  Growth in Agro-processing has been supported in part by the last two maize bumper harvests, 2010 (2.8 million mt of maize) and (3.0 million mt of maize 2011).   Strong construction activities have stimulated strong demand for manufacture of construction materials particularly cement and cement-related products.   Total cement output by the country’s three manufacturing plants (Lafarge Zambia Plc, Oriental Quarries and Zambezi Portland Plc) rose by 37.9% to 1,126,728 mt in 2010 from 817,223.0 mt in 2009. Further, during the first half of 2011 cement output at 617,115.2 mt was 36.0% higher than the 453,791.0 mt produced in the corresponding half of 2010. C.  Multi-facility economic zones    Zambia’s goal catalyzing industrial and economic development through increased activity in the manufacturing sector has led the country to embark on the development of Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) in selected parts of the country. Among the MFEZs are: –  The Chambishi MFEZ (construction is advanced) being developed in partnership with the Chinese government with a commitment of over US $ billion;  –  Two Lusaka MFEZs (preparatory phases) and one industrial park. One of the Lusaka MFEZs, the Lusaka South, will be developed in cooperation with a Malaysian firm at an estimated cost of US $ billion;  BIS central bankers’ speeches  5  –   Solwezi (Lumwana) (preparatory phase). The MFEZs are expected to significantly contribute to employment creation in the country.
Manufacturing activity is slowing after a robust showing throughout 2021. The travel-related and domestic consumer-facing sectors are strong, as domestic mobility indicators have returned to pre-COVID levels. It is estimated that domestic economic output has reached close to its pre-pandemic trajectory (i.e., the present level of GDP envisaged in January 2020). Singapore’s GDP growth is likely to come in between 3 and 4% this year, which would bring the average pace of expansion over 2021-22 to around 5.5%. This outlook is strongly predicated on the prospects for Singapore’s three main final demand markets – China, ASEAN-5 and the US. [2] Growth will be led by the domestic-oriented and travel-related sectors, while the contribution of the trade-related sectors could retract from last year. Ongoing costs pass-through Core inflation rose to 3.8% y-o-y in Q2, reflecting both imported cost-push and broader demand-pull pressures. Core inflation is expected to remain elevated this quarter, as previous global cost shocks continue to transmit through the domestic economy. With domestic demand picking-up amid a tight labour market, consumer services inflation is likely to feature more prominently. Several results from the econometric work done by the Economic Policy Group in MAS are notable:  First, global food and energy shocks impact headline inflation within one quarter of the shock and continue to pass through to final prices for at least the next six months. Second, domestic cost increases as proxied by wages in the services sector pass through moderately to prices mainly within the following quarter.