SINGAPORE, April 20 -- Party and event suppliers in Singapore are grappling with a sharp spike in helium prices, with some firms reporting increases of up to 40 per cent as conflict in the Middle East disrupts global supply chains, CNA reported.

Helium, a finite resource extracted as a by-product of natural gas production, is heavily reliant on a handful of producers, notably the United States and Qatar. 

The Gulf state accounts for about a third of global supply, leaving the market vulnerable to geopolitical shocks.

Recent attacks on Qatar's natural gas facilities have disrupted production and exports, tightening supply and sending prices higher.

At party supply firm Misty Daydream, co-founder and managing director Tan Jia Jun s...