After a tumultuous and volatile start to 2016, Asia's market calmed down and then took a back seat on the international stage, which became fixated on the Brexit vote and then President-elect Donald Trump's run to the White House.
Here is Bloomberg's look at how Asia's largest economies performed in 2016, in order of the size of their economy.
1. China
- Currency: The Chinese renminbi fell 6.63 percent.
- Growth: GDP rose 6.7 percent.
- Notable highlight: China hosted G-20 members and positioned the country as an advocate for free trade.
- 2017's biggest challenge: Ensure the country's economic recovery amid tough trade rhetoric from Trump's administration.
2. Japan
- Currency: The Japanese yen gained 2.25 percent.
- Growth: GDP fell 0.9 percent.
- Notable highlight: Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the first prime minister to visit Pearl Harbor in decades and worked to make progress in territorial disputes with Russia.
- 2017's biggest challenge: Convincing Trump of the importance of U.S. - Japan relationship.
3. India
- Currency: The Indian rupee lost 3.06 percent.
- Growth: GDP rose 7.3 percent.
- Notable highlight: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to implement his vision of an India free of corruption and lower trade barriers.
- 2017's biggest challenge: Boosting the economy amid a new national goods-and-services tax.
4. South Korea
- Currency: The South Korean won lost 2.87 percent.
- Growth: GDP rose 2.6 percent.
- Notable highlight: South Korea's President Park Geun-hye was impeached on December 9.
- 2017's biggest challenge: Navigating Asia's fourth largest economy in an election year.
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