Mideast oil crisis revives stagflation spectre, haunting China’s deflation battle

Rising energy costs driven by Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions may provide some relief to China’s years-long struggle with weak prices, but analysts warn that a spike in oil prices could spark a scenario in which stagnant economic growth collides with rising inflation, hindering the nation’s economic recovery. “Rising oil prices [could] lead to stagflation, which helps increase the inflation rate but also leads to a decline in economic growth and an increase in unemployment,” said Su Jian...

By Xinyi Wu

Stock index futures muted ahead of labor report, eyes on Middle East tensions