GCC States Record 7.3% GDP Growth in 2022

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi.
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi.
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GCC States Record 7.3% GDP Growth in 2022

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi.
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, emphasized that despite economic disruptions, policymakers in GCC countries have successfully alleviated the economic consequences of these challenges, SPA said on Sunday.
The GCC nations experienced substantial growth in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reaching 7.3% in 2022.
Albudaiwi’s remarks came while attending the Arab Governors' meeting with the President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on Saturday in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco.
During his speech, the GCC Secretary-General emphasized that economic challenges present a risk to the mutual objective of a poverty-free world characterized by sustainable development and widespread prosperity.
He pointed out that the global economy is currently traversing a precarious course, with the World Bank forecasting a substantial deceleration in global economic growth in the years ahead.
Albudaiwi also underscored that tackling global challenges demands a dedication to shared values and objectives, recognizing that the interdependence of nations necessitates collaborative efforts and synergy.
Furthermore, he emphasized that global economic challenges call for sustainable solutions to alleviate their impact.
This, he said, can be achieved through collective actions and measures taken by the international community, in cooperation with global financial institutions, as well as through bilateral and multilateral agreements between countries and international organizations.
These efforts are essential to secure a more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable global future, he noted.
Concluding his remarks, Albudaiwi praised the advancements resulting from the structural reforms implemented by GCC countries in response to economic challenges.
These reforms have yielded favorable outcomes, including economic growth, an improved business environment, increased competitiveness, and a substantial rise in women's workforce participation.
Furthermore, the non-oil sector experienced a notable increase of 4.8% in 2022.



Japan's Core Inflation Rate Slows in September

FILE PHOTO: Media members observe the stock quotation board at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo, Japan, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Media members observe the stock quotation board at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo, Japan, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo
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Japan's Core Inflation Rate Slows in September

FILE PHOTO: Media members observe the stock quotation board at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo, Japan, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Media members observe the stock quotation board at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo, Japan, August 6, 2024. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo

Japanese inflation slowed in September with prices up 2.4 percent on-year, not including volatile fresh food, official data showed Friday.
The core Consumer Price Index eased from 2.8 percent in August as the pace of increase in electricity and gas prices relented, the internal affairs ministry said.
Despite the slowdown, the rate remained above the Bank of Japan's two percent target, set over a decade ago as part of efforts to boost the stagnant economy, reported AFP.
The target has been surpassed every month since April 2022, although the bank has questioned to what extent that is down to temporary factors such as the Ukraine war.
"The resumption of electricity subsidies resulted in a plunge in headline inflation in September," said Marcel Thieliant, head of Asia-Pacific at Capital Economics.
Thieliant predicted a further deceleration of core inflation in October, but noted that the subsidies "should be phased out completely by December, which should lift inflation".
The Bank of Japan raised interest rates in March for the first time since 2007 and again in July, in initial steps towards normalizing its ultra-loose monetary policies.
New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said this month that the environment was not right for another interest rate increase.
After Ishiba took office in early October, perceptions that he favored hiking borrowing costs and the possibility that he could raise taxes triggered a surge in the yen and stock market volatility.
One dollar bought 150 yen on Friday morning after the Japanese currency weakened from levels around 149.35 the day before.
Excluding both fresh food and energy, Japanese prices rose 2.1 percent in September.
"We expect inflation excluding fresh food and energy to remain around two percent until early next year, when it should gradually fall below two percent," Thieliant said.
"Accordingly, we still expect the Bank of Japan to press ahead with another interest rate hike before year-end."