<div id="readability-page-1"><div> <pre> By Kimberley Kao and Fabiana Negrin Ochoa </pre> Gauges of Asia factory activity showed more evidence of supply-chain disruptions from the Middle East war, with stockpiling buoying production as cost pressures intensify. S&amp;P Global purchasing managers indexes released Monday showed that while production sped up in major economies last month, that was partly because of fears about shortages and higher prices as the conflict choked trade flows. Since the hostilities began in late February, prices of energy and other commodities have surged, weighing on economies in Asia--a region that relies heavily on the Middle East for oil, gas and critical inputs like fertilizers. The turmoil is squeezing manufacturers, driving up costs and weighing on sentiment. For now, the uncertainty is helping fuel orders in some economies as clients and producers alike rush to stockpile inventory, the S&amp;P surveys indicated. Headline manufacturing PMIs rose in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea in April as anxiety over future supply-chain delays and price increases prompted more purchasing. Other factors contributed to the upswing in sales and output, including artificial-intelligence-related demand in Japan and Taiwan, and new product launches in South Korea. Still, businesses are turning more cautious as it remains unclear when the Middle East situation will be resolved and analysts warn that it will take time for markets to normalize. &#34;The war contributed to the greatest disruption to supply chains since the Covid-19 pandemic,&#34; said Annabel Fiddes at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. In April, Taiwan's manufacturing industry saw expenses rise at one of the fastest rates since the PMI survey began 22 years ago, she said. That was echoed in South Korea, where manufacturers reported record increases in cost burdens and charges. Input costs hit multiyear highs in Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam too, as raw materials became more expensive. Similar cost pressures were seen in India, where factory growth stayed sluggish--marking the second-slowest improvement in operating conditions in nearly four years. In Indonesia and Vietnam, the spike in costs came alongside a pullback in output, signaling higher vulnerability among emerging economies. New orders in Vietnam fell for the first time in eight months in April, and output will follow suit ahead unless the price and supply environment improves soon, said Andrew Harker at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. Output has already contracted in Indonesia, and economists warn that manufacturing sectors elsewhere could follow suit once stockpiling tailwinds fade, even in countries benefiting from continued global demand for tech and AI exports. &#34;How sales and output develop once this effect wears off over time will be central to the health of the sector in the months ahead,&#34; said Usamah Bhatti at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence. <pre></pre> Write to Kimberley Kao at kimberley.kao@wsj.com and Fabiana Negrin Ochoa at fabiana.negrinochoa@wsj.com <pre></pre> (END) Dow Jones Newswires May 04, 2026 02:17 ET (06:17 GMT)Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones &amp; Company, Inc.</div></div>

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亞洲製造業正面臨由於中東持續衝突引發的供應鏈中斷而帶來的重大壓力。標普全球的採購經理人指數顯示，儘管主要經濟體的生產有所增加，但這主要是由於對短缺和成本上升的擔憂而進行的囤貨。衝突導致能源和商品價格飆升，影響了該地區的製造商。儘管訂單有所增長，但由於不確定性持續，企業變得更加謹慎，分析師警告稱，隨着囤貨效應的減弱，產出可能會出現下降

亞洲製造業正感受到來自中東衝突的壓力