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[Middle East Conflict Ignites "Flour" in the Industrial Sector] Regarding overnight oil price movements, market analysts caution that short-term price fluctuations do not equate to a complete resolution of supply risks. As the conflict continues, global oil inventories remain declining, and supply pressures are beginning to spread from the crude oil market to the petrochemical industry chain in Asia. In Asia, supply pressures are not only reflected in the crude oil market but are also impacting naphtha, a key raw material in crude oil refining. Naphtha is a fundamental raw material for many chemical products, hence its nickname "flour" or "rice" in the industrial sector. Oxford Economics, a British consulting firm, points out that Japan and South Korea are the countries most affected by the current supply shortage. In South Korea, the naphtha shortage has already begun to spread to the petrochemical industry chain. The New York Times reports that some South Korean petrochemical giants have been forced to drastically reduce their operating rates; some chemical producers are also unable to deliver to major automakers and electronics manufacturers on schedule due to insufficient raw materials, and have declared related shipments affected by "force majeure." Furthermore, some analysts suggest that South Korea's semiconductor industry has also been affected by the naphtha shortage. In Japan, one of the countries most severely affected by naphtha shortages due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the continued disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the impact has spread to multiple industries. The naphtha shortage is continuously driving up the prices of plastic packaging materials and printing inks. At a fish processing shop in Japan, the cost of a single vacuum-packed bag, which previously cost about 15 yen, has now risen to around 18 yen. Due to rising packaging material prices, Japan may see another wave of food price increases starting in June. (CCTV)