ASEAN and East Asia Economic Outlook: Growth Forecast at 4.0% Amid Rising Risks

On April 6, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office released its annual report titled '2026 ASEAN and East Asia Regional Economic Outlook.' According to Jin10, the report forecasts economic growth for the ASEAN and East Asia region at 4.0% for both 2026 and 2027. The report highlights that ongoing Middle East conflicts and disruptions in global energy supply significantly increase the downside risks to the region's economic outlook. The report also noted that the region's economic growth reached 4.3% in 2025, surpassing previous expectations. A key driver of export growth was the demand for semiconductors fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence.