China reported 95 new local coronavirus cases, with delta reaching regions that account for 38% of national gross domestic product. That raises the prospect of Asia’s delta hit reverberating worldwide, if exports are delayed longer term. “The current delta wave in Asia may snarl production networks further,” said Hong Kong HSBC Holdings Plc Asian economic research Co-Head Frederic Neumann. There’s a common theme among many Asia-Pacific economies that enjoyed early success with limiting the virus’s damage: complacency. Still, the delta variant has been altering calculations and its highly contagious nature may leave a longer-tail impact on places that overcame previous waves.

Source: The Nation August 08, 2021 15:56 UTC