IMF lowered Asia’s growth forecast in to 4.0% in 2022, 4.3% in 2023, and 4.6% in 2024. Japan’s growth forecast was held unchanged at 1.7% in 2022, downgraded slightly to 1.6% in 2023, and raised to 1.3% in 2024. For China, growth forecasts was downgraded to 3.2% in 2022, 4.4% in 2023, and 4.5% in 2024.
“As the effects of the pandemic wane, the region faces new headwinds from global financial tightening and an expected slowdown of external demand,” the report said.
As for China, “with a growing number of property developers defaulting on their debt over the past year, the sector’s access to market financing has become increasingly challenging,” the report noted.”Risks to the banking system from the real estate sector are rising because of substantial exposure.”