Crude prices fell on 20 Oct 2026: West Texas Intermediate at US$101.79 a barrel (down $1.87) and Brent at US$108.79 (down $0.76). The drop follows talks between Iran's president and Pakistan's army chief on mediating the Middle East conflict, but Houthi attacks in Yemen continue and the outlook is uncertain. Russian diesel tankers are also heading to Turkey and Brazil after US sanctions were lifted. For a Thai SME, fuel and transport costs remain high; avoid locking in cost assumptions on a single day's dip, and check diesel and energy-linked input prices before pricing or budgeting for the quarter.