asbe/iStock via Getty Images The World Bank upgraded its 2026 growth forecast for the East Asia and Pacific region to 4.5%, a 0.3 percentage point increase from its prior estimate, attributing the revision to surging global demand for AI-related hardware. According to its _East Asia and Pacific Economic Update_ published [https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstreams/ef37116c-4a2a-437b-a342-e84817e7b9dc/download] on October 6, 2026, the expansion is heavily fueled by regional economies producing semiconductors, data center components, and high-tech electronics. The regional update, covering 23 economies including China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, projects overall regional growth to moderate to 4.4% in 2027–2028.
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