28 Apr, 2025

East Asia Pacific Growth Slows in 2025, World Bank Says

East Asia and Pacific has led in economic growth, but to sustain momentum and create jobs, countries must address global uncertainties. Key challenges include shifting global integration, climate change, and demographic trends.According to the World Bank Group’s latest 2025 Regional Economic Update, it is expected to slow to 4.0 percent in 2025, affected by global conditions and domestic policies.China’s growth will decelerate to 4.0 percent due to trade restrictions, policy uncertainty, global slowdown, and property sector weakness. Growth projections vary across the region: Mongolia 6.3 percent and Vietnam 5.8 percent lead, followed by the Philippines 5.3 percent, Indonesia 4.7 percent, Cambodia 4.0 percent, Malaysia  3.9 percent, and Laos 3.5 percent, while Thailand lags at 1.6 percent. Meanwhile, the growth in the Pacific Island countries is projected at 2.5 percent.Despite these challenges, the World Bank projects that approximately 24 million people in the region will escape poverty between 2024 and 2025, based on the upper-middle-income poverty line.“While navigating global uncertainty, countries across the region have the opportunity to strengthen their economic prospects by embracing and investing in new technologies, opening up business opportunities through bolder reforms, and deepening international cooperation,” said Manuela V. Ferro, Vice President of the World Bank for East Asia and Pacific.WB economists point to three key strategies that could help countries in the region navigate both immediate uncertainties and long-term challenges:First, accelerating adoption of new technologies could boost productivity and create more jobs, following successful models in Malaysia and Thailand.Second, implementing reforms to enhance competition, particularly in services sectors, could unlock new economic opportunities as demonstrated by Vietnam’s approach. Third, deeper international cooperation could strengthen economic resilience in the face of global challenges.“Combining new technologies with bold reform and innovative cooperation could help countries in the region cope with current environment and longer-term challenges,” noted Aaditya Mattoo, World Bank East Asia and Pacific Chief Economist. “That is the recipe for higher productivity and better jobs.”

25 Apr, 2025

Bitcoin Eyes $98K While Recession Warnings Loom Over Crypto Markets

As of April 23, Bitcoin (BTC) has clawed its way back to year-to-date breakeven—a sharp contrast to the S&P 500, which remains nearly 10% underwater. This divergence caught the attention of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Mike McGlone, who described Bitcoin’s resilience as an “accomplishment,” especially amid widespread losses across traditional financial markets.But that strength may be short-lived.McGlone cautions that if the U.S. economy enters a recession, Bitcoin’s momentum could unravel quickly. Referencing the cataclysmic market collapses of 1929, Japan’s 1989 real estate bubble, and the 2000 dot-com crash, he warns that cryptocurrencies may suffer a similar fate—due in part to over-speculation and an oversupply of digital tokens. In such a scenario, he estimates a potential 30% plunge in traditional equities, with crypto markets likely to mirror that downturn.While macro concerns mount, Crypto Capo, a well-known crypto analyst with over 122,000 Telegram followers, presents a contrasting perspective—at least in the short term.In a recent post, Capo forecasted that Bitcoin could surge to $98,000 before entering a sharp correction. As long as BTC holds above $88,000, with a stronger base at $90,000, he believes the flagship cryptocurrency remains in an uptrend.“Shorting here makes no sense at all,” Capo writes. “I'll be looking at the $94,000–$95,000 zone for potential shorts, but for now, the smart move is staying net long.”Capo’s crypto market analysis also includes Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL). He expects ETH to rally 30% before correcting, and SOL to gain 33%. In a broader outlook, select altcoins could see gains ranging from 30% to 100%, depending on the coin.Current Crypto Prices    ● Bitcoin (BTC) – $93,376 (+0.2%)    ● Ethereum (ETH) – $1,759 (−1.8%)    ● Solana (SOL) – $150 (flat)As investors weigh the risk of recession against technical price targets, the crypto market stands at a pivotal juncture. The clash between bearish macroeconomic signals and bullish technical indicators sets the stage for heightened volatility. For now, all eyes remain on Bitcoin’s $98K threshold—a potential turning point that could either validate this rally or trigger the next major correction in digital assets.