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Fridays: Business insights on Southeast Asia's fast-growing economies.

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International

Oil fears keep S-E Asia’s central banks on their toes as they mull over easing plans

Economists see rate hikes or delayed cuts as policy space wanes and stagflation looms

The Callisto tanker sits anchored in Port Sultan Qaboos as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
ASEAN Business

Oil spike pushes Malaysia fuel subsidies to RM3.2 billion a month

The monthly bill rises more than four times from RM700 million previously, but the government says it is poised to absorb the...

the top 15 per cent high income group (T15) will no longer enjoy the subsidised RON95 petrol after the subsidy retargeting measure being implemented in the middle of next year.
A worker fills up a motorcycle while drivers queue at a gas station as oil prices are expected to increase amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, March 9, 2026. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David
ASEAN Business

Fuel price hikes unlikely to spark immediate inflation in Malaysia: economists

Rising fuel prices are manageable now, but a prolonged oil shock could test the country’s fiscal buffer

Economists expect the blanket subsidy removal of RON95 - a widely used transport fuel - will impact the inflation outlook.
ASEAN Business

Asean ministers to hold meetings to address Middle East crisis  

Several member countries have already taken concrete steps to cope with the impact of the crisis

A worker fills an underground storage tank at a gas station as oil prices are expected to increase amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, March 9, 2026. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David