{
  "id": 12749838,
  "title": "Oil price volatility tops list of earnings risks for Japan firms - Reuters survey",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/oil-price-volatility-tops-list-of-earnings-risks-for-japan-firms-12749838",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-07T23:13:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/oil-price-volatility-tops-list-earnings-risks-japan-firms-reuters-survey-6441076"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Oil price volatility emerged as the top risk to the earnings of Japanese companies, according to a Reuters survey conducted among 508 firms. The survey, conducted from September 18 to October 2, also highlighted foreign exchange fluctuations and rising interest rates as significant risk factors. The US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which began in February, has led to a constrained crude oil supply, increased energy costs, and a rise in prices of various oil-derived products, such as auto parts and construction materials. Japan imports 94% of its crude oil from the Middle East. Respondents from the ceramics sector attributed rising energy costs to the crude oil market and investment cutbacks during a period of higher interest rates, which are cooling domestic demand for cement. The Bank of Japan recently raised interest rates to a 31-year high, signaling a new focus on preventing inflation from overshooting its target, potentially leading to further rate hikes. Uncertainties around the sustainability of AI-related investment, driving demand for advanced microchips and data centres, were also cited as a potential earnings risk.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Business",
        "title": "Oil price volatility tops list of earnings risks for Japan firms - Reuters survey",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/oil-price-volatility-tops-list-of-earnings-risks-for-japan-firms",
        "published": "2026-10-07T23:13:47.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}