MOIT VIETNAM | 2023 is expected to see a big shift in Laos' inflation rate

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2023 is expected to see a big shift in Laos' inflation rate

14th September 2022 post by MOIT Vietnam

It is anticipated that there will be a shift in the yearly percentage rate of inflation in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (also known as the Lao PDR). This forecast is derived on the most recent forecasts of the economy.


The rise in prices of both energy and food is having a direct impact on the rate of inflation that is being experienced in countries located around Asia and the Pacific, and this trend is expected to continue. The war that is now going on between Russia and Ukraine is the primary element playing a role in the development of this crisis. Although prices for gasoline, gas, and food have all declined from their high peaks earlier in the year, total expenditures are still higher than they were before the conflict. This is because the expense of the war has increased demand for goods and services across the board. This is because inflation has led to price increases across the board, affecting a wide variety of different products and services.

In addition, the bank forecasts that the expansion of Laos's economy will reach approximately 2.5% in 2022, which is a decrease from the increase of 3.4% that it forecasted in its evaluation that was carried out in April 2022. This prediction comes after the bank carried out an assessment in April 2022. According to the evaluation carried out by the bank in April 2022, it was anticipated that the rate of growth of Laos's GDP would reach 3.4%.

A negative drop in growth estimates led to the lender decreasing its prognosis for economic growth in Laos in 2023 from 3.7% to around 3.5%. This brought the lender's overall prediction for economic growth in Laos down. This was the result of revising growth predictions in a downward direction.

It is anticipated that inflationary pressures would persist in the short future, as stated by Sonomi Tanaka, Country Director for the Asian Development Bank in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. As a result of declining local currencies, central banks throughout the world will likely adopt more restrictive monetary policies, which would exacerbate the situation. [There must be other citations for this.

"It is important that coordinated efforts are made to address the effects of currency weakness on domestic inflation—especially for food and fuel items—as price volatility on these goods impacts the poor and vulnerable more disproportionally," he said. "Especially for food and fuel items," he added. "It is especially important that coordinated efforts be made to address the effects of currency weakness on domestic inflation." "Most notably with regard to food and gasoline," he went on to say. It is of the utmost importance that concerted efforts be made to mitigate the consequences that a weak currency has on inflation at home. After that, he went on to remark something along the lines of, "Most notably with relation to food and fuel." It is of the highest significance that concerted measures be made to offset the repercussions that a weak currency has on inflation at home. This is because inflation may have a significant impact on economic growth. Following that, he made a statement that was something along the lines of "most notably in respect to food and gasoline." It is of the utmost importance that concerted steps be taken in order to counterbalance the implications that a weak currency has on inflation at home.

Longstanding structural weaknesses generated these issues, which can only be fixed through medium- to long-term reforms. These repercussions are caused by the weakening of the currency. This is due to the fact that inflation may have a substantial effect on the expansion of the economy. In addition, the financial institution recommends that Laos create a market for government bonds that are denominated in the country's native currency as a means of quickening the pace of economic recovery and strengthening the nation's resistance to the unfavorable effects of potential future shocks.