ADB trims 2016 growth forecast for Central Asia from 2.1% to 1.7%
- Written by TCA
BISHKEK (TCA) — Continued soft commodity prices and the recession in Russia have further dampened the growth outlook for Central Asia, with the earlier 2016 forecast of 2.1% trimmed to 1.7%, and 2017 cut to 2.7% from 2.8%. The slump in revenues from hydrocarbon exports are affecting fiscal consolidation efforts in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, while lower remittances, particularly from Russia, continue to hurt domestic consumption in the Central Asia region, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.