Brent crude averaged about 60% higher in September 2026 than in February 2026 amid the Middle East conflict, fueling inflation and cost-of-living pressures across the ASEAN+3 region (ASEAN members plus China, Japan and South Korea). The article argues for targeted support for the most vulnerable rather than broad price subsidies, which distort price signals, weaken incentives to conserve energy and are hard to withdraw; Thailand's energy subsidies in FY2024 cost an estimated 0.6% of GDP. Economies have taken varied routes: Singapore offers targeted cash support while keeping market-based fuel pricing, Hong Kong let temporary measures expire as scheduled, and Malaysia is moving from blanket fuel subsidies toward a mix of market prices, targeted subsidies and wider social assistance.
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Related tickers and likely impact
VNINDEX
• NeutralRelevance: low
| Market | Vietnam stocks |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/20/2026 | 1,691.97 |
| Change that session | +0.13% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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