Ho Chi Minh City, April 2 -- Vietnam's manufacturing sector showed signs of slowing momentum in March as sharply rising input costs, largely driven by tensions in the Middle East, weighed on demand and production activity while pushing selling prices to their fastest pace in nearly 15 years. According to the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) report released by S&P Global, the manufacturing PMI stood at 51.2 in March, down markedly from 54.3 in February. Although remaining above the 50-point threshold that signals improved business conditions, the latest reading represented the weakest expansion since September 2025. A key feature of the survey period was the impact of the Middle East geopolitical tensions on costs. Soaring oil prices drove...