1. Australian job market remains stable: The number of new jobless claims in the United States decreased this week, against a backdrop of ongoing low layoffs, indicating a stable labour market in March 2026. However, economists warn of the risk of deterioration due to extended conflict in the Middle East. According to the US Department of Labor, initial jobless claims fell by 9,000 to 202,000 (seasonally adjusted data) for the week ending on March 28. This figure is below the 212,000 forecasted by economists in a previous survey.
Caption: People participate in a job fair in Arlington, Virginia (United States). Photo: AFP/VNA.
2. IMF, World Bank, and IEA collaborate to address economic challenges related to Middle East conflict: The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have released a statement committing to close cooperation to address the severe economic consequences of the conflict in the Middle East. In a joint statement published on April 1, the leaders of the three major international organizations affirmed their commitment to sharing data, harmonizing recommendations, and mobilizing necessary resources to support the hardest-hit countries. They note that the impact of the conflict is spreading globally, with energy-importing countries and low-income nations being the most severely affected.
3. Experts predict a significant rise in global rice prices: Concerns about conflicts related to Iran are raising fears of a possible surge in global rice prices in the near future, due to disruptions in fertilizer supply and escalation in energy costs directly impacting production in many Asian countries. According to Jean-René Cuzon, project leader at the Directorate General of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Biodiversity of the French Development Agency (AFD), the risk of increased global rice prices in the coming months is “very worrying”. The main reason is the disruption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route for the export of oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and fertilizers from the Middle East.
Caption: Rice on sale at a supermarket in Sendai, Japan, on May 31, 2025. Photo: Kyodo/VNA.
4. American plastic bottle manufacturers also heavily impacted by the Middle East conflict: American manufacturers, producing a wide variety of products from soda bottles to peanut butter jars, food packaging, and most other plastic products, are under immense pressure as the Middle East conflict disrupts essential raw material supply. Several monoethylene glycol (MEG) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) producers have declared force majeure due to the Gulf conflict affecting their supply. Globally, these components are mainly produced from derivatives of naphtha, a petroleum by-product.
5. American businesses leverage tax refund rights to meet financing needs: Following the imposition of significant import tariffs by US President Donald Trump on April 2, 2025, hundreds of thousands of importers suffered substantial losses, forcing them to adjust their supply chains and pass the cost on to their customers. In February 2026, the US Supreme Court declared these tariffs illegal, paving the way for the refund of around $160–166 billion to about 330,000 businesses. However, obtaining these refunds is not straightforward. In this context, American companies are seeking flexible solutions to leverage their import tax refund rights to meet their financing needs, given the uncertainty and length of government refund procedures.
Caption: Bank employees check Chinese yuan at a bank in Jiangsu, China.
6. China withdraws funds from the financial system to address risks: The People’s Bank of China (PBC, the central bank) has just withdrawn significant amounts of money from the financial system for the first time in a year. This prudent measure reflects the PBC’s intention to preserve its flexibility in the face of rising oil prices that are starting to weigh on the economy. In March 2026, the PBC withdrew a total of 890 billion yuan ($129 billion) through short-term financial operations, and an additional 250 billion yuan through longer-term financial instruments like medium-term lending facilities (MLF) and repurchase operations. Official data indicates that the Chinese commercial banking system likely made its first net repayment to the PBC since May 2025.
7. Bitcoin drops as the US hints at escalating military action in the Middle East: Cryptocurrencies experienced a widespread decline during Asian trading on April 2, after US President Donald Trump suggested firmer military action against Iran could occur in the coming weeks. This retreat follows President Trump’s speech, dampening hopes for a swift end to the Middle East conflict. Bitcoin demand remains under pressure since the price collapse in October 2025. As of now, the price of bitcoin is still about 45% lower than its all-time high of over $126,000/BTC reached in October 2025.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/diem-tin-kinh-te-the-gioi-noi-bat-ngay-242026-20260402214509677.htm
