Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia Edition Energy Fuel Crunch Hits Asia
16 snips
Mar 13, 2026 Garry Evans, macro and commodities strategist at BCA Research, and Winnie Su, Bloomberg Asia equities reporter in Hong Kong. They discuss spiking oil prices from the Iran war and why Asian markets feel the pain more. Conversation covers inflation pressures in Japan, BOJ dilemmas, South Korea’s market swings, supply-chain shocks, recession risks from energy shocks, and which regions/sectors could be most exposed.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Asia Is More Vulnerable To Oil Price Spikes
- Asian markets suffer more when oil spikes because major economies like Japan and Korea import large shares of their oil.
- South Korea imports ~70% from the Middle East and Japan ~90%, making equities and currencies vulnerable to higher energy costs.
Rice Bowl Price Doubled On Recent Japan Visit
- Winnie Su observed inflation firsthand in Japan by comparing everyday prices during her recent visit.
- A rice bowl that used to cost ~100 yen now costs ~200 yen, while wages haven't kept pace, raising household stress.
BOJ Stuck Between Weak Yen And Rising Inflation
- The BOJ faces a tradeoff between curbing yen weakness and reacting to higher inflation from oil-driven shocks.
- With the yen near 159 and intervention thresholds higher, the BOJ is unlikely to hike immediately despite inflation risks.