Unilever’s battle with rising costs will take center stage at its third-quarter results on Thursday, with investors focused on whether the consumer goods giant will cut its profit margin forecast for the second time this year. Crude oil prices hit three-year highs on Monday, vegetable oil prices are at multi-year highs, and packaging, transport, and labor costs are also rising as economies recover from the pandemic—a headache for central bankers and companies alike. Tide detergent maker Procter & Gamble (P&G) on Tuesday hiked its full-year forecast for commodity and freight costs by about $400 million, or more than 20 percent. Analysts warn Unilever could be particularly exposed because, unlike household goods specialist P&G, it also has a big food business, selling products including Knorr soups, Magnum ice-cream, and Hellmann’s mayonnaise. That means exposure to edible oils, milk, and crude derivatives, such as caustic soda (used in making ice-cream), whose prices …