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Asian growth steady despite Brexit: ADB

By Niranjan Mudholkar,

Added 18 July 2016

Growth in 2016 and 2017 is led by South Asia, and India in particular, which continues to expand strongly.

Growth in Asia and the Pacific's developing economies for 2016 and 2017 will remain solid as firm performances from South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia help offset softness from the US economy, and near-term market shocks from the Brexit vote, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.

In a supplement to its Asian Development Outlook 2016 (ADO 2016) report, released last March, ADB now forecasts 2016 growth for the developing economies at 5.6%, below its previous projection of 5.7%. For 2017, growth is seen unchanged at 5.7%.

"Although the Brexit vote has affected developing Asia's currency and stock markets, its impact on the real economy in the short term is expected to be small," said Shang-Jin Wei ADB's Chief Economist. "However, in light of the tepid growth prospects in the major industrial economies, policy makers should remain vigilant and be prepared to respond to external shocks to ensure growth in the region remains robust."

Growth in 2016 and 2017, the report notes, is led by South Asia, and India in particular, which continues to expand strongly, while the People's Republic of China (PRC) is on track to meet earlier growth projections.

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