FOOD PRICES CLIMB AS WAR DRIVES COSTS HIGHER Global food prices rose in March, pushed up by higher energy and freight costs linked to conflict in the Middle East. The UN’s food price index averaged 128.5 points, up 2.4% from February—its second straight monthly increase after five months of decline. The rise reflects growing pressure across supply chains, as the conflict drives up fuel and fertilizer costs and disrupts key trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz. Vegetable oil and sugar saw the biggest price jumps, with meat, dairy, and cereals also increasing—signaling that food inflation may persist.(*Walter Bloomberg)