As tensions in the Strait of Hormuz drive oil prices toward $100 a barrel, fund managers across Asia are weighing whether this is a passing geopolitical shock or the start of a deeper supply chain realignment.

Among them, Benny Chong, founder and chairman of VMS Group, offers a more cautious view: he believes the conflict is likely headed for a prolonged deadlock, with crude prices hovering near elevated levels for potentially longer than markets expect. That, he warns, could bring sustained cost pressures to energy‑dependent Asian economies such as Korea and Vietnam, even if they manage to secure alternative supply routes.

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