ADB predicts slowing Asia growth as MidEast war takes toll

MANILA, April 10: The Middle East war is expected to drag on Asia's economies over this year and next, the Asian Development Bank warned Friday, as it predicted growth to slow to 5.1 percent across the world's most populous region. That prediction could prove optimistic, however, if new evidence suggesting a "more prolonged conflict and more persistent disruptions" bore out, it said. Growth predictions could fall to as low as 4.7 percent for 2026 and 4.8 percent in 2027 should the US-Israeli war with Iran drag into the third quarter. "Most economies in developing Asia and the Pacific will see their growth outlook worsen this year and in 2027," was the bank's stark assessment. ADB supports Nepal’s digital transformation toward high‑impact... The region's status as a net energy importer left it particularly vulnerable to the war's fallout, ADB chief economist Albert Park told reporters at an embargoed Thursday new briefing "Higher energy prices can generate significant income ...