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NAC Weekly No. 01: Vietnam's RON95 Petrol Climbs to VND 27,047 a Litre
RON95 petrol hits VND 27,047 a litre after two rises, Dubai stocks fall 4.7% and the US sheds 92,000 jobs. Five stories from the first week of the Iran war.
The first week of the war between the US, Israel and Iran, which began on 28 February, sent energy prices sharply higher. In Vietnam, RON95 petrol rose twice in three days to VND 27,047 a litre; in Dubai, the stock index fell 4.7% the moment trading resumed. The US unexpectedly shed 92,000 jobs, while Cyprus property sales still rose 12% in February.
Market pulse, week of 2–8/3/2026
Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade (5 Mar); VnBusiness (7 Mar); Bloomberg (6 Mar); AFP via Kuwait Times (4 Mar); General Statistics Office via VTC News (6 Mar); BLS (6 Mar); VBMA (6 Mar)
Signals this week
Source: NAC, compiled from the sources in this issue
🇻🇳 Vietnam · RON95 petrol hits VND 27,047 a litre after two rises
▲+VND 6,896rise in the RON95-III petrol price ceiling over the 5 and 7 March rounds, to VND 27,047 a litreMinistry of Industry and Trade, 5 and 7 MarPhoto: Phan Minh Tuấn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
On the afternoon of 5 March, the ministries of Industry and Trade and of Finance raised the RON95-III ceiling by VND 2,189 to VND 22,340 a litre, the ministry announced. On 7 March it rose another VND 4,707 to VND 27,047, VnBusiness reported. The regulators blamed the war's blockage of the Strait of Hormuz; world RON95 prices rose about 26% over the period.
For Vietnamese investors: higher transport costs will feed into consumer prices over the coming months. February CPI was already up 3.35% on a year earlier, according to the statistics office. Savings earning less than inflation lose purchasing power, so families may want to hold part of their wealth in foreign currency.
🇦🇪 UAE · Dubai stocks fall 4.7% as trading resumes
▼−4.7%Dubai's main share index on 4 March, its steepest intraday fall since May 2022AFP, via Kuwait Times 4 MarPhoto: JairamPJ, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
After a two-day closure on 2–3 March, prompted by Iranian strikes on the UAE, the Dubai exchange reopened on 4 March and fell 4.7%, AFP reported via Kuwait Times. Emaar Properties, the emirate's largest developer, lost 4.9%, and in Abu Dhabi Aldar fell 5%. More than 20,000 flights across the region had been cancelled.
For Vietnamese investors: there is no post-war data on home sales yet, but sentiment has clearly turned. Per NAC's listing data, DAMAC Safa Gate on Sheikh Zayed Road starts at USD 542,000 with handover due in Q4 2028. Families who have not yet committed can wait for March transaction figures.
🇺🇸 United States · 92,000 jobs lost in February
▼−92,000US nonfarm payrolls in February 2026; unemployment rate 4.4%BLS, 6 MarPhoto: Kidfly182, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
On 6 March the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy lost 92,000 nonfarm jobs in February, with unemployment at 4.4%. December and January were revised down by a combined 69,000. Average hourly earnings were still up 3.8% on a year earlier. The Fed's target range stands at 3.5–3.75%.
For Vietnamese investors: weak hiring argues for a Fed cut, while dearer oil argues for waiting. The Fed meets on 17–18 March, per its calendar. With those two forces pulling against each other, mortgage rates in dollar-pegged markets such as Dubai and Panama are unlikely to fall quickly.
🇨🇾 Cyprus · Property sales up 12% in February
▲+12%property sale contracts in Cyprus in February 2026 versus a year earlier, at 1,537Department of Lands and Surveys, via Cyprus Mail 5 MarPhoto: Captain Galaxy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Department of Lands and Surveys data, published by Cyprus Mail on 5 March, show 1,537 sale contracts in February, up 12% on a year earlier. Limassol led with 482, up 24%, and Paphos recorded 319, up 14%. Over the first two months, sales rose 11%. These figures cover the month before the war.
For Vietnamese investors: Cyprus sits close to the conflict but remains an EU member with a residence-by-property route. Per NAC's listing data, Pearl Park in Paphos starts at EUR 230,000 with an estimated 5.5% gross yield, and Limassol Blu Marine is ready to move into from EUR 748,000. The programme terms are in NAC's Cyprus residence guide.
🇹🇷 Turkey · Inflation rises to 31.53% in February
▲31.53%Turkish annual inflation in February 2026; housing costs alone up 42.33%TurkStat, via Trading Economics 3 MarPhoto: A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons, FAL
TurkStat figures, reported by Trading Economics on 3 March, show inflation rising to 31.53% in February from 30.65% in January. Food prices were up 36.44% and housing 42.33% on a year earlier. Month on month, consumer prices rose 2.96%, slower than January's 4.84%.
For Vietnamese investors: per NAC's programme data, the property threshold for Turkish citizenship is set in dollars, from USD 400,000, so a weaker lira does not raise the capital required. Referans Residence in Beylikdüzü is complete, with an estimated 7.5% gross yield, but lira rents need converting when you work out returns. Details are in NAC's Turkey citizenship guide.
Next week
Source: Release calendars of the BLS, Central Bank of Turkey, RICS, VBMA and Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade
NAC strategic insight
In a single week, the Gulf war turned energy prices, the dong and market sentiment all at once. We are not rushing into markets in the direct line of fire such as Dubai; we are waiting for March sales data and favouring finished assets bought with equity. If you'd like to see how your family's portfolio should adjust after this week, book a consultation with NAC.
Related on NAC
DAMAC Safa Gate · Pearl Park Paphos · Limassol Blu Marine · Referans Residence Istanbul · The NAC Residence Index
Sources
- Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade — Fuel price adjustment of 5 March 2026 (5 Mar 2026, Vietnamese)
- VnBusiness — RON95-III petrol rises above VND 27,000 a litre (7 Mar 2026, Vietnamese)
- Bloomberg — US Oil Posts Biggest Weekly Gain Ever as Iran War Rages On (6 Mar 2026)
- VTC News — Tet food prices push February CPI up 1.14% (6 Mar 2026, Vietnamese)
- VBMA — Weekly bond market report, 2–6 March 2026 (6 Mar 2026, Vietnamese)
- Kuwait Times (AFP) — UAE bourses slide after markets reopen from two-day halt (4 Mar 2026)
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — The Employment Situation, February 2026 (6 Mar 2026)
- Federal Reserve — March 2026 calendar
- Cyprus Mail — Double-digit growth for Cyprus property market continues in 2026 (5 Mar 2026)
- Trading Economics — Turkey Inflation Rate Hits 4-Month High (3 Mar 2026)
- Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye — Press Release on Interest Rates 2026-12 (12 Mar 2026) · RICS — UK Residential Survey February 2026 (12 Mar 2026)
