Core Insights - Uzbekistan is projected to remain among the top five fastest-growing economies in Europe and Central Asia in 2025 and 2026, with growth rates of 6.2% and 6% respectively, an increase from previous forecasts of 5.9% [1][1][1] Economic Growth Projections - Kyrgyzstan is expected to lead the region with growth rates of 9.2% in 2025 and 6.5% in 2026 [1] - Tajikistan's growth is forecasted at 7.6% for 2025 and 5.2% for 2026 [1] - Georgia is projected to grow by 7% in 2025 and 5.5% in 2026 [1] - Kazakhstan's growth rates are expected to be 5.5% in 2025 and 4.5% in 2026 [1] Regional Economic Context - The overall economic growth for Europe and Central Asia is projected to decline to 2.4% in 2025, down from 3.7% in 2024, primarily due to the slowdown in the Russian economy [1] - Average growth for the region is expected to rise to 2.6% in 2026-2027 [1] - Geopolitical uncertainties, tensions in international trade, and persistent inflation pressures are increasing the economic vulnerabilities in the region [1] Central Asia Economic Outlook - The economic growth for Central Asia is anticipated to reach 5.9% in 2025 and 5% in 2026, supported by increased oil production in Kazakhstan and rising foreign exchange reserves and investments in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan [1]

Core Insights - The Central Bank of Ireland has raised its economic growth forecast for 2025 to 10.1%, indicating reduced concerns over the impact of tariffs on the Irish economy following a trade agreement between the US and EU [1] Group 1: Economic Growth Forecast - The Central Bank of Ireland increased its 2025 economic growth forecast from 9.7% to 10.1% due to a more favorable tariff outcome than previously feared [1] - The growth forecast for 2026 was also raised from 2.6% to 3.8% [1] Group 2: Trade Relations and Tariffs - Ireland maintains a close economic relationship with the US, serving as a base for many leading US tech and pharmaceutical companies [1] - The trade agreement reached in July set most European goods' tariffs at 15%, which is lower than earlier market concerns [1] Group 3: Export Dynamics - In the first quarter, Irish exports to the US surged as companies stockpiled goods in anticipation of tariffs, a trend that continued into the second quarter [1] - There is uncertainty regarding future export trends, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, as a significant drop in exports was noted in June due to the digestion of previously accumulated inventories [2] Group 4: Risks and Challenges - The Central Bank warned that while the 15% tariff is unlikely to cause a mass exodus of foreign investment, it may reduce Ireland's attractiveness as a destination for US direct investment [2] - The demand for peptide hormones, crucial for diabetes and obesity treatments, is expected to partially offset the decline in exports, as global demand for these products is rapidly increasing [2] Group 5: Economic Impact on Eurozone - Despite its small size within the Eurozone, Ireland's economic fluctuations have significant spillover effects on the overall Eurozone performance [2] - The European Central Bank noted that Ireland's economic output is expected to decline in the third quarter, which may counterbalance growth in other Eurozone regions [2]

Core Insights - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised its economic growth forecasts for Central Asia and the Caucasus, increasing the expected growth rates for 2025 and 2026 to 5.5% and 5.1% respectively, driven by anticipated oil production growth and stable domestic demand [1] - Conversely, the ADB has downgraded the economic growth forecasts for the Asia-Pacific region for 2025 and 2026 to 4.7% and 4.6% respectively, citing global trade uncertainties, reduced exports, and weak domestic demand as primary factors [1] - The region is also facing additional risks such as localized armed conflicts and supply chain disruptions [1]

Core Viewpoint - Several international investment banks, including Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley, have raised their economic growth forecasts for China in 2025, anticipating that trade competitiveness will support a stronger RMB in the long term [1][2]. Economic Growth Forecasts - Deutsche Bank's chief economist for China, Xu Yi, has raised the 2025 economic growth forecast by 0.2 percentage points, citing resilient service sector output and retail performance, along with a more proactive policy stance to achieve the annual growth target of around 5% [2][3]. - Morgan Stanley has also adjusted its economic growth forecasts for China, increasing the growth estimates for the next two years by 0.3 and 0.2 percentage points, respectively, due to reduced urgency for new policies following external shocks [3][4]. - Nomura has raised its GDP growth forecast for China's second quarter from 3.7% to 4.8% and increased the annual GDP growth forecast by 0.5 percentage points, reflecting positive developments in US-China trade talks [3]. Currency Outlook - Deutsche Bank predicts that the RMB will strengthen against the USD, forecasting an exchange rate of 7.0 by the end of 2025 and 6.7 by the end of 2026, supported by improved trade competitiveness [5][6]. - Morgan Stanley also expects a moderate appreciation of the RMB, noting that the RMB depreciated by 11.5% during the 2018-2019 US-China tariff increases, which partially offset the tariff impacts [5][6]. Monetary Policy Expectations - Deutsche Bank anticipates that the People's Bank of China will reduce the frequency of interest rate cuts, focusing instead on reserve requirement ratio cuts and liquidity support [7]. - Morgan Stanley expects the government to potentially introduce an additional fiscal stimulus of 500 to 1,000 billion RMB to support infrastructure investments, alongside further interest rate cuts [7].