In its latest Global Economic Prospects report released today, the World Bank said activity softened in 2016 among commodity exporters, including Malaysia, where adjustment needs were significant. "Financial markets (in the East Asia and Pacific region) experienced an uptick in volatility toward the end of the year, amid heightened policy uncertainty in the U.S.," it noted. "The imposition of trade barriers by major trading partners would disproportionately affect the relatively more open economies of East Asia and Pacific," said the World Bank. “Excluding China, growth in the region is seen advancing at a more rapid 5% rate in 2017,” it said. In comparison, global economic growth is forecast to accelerate moderately to 2.7% in 2017.

Source: The Edge Markets January 11, 2017 04:49 UTC