Energy price impact before Malaysia's February consumer inflation slows.

Consumer inflation in Malaysia slowed down in February, remaining stable before a new round of turmoil in the commodities market sparked by the conflict in the Middle East. Malaysia's statistics department reported on Thursday that the Consumer Price Index rose by 1.4% compared to the same period last year, which was lower than the 1.5% predicted by a survey. The ongoing conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran continues to disrupt global markets, pushing up energy prices and increasing concerns about potential inflationary impacts. As a net exporter of energy, Malaysia is better positioned than many other economies in Asia to weather the fluctuations in oil and gas prices. The country also has fiscal space to cushion the impact on consumers, at least in the short term.