WB slashes China growth forecast over COVID damage

Agencies The World Bank has sharply slashed its annual growth forecast for China, warning in a report Wednesday that COVID disruptions could further slow recovery in the world's second-largest economy. China is the last major economy wedded to a zero-COVID policy, using rapid lockdowns, mass testing and strict movement restrictions to eliminate outbreaks — but it has tangled supply chains and dragged economic indicators to their lowest levels in around two years. Growth in China is projected to slow to 4.3 percent in 2022, the World Bank said in a report on Wednesday, marking a steep 0.8 percentage-point drop from…