The growth outlook for Viet Nam in 2024 and 2025 remains unchanged at 6.0% and 6.2% respectively, on the back of a strong first-half performance in 2024, according to ADB. (Source: VNA)

Inflation is forecast to slow to 2.9% this year amid easing global food prices and the lingering effects of higher interest rates, according to the latest edition of Asian Development Outlook (ADO), released today.

After a post-pandemic recovery that was driven mainly by domestic demand, exports are rebounding and helping propel the region’s economic growth. Strong global demand for electronics, particularly semiconductors used for high-technology and artificial intelligence applications, is boosting exports from several Asian economies.

“Most of Asia and the Pacific is seeing faster economic growth compared with the second half of last year,” said ADB Chief Economist Albert Park.

“The region’s fundamentals remain strong, but policymakers still need to pay attention to a number of risks that could affect the outlook, from uncertainty related to election outcomes in major economies to interest rate decisions and geopolitical tensions.”

While inflation is moderating toward pre-pandemic levels in the region as a whole, price pressures remain elevated in some economies. Food inflation is still high in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, in part due to adverse weather and food export restrictions in some economies.

The growth forecast for China, the region’s largest economy, is maintained at 4.8% this year. A continued recovery in services consumption and stronger-than-expected exports and industrial activity are supporting the expansion, even as the China’s struggling property sector has yet to stabilize. The government introduced additional policy measures in May to support the property market.

The outlook for India, the region’s fastest-growing economy, is also unchanged at 7.0% for fiscal year 2024. India’s industrial sector is projected to grow robustly, driven by manufacturing and strong demand in construction. Agriculture is expected to rebound amid forecasts for an above-normal monsoon, while investment demand remains strong, led by public investment.

For Southeast Asia, the growth forecast is maintained at 4.6% this year amid solid improvements in both domestic and external demand. This year’s outlook for the Caucasus and Central Asia is raised to 4.5% from a previous projection of 4.3%, driven in part by stronger-than-expected growth in Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

In the Pacific, the outlook for 2024 is maintained at 3.3% growth, driven by tourism and infrastructure spending, along with revived mining activity in Papua New Guinea.

The growth outlook for Viet Nam in 2024 and 2025 remains unchanged at 6.0% and 6.2% respectively, on the back of a strong first-half performance in 2024.

However, trade-related manufacturing - one of its main drivers of recovery - is expected to slow down over the near term, while domestic demand will also remain subdued. Inflation is projected to stabilize at 4.0% during the above two-year period.