.
The evacuation order follows the development of detailed U.S. and Israeli military plans for possible renewed attacks on Iran after next month’s midterm elections, according to The New York Times, which cited unnamed U.S. officials.
Oil prices have moved above $110 a barrel, while natural-gas prices in Asia and Europe have reached multiyear highs. The surge threatens to put prolonged pressure on household budgets.
Starlink whodunit
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have both faced speculation over a slowdown in Ukraine’s Starlink service. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk directed a reduction in a Starlink service version relied on by Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Musk and Trump, who have both recently criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke about the decision “soon after” news of it emerged, two people told the Journal. Trump has denied involvement. “I don’t know who did it, but I was not involved,” he told reporters while departing the White House for a campaign rally in South Carolina.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “true humanitarian” on Wednesday after Russia released an American prisoner. Witkoff had traveled to Russia for negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, although Ukrainian representatives were not included in the talks.
SpaceX shares surged as much as 10% after the company reported better-than-expected earnings, while Musk suggested a potential partnership with Tesla. Options markets were also positioned optimistically ahead of Meta and Tesla’s earnings reports Wednesday evening, with Meta recording heavier call activity than put activity.
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to remain a California resident — or live wherever Meta is headquartered — for eight years, according to a company filing. The commitment is tied to the creation of a new non-voting Class C share structure and permits a move only in cases involving “material unforeseen circumstances.”
Later Thursday, at Nvidia’s GTC Berlin event, CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal is scheduled to interview CEO Jensen Huang exclusively at about 10 a.m. U.K. time.
Tech hazard
Technology companies and governments are rushing to deploy patches after critical vulnerabilities were found in PHP, the open-source programming language that supports a substantial portion of the internet’s websites and applications. The flaws have triggered urgent warnings from authorities worldwide.
With artificial intelligence and employment increasingly on the agenda for central bankers, eBay announced plans to eliminate about 1,000 positions, or approximately 9% of its workforce. The cuts mark the company’s second round of layoffs this year as it simplifies operations and concentrates on its fastest-growing businesses. eBay said it would continue recruiting in “priority areas aligned with our strategy.”
U.K. lender Barclays said Thursday that it plans to cut 5,000 jobs, equivalent to about 5% of its workforce, as it pursues efficiency gains linked to artificial intelligence.
Barclays said the reductions would result from “organizational simplification and technology change efficiency driven by AI.” The impact will be concentrated in support functions, including developer roles, the bank added.
— Anniek Bao
And finally…
How Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russia crippled the world’s second-largest diesel supplier
Ukraine launched massive drone assaults against Russia this week, hitting key oil infrastructure and signaling Kyiv intends to block the Kremlin from increasing diesel exports in defiance of President Donald Trump.
More than 1,000 Ukrainian drones targeted Russia on Sunday alone in one of the largest attacks this year, according to state media reports. The strikes set ablaze an oil export terminal in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city and President Vladimir Putin’s hometown.
Kyiv has ended its brief adherence to an energy ceasefire that Trump declared between Ukraine and Russia on Oct. 11. Moscow ignored that truce from the start and Kyiv vowed to retaliate.
— Spencer Kimball, Deena Zaidi
