Taiwan's state oil company is freezing pump prices again, which is good for drivers and businesses but costly for the company itself.

• CPC will keep gasoline and diesel prices flat next week, the fourth week in a row with no change.
• It is doing this even though world oil prices rose this week after Iran threatened a harsh response to new US sanctions.
• A stronger Taiwan dollar softened the blow by making imported oil cheaper to buy.
• CPC still eats the difference, losing money on every liter it sells under government orders to hold down inflation.
• Those absorbed losses have piled up into the billions of Taiwan dollars since the Middle East war began.

Outlook: If oil stays high, pressure will build on the government to either let pump prices rise or keep funding the growing losses.