Developing Asia on track to grow faster

ADB says growth in Pakistan weighed down by tighter monetary, fiscal policies

MANILA:

Developing Asia is on track to grow faster in 2023 from a year earlier as strong consumption and investment offset the impact of weak global demand, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Wednesday.

In an update to its regional economic outlook, the ADB kept its 2023 growth forecast for developing Asia at 4.8%, but revised a tad lower its estimate for next year to 4.7% from 4.8% in April, reflecting risks, including from Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Developing Asia consists of 46 economies in the Asia-Pacific and excludes Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The ADB maintained its growth projections for sub-regions East Asia and South Asia, with China and India still expected to expand 5% and 6.4% this year, respectively, and 4.5% and 6.7% in 2024, but trimmed slightly its outlook for Southeast Asia.

Growth in Southeast Asia is now expected at 4.6% this year and 4.9% next year, down from 4.7% and 5% previously, the ADB said, due mainly to weaker global demand for exports.

An upside risk to the growth outlook of developing Asia is slower inflation, which has allowed most central banks in the region to hold off tightening, helping underpin domestic consumption.

The region’s inflation is forecast to slow to 3.6% this year from its previous forecast of 4.2%, with the rate expected to decelerate further to 3.4% in 2024.

The ADB noted that growth in Pakistan in FY23 was weighed down by tighter monetary and fiscal policies to safeguard macroeconomic stability, pervasive inflation and significant damage from flooding.

The Asian Development Outlook April 2023 projection for Pakistan in FY24 assumes that the government will continue to undertake reforms as recommended by the IMF under a new policy-support programme approved on July 12.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2023.

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