East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2021

East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2021 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464817995
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Long COVID: Scars and Opportunity." The title of this report has two meanings. First, that the disease will leave in its wake a durably damaged economy. Second, that the disease is not leaving any time soon and may be here to stay. This duality reflects the two themes of this Update. In the near time, the persistence of the pandemic will prolong human and economic distress unless individuals and firms can adapt. In the longer-term, COVID-19 will reduce growth and increase inequality unless we can remedy the scars and grasp the opportunities created by the pandemic. Accordingly, policy action must help economic agents not just to adjust today but also to make choices that avert economic sluggishness and disparity tomorrow. We begin by addressing three proximate questions: What is happening to the economies? Why? And what can we expect? We then discuss the longer-term impact of COVID-19, on growth through the impact on firms and on inequality through the impact on households.

East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2021

East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2021 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464817995
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Long COVID: Scars and Opportunity." The title of this report has two meanings. First, that the disease will leave in its wake a durably damaged economy. Second, that the disease is not leaving any time soon and may be here to stay. This duality reflects the two themes of this Update. In the near time, the persistence of the pandemic will prolong human and economic distress unless individuals and firms can adapt. In the longer-term, COVID-19 will reduce growth and increase inequality unless we can remedy the scars and grasp the opportunities created by the pandemic. Accordingly, policy action must help economic agents not just to adjust today but also to make choices that avert economic sluggishness and disparity tomorrow. We begin by addressing three proximate questions: What is happening to the economies? Why? And what can we expect? We then discuss the longer-term impact of COVID-19, on growth through the impact on firms and on inequality through the impact on households.

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2023

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2023 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464820287
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 130

Get Book Here

Book Description
Economic activity in much of developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP), other than several Pacific Island Countries, has recovered from the succession of shocks since 2020 but is now slowing down. Private consumption and the recovery of tourism had sustained growth in the region but is running out of steam. Slowing global growth is leading to a contraction in exports. Public investment and private investment also remain low in much of the region. Most governments in the region are projected to consolidate fiscally in 2023. The revival of growth in the region will depend crucially on the state of the services sectors. Even though manufacturing has powered EAP development, services already account for more than half of value added and employment. A digital revolution is leading to structural change within all services sectors, with the combination of new domestic platform-based services and more internationally tradable services boosting productivity. Harnessing the digital revolution for inclusive economic growth requires deeper services reforms.

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2019

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2019 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464815089
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 180

Get Book Here

Book Description
Growth in the developing East Asia and Pacific region slowed in the first half of 2019 given weakening global demand and heightened policy uncertainty amid ongoing trade tensions. Steady consumption growth helped to partly offset the effects of weakening exports and investment on growth. The region’s growth prospects face intensified downside risks, including further escalation of trade disputes, a sharper-than-expected slowdown in China, the United States and the Euro Area, along with a disorderly Brexit, and an abrupt change in global financing conditions. In some countries, rising indebtedness and other vulnerabilities, such as the constrained capacity for foreign debt rollover, could amplify the negative effects of external shocks. The regional growth moderation underscores the need to address key vulnerabilities and preserve economic dynamism among developing East Asia and Pacific economies. In the short run, countries with sufficient policy space should use available policy tools to stimulate domestic activities. Better quality spending, together with prudent debt management, is needed to safeguard fiscal sustainability. Deepening regional integration would help offset the negative impact of global protectionism. In the medium to long term, pursuing structural reforms that raise competitiveness, support trade and investment, and encourage innovation is critical to boosting productivity and growth.

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2022

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2022 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464819211
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 112

Get Book Here

Book Description
East Asia and the Pacific does not so far conform to the current narrative of stagflation. The region, with some exceptions, is growing faster and has lower inflation than other regions. And prospects for several countries have improved, as they bounced back from the distress of the Delta wave in a still buoyant global economy. But this rosy picture must not obscure four impediments to inclusive and sustainable growth: disease, deceleration, debt, and distortions. In particular, current policies to contain inflation and debt are distorting the markets for food, fuel and finance in ways that could compromise development goals. In each case, more efficient measures could address current difficulties without undermining longer term objectives.

COVID-19 and Labor Markets in Southeast Asia

COVID-19 and Labor Markets in Southeast Asia PDF Author: Asian Development Bank
Publisher: Asian Development Bank
ISBN: 9292692518
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 202

Get Book Here

Book Description
This report examines the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on labor markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Labor markets in Southeast Asia were particularly hit hard in 2020, when government containment measures were most severe. COVID-19 has exacerbated growing inequalities in the region—hurting not just low-skilled workers but also middle-skilled workers whose jobs were already at risk from automation even before the pandemic. Large gaps in social protection coverage were also exposed. While the policy response has been significant, a narrowing fiscal space and the protracted nature of the pandemic still pose major challenges for recovery. The report aims to help policymakers identify priorities, constraints, and opportunities for developing effective labor market strategies for economic recovery and beyond.

Live Long and Prosper

Live Long and Prosper PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464804702
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 287

Get Book Here

Book Description
Aging is a challenge which countries in East Asia and Pacific (EAP) regions are grappling with or will soon confront. It raises many questions for policymakers ranging from potential macroeconomic impacts, to fiscal challenges of supporting pension, health and long-term care systems, and labor market implications as countries seek to promote productive aging. The urgency of the aging challenge varies across the region, but it will confront all EAP countries in time and early preparation is essential to avoid the missteps of other regions. Live Long and Prosper discusses the societal and public policy challenges and reform options for EAP countries as they address aging. It aims to strike a balance between aging optimists and pessimists. On the one hand, the impacts of aging on growth, labor markets and public spending are not the unavoidable catastrophe often feared. However, minimizing the downside risks of aging and ensuring healthy and productive aging will require proactive public policy, political leadership, and new mindsets across society. The report reviews the evidence on demographic transition in EAP and its potential macroeconomic impact. It addresses the current policy environment including pensions and social security, health, and long-term care and labor markets to assess the risks of 'business as usual'. It also suggests policy directions to promote healthy and productive aging in EAP, and emphasizes that aging is not just about older people, but requires policy and behavioral change across the life cycle.

East Asia and Pacific Economic Update October 2020

East Asia and Pacific Economic Update October 2020 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464816417
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 68

Get Book Here

Book Description
Conditions in the region and the rest of the world have changed dramatically since the April 2020 Regional Economic Update (World Bank 2020a). In addition to still unfolding unprecedented health crisis, the world is now experiencing the deepest global recession since the Second World War (World Bank 2020b). The global economy is projected to contract by 5.2 percent this year, with output in emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) shrinking by 2.5 percent—the first contraction in at least sixty years. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant loss of life and has had severe economic effects on the developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region. Many governments have responded to the pandemic-induced shock with sizable fiscal and monetary support. Although subject to significant uncertainty, regional growth is expected to rebound to [6.6 percent] in 2021 as the pandemic subsides, remaining restrictions are lifted, and global demand recovers. The pandemicinduced crisis will likely hit hardest the poorest and most vulnerable countries and communities, [putting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further out of reach]. The dynamics of the shock mean that in 2020 the region will experience the widest output gaps in decades. Absent of sift and effective actions, the pandemic will slow potential growth in the region by weakening investment, human capital, and the supply chains that have been an important conduit for productivity gains over the past decade.

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2018

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, October 2018 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464813663
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 184

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Despite some financial turbulence, growth in developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) was resilient during the first half of 2018. The growth outlook for the region remains positive. After peaking in 2017, growth in developing EAP is expected to slow modestly in 2018, as China's economic expansion continues to moderate. However, downside risks have significantly intensified. An escalation in trade tensions and heightened financial market turbulence, either due to an acceleration in U.S. monetary policy normalization or contagion from other emerging markets could threaten the region's growth prospects. To navigate uncertainty, developing EAP economies should reduce short-term vulnerabilities and enhance buffers, redouble their commitment to an open, rules-based international trade and investment framework, including through deeper regional economic integration, and deepen structural reforms. The intensification of risks underscores the need to continue to enhance economic security by investing in human capital and strengthen social assistance and insurance programs to increase households' resilience to systemic shocks."

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, Spring 2020

World Bank East Asia and Pacific Economic Update, Spring 2020 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464815658
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 234

Get Book Here

Book Description
Growth in the developing East Asia and Pacific region slowed sharply in 2020Q1 because of the negative impact of the Covid-19 on economic activity. The decline has been broad-based reflecting the interconnectedness of the EAP economies and reverberations from the global economy as the virus turned into a pandemic. The Covid-19 outbreak followed an extended period of subdued growth in the region amid multiple external headwinds and heightened trade policy uncertainty. China and other regional economies have implemented monetary and fiscal policy measures to mitigate the negative impact of the outbreak. Growth in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region is projected to slow from 5.8 percent in 2019 to lower-than-expected [5.2 percent in 2020], reflecting the expected negative effects of the COVID-19. In this baseline scenario, which is subject to significant uncertainty, growth in the region is expected to recover to [5.6 percent in 2021], as the impact of Covid-19 gradually dissipates. In the medium-term regional growth is expected to continue its downward trend reflecting multiple structural headwinds. Policymakers should focus on designing economically efficient transmission control policies that consider both the marginal costs and the marginal benefits of preventive measures. Such policies would ideally be based on countries’ preparedness and exposure as well as economic circumstances. Targeted fiscal and monetary polices can help reduce the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 in the short term. In the medium-term, there is need to restore depleted buffers, address sources of financial instability, and invest in preventing and coping with infectious disease. Given the growing interdependence between EAP countries, coordinated policies and investments could increase resilience to shocks.

Global Economic Prospects, June 2021

Global Economic Prospects, June 2021 PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464816662
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 360

Get Book Here

Book Description
The world economy is experiencing a very strong but uneven recovery, with many emerging market and developing economies facing obstacles to vaccination. The global outlook remains uncertain, with major risks around the path of the pandemic and the possibility of financial stress amid large debt loads. Policy makers face a difficult balancing act as they seek to nurture the recovery while safeguarding price stability and fiscal sustainability. A comprehensive set of policies will be required to promote a strong recovery that mitigates inequality and enhances environmental sustainability, ultimately putting economies on a path of green, resilient, and inclusive development. Prominent among the necessary policies are efforts to lower trade costs so that trade can once again become a robust engine of growth.This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Global Economic Prospects. The Global Economic Prospects is a World Bank Group Flagship Report that examines global economic developments and prospects, with a special focus on emerging market and developing economies, on a semiannual basis (in January and June). Each edition includes analytical pieces on topical policy challenges faced by these economies.