South Korea’s producer prices rose at the fastest pace in months in March, driven by a sharp increase in energy and petrochemical costs following disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict, central bank data showed on Wednesday. The Bank of Korea (BOK) said its producer price index (PPI) rose 1.6% from the previous month and 4.1% from a year earlier, accelerating from February’s gains.

The increase was led by a 31.9% surge in coal and petroleum products and a 6.7% rise in chemical products, reflecting higher global oil prices and upstream input costs. Agricultural and livestock prices fell, while service-sector