Business Standard

S&P lowers India's growth forecast to 5.2% for 2020 amid Covid-19 pandemic

The agency had earlier projected a growth rate of 5.7 per cent during the 2020 calendar

slowdown, economy, India, growth, downfall, loss

Photo: Shutterstock

Press Trust of India New Delhi

S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday lowered India's economic growth forecast to 5.2 per cent for 2020, saying the global economy is entering a recession amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The agency had earlier projected a growth rate of 5.7 per cent during the 2020 calendar.

Asia-Pacific economic growth in 2020 will be more than halve to less than 3 per cent as the "global economy enters a recession", S&P said in a statement.

An enormous first-quarter shock in China, shutdowns across the US and Europe, and local virus transmission guarantees a deep recession across Asia-Pacific, said Shaun Roache, chief Asia-Pacific economist at S&P Global Ratings.

 

"We lower our forecasts for China, India, and Japan for 2020 to 2.9 per cent, 5.2 per cent and -1.2 per cent (from 4.8 per cent, 5.7 per cent, and -0.4 per cent previously)," S&P said.

On Tuesday, Moody's Investors Service had lowered India's economic growth forecast for 2020 to 5.3 per cent (from 5.4 per cent), in the wake of the coronavirus impact on the economy.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Mar 18 2020 | 7:42 AM IST

Explore News