The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) released its 19th edition of the APO Productivity Databook on October 7, 2026, highlighting economic growth and productivity across Asia from 1970 to 2024, with projections extending to 2035. This edition includes data from 38 Asian economies, comprising 21 APO member economies and 17 non-member economies, collectively known as Asia38.

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According to the Databook, average annual growth in per-hour labor productivity for APO member economies decreased from 2.9% during 2015–2019 to 2.5% between 2019 and 2024. Over the same periods, average annual total factor productivity (TFP) growth remained stable at 1.0%. The report delves into productivity changes, industrial structures, and demand composition among the APO member economies.

The current edition features detailed productivity accounts for APO member countries along with seven non-member economies: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Brunei, the People’s Republic of China, the Maldives, Myanmar, and Saudi Arabia. Notably, Saudi Arabia is included for the first time in the full accounts, while several Central Asian countries have been added to the labor productivity indicators.

The databook utilizes revisions to national accounts data and related statistics available up to May 2026. It incorporates quality-adjusted labor input estimates and stock estimates of land and energy resources, enhancing the information available for policymakers and researchers.

Key findings from the APO Productivity Databook 2026 include:

- Asia38’s GDP reached approximately USD 40.3 trillion in 2024, 37% larger than that of the United States, with an average real GDP growth of 3.8% per year from 2019–2024.

- Significant contributions to this growth came from China (1.8 percentage points) and India (0.8 percentage points).

- The per-hour labor productivity in the Asia28 cohort grew by 3.7% annually between 2019 and 2024, with China leading at 5.8%, followed by Vietnam at 4.5%, India at 4.4%, and Bangladesh at 3.9%.

- Capital input was pivotal for economic growth in Asia28, responsible for 57% of growth from 2000 to 2024, while TFP contributed 28%.

- Preliminary estimates indicated that Asia38 accounted for 50% of global final energy consumption and 60% of global CO2 emissions from fuel combustion in 2024.

- The publication also marks the first inclusion of Saudi Arabia in the full productivity accounts, expanding the coverage to 28 economies.