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Brunei : Increase among the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

2015/11/18

Increase among the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies softened to 3.1 % in the second quarter of 2015, down from 3.2 % in the initial quarter and 3.4 % a year ago, according to an APEC economic analysis released on Tuesday.

The statement said the increase slowdown reflected the prolonged weakness in world economic activity as the modest recovery in advanced economies was matched by a general slowdown in emerging market economies.

The moderation in GDP levels could be attributed to declining investments and lacklustre exports, according to the statement.

"Economies across the Asia-Pacific continue to grow but find themselves in a holding pattern of lower increase in the absence of high trade volumes," said Alan Bollard, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat.

"Private consumption is helping to compensate but must be tapped into additional aggressively to keep the regions' economies on track," he added.

"Market uncertainty and protectionist pressures are a concern but trade distorting measures have been generally kept at bay," Bollard said.

He noted that economies in the region were still highly trade dependent and opportunities to grow were very much out there but there was a recognition in APEC that traditional approaches were not enough.

The statement estimate the APEC region would grow by 3.1 % in 2015, slightly below its 2014 GDP expansion of 3.4 %.

In 2016, the APEC region is expected to post a stronger GDP increase rate of 3.4 %, although lower than the world GDP estimate of 3.6 %, said the statement.

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