China GDP growth seen at 5.0 in 2022, 5.2 in 2023
Inflation seen at 2.2 in 2022, 2.3 in 2023
C.bank seen cutting RRR by 50 bps in Q2 2022
C.bank seen cutting LPR by 10 bps in Q2 2022

BEIJING, April 14 Reuters China39;s economic growth is likely to slow to 5.0 in 2022 amid renewed COVID19 outbreaks and a weakening global recovery, a Reuters poll showed, raising pressure on the central bank to ease policy further.

The forecast growth for 2022 would be lower than the 5.2 analysts tipped in a Reuters poll in January, suggesting the government faces an uphill battle in hitting this year39;s target of around 5.5. Growth is then forecast to pick up to 5.2 in 2023.

Gross domestic product GDP likely grew 4.4 in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to the median forecasts of 41 economists polled by Reuters, outpacing the fourthquarter39;s 4.0 due to a solid start in the first two months.

Analysts believe March activity could take a blow from China39;s efforts to contain its biggest COVID outbreak since the coronavirus was first discovered in the city of Wuhan in late 2019.

March activity data is likely to have seen a notable deterioration, but that would just be the tip of the iceberg as the economically damaging lockdowns only started in midMarch, analysts at Societe Generale said in a note.

However, real GDP growth might avoid falling below 4, thanks to the infrastructure push, the reporting methods and the surprisingly strong data seen in January and…