WorldWorld Bank Warns East Asia's Economic Buffers Thin Amid Oil Shock
The World Bank warns that East Asia and Pacific economies risk depleting their financial buffers while cushioning the ongoing energy shock caused by the US-Iran conflict. Governments in the region, including Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, have heavily subsidized fuel prices, reducing foreign currency reserves by 15-40% this year. The bank forecasts Middle East oil exports won't normalize until mid-2027, calling current measures unsustainable despite a 4.5% growth forecast aided by AI.
Business Standard·




