shipped in beijing is set to release the first set of indicators of china's post covert economy. we have analysis. plus political tensions rise again in the us as republicans criticise president biden over the us debt ceiling. hello and welcome to asia business report, i'm a one. hello and welcome to asia business report, i'm karishma vaswani. markets in asia are awaiting in anticipation for economic data out of china today because in just under two hours beijing will release its quarterly gdp

figures amongst a host of other key data. the quarterly figures will be the first since beijing scrapped its zero covid restrictions late last year. the chief economist at hang seng bank china told us she is expecting to see an economic rebound that could fade in subsequent quarters. in terms of gdp growth for the first quarter it is very likely to exceed expectations because the trade data was just exceptional, so now we are anticipating a growth rate of about 4.5% and in terms of infrastructure, housing, consumption, all those figures will improve significantly in the first quarter as well. there might be some downside risks but it will mostly show up in the coming months. in the first quarter data probably is just right spots. it's the first set of numbers we are getting in the post— pandemic restriction error. we are really going to get a sense of how china has recovered but can it sustain that economic growth going forward? there is certainly some discrepancy between the macro figures

and the perceptions of the general public. maybe there is a delay in a spillover between actual economic expansion and income growth but what is more likely to happen in the coming months is that people might get over the initial high after the reopening and the manufacturing demands might decline, which can also sustain a boom in export because the global economy is slowing down rather than speeding up and for the domestic consumption, it is certainly taking up but a more worrying sign is that income growth in the first tier and second—tier cities have slowed down so significantly that people might constrain their consumption even further. so i would say we are off to a great start, every month is performing better than the previous month at the headwind is still strong.

is there anything the government can do to boost consumption?— government can do to boost consumption? yes, they are deafinu consumption? yes, they are dealing with _ consumption? yes, they are dealing with it _ consumption? yes, they are dealing with it in _ consumption? yes, they are dealing with it in various - consumption? yes, they are l dealing with it in various ways stop there are some targeted programmes for the low income families. but still, it's not in terms of direct cash transfer. in terms of some sort of subsidies through their workplace. and this might help or a certain workplace. and this might help ora certain group workplace. and this might help or a certain group of people but the general consumption to pick up, we do need the income growth to go back to the pre— pandemic level. people are worried aboutjob security and for a lot of the businesses in construction and manufacturing, their businesses are under strong pressure to contract further because the housing market, although it is sticking up, it is still farfrom being back to normal.

meanwhile, shares in google's parent company alphabet have ended the session lower following reports that the smart phone maker samsung is considering switching the default search engine to being. —— to bing, owned by microsoft. we can get more business reporter katie silver who standing abide. good to have you in the programme. this is not great news for google. figs not great news for google. as ou not great news for google. sis you mentioned, not great news for google. is you mentioned, alphabet shares were down at i.4%, finishing down about 2.5%. it lost about $50 billion in its market valuation in the day's trade. by valuation in the day's trade. by comparison, rival microsoft was up about i% all of the back of a report in the new york times suggesting samsung is considering switching what it uses as its default search engine from google to bing and

it says this is creating panic in the offices of google because it makes billions of dollars for being the default search engines for things like apple and sunk some phones, it spends $23 billion for the privilege and makes many more on top of that. this may be one of the biggest disrupting influences in the search engine space. google has been the dominant player when it comes to search for decades, it accounts for about 80% of the search engine market, makes about $160 billion and one of its smaller rivals has been bing which for a long time really hasn't made any waves but earlier this year we heard that microsoft was going to be ploughing billions of dollars into chat gpt, this chatbot, and that that was going to vastly improve the quality of bing. the question for google now is what are they going to do. in january, google very hastily released its own ai chat bot,

bard, which was an absolute flop, losing $100 million and the promotional video trying to show how effective bard was had errors in it because it was so hastily released. the question is doesn't have the time and money catch up, and expensive costly exercise, or has it perhaps missed the boat? katie silver, thank _ perhaps missed the boat? katie silver, thank you _ perhaps missed the boat? katie silver, thank you for _ perhaps missed the boat? katie silver, thank you for keeping us up—to—date on those local developments. i'm sure you will be watching over us. in the us political and economic tensions are growing again, this time with the us house of representatives kevin mccarthy criticising president biden for what he called reckless spending in a speech at the new york stock exchange. that debt limit of $31 trillion was reached earlier this year, prompting the introduction of special temporary measures to allow it to continue borrowing but these are due to expire injune. i spoke to libby cantrell, the head of public policy at pimco, and she explained the implications in the immediate term.

the implications of a debt ceiling breach would be catastrophic. we have never seen that though, before, so it is a bit anyone's guess. the federal reserve and some other macro policy folks have sort of estimated what the impact would be including potential large drawdown of the s&p 500, a 30% drawdown according to the federal reserve in a study that they did in 2013 and of course an increase in interest rates but this is all hypothetical. we have not actually seen a breach of the debt ceiling. i think really importantly, we don't think we will see a breach of the debt ceiling. there is no political incentive to actually take the debt ceiling over the deadline and we think that there will be a resolution, albeit probably not until the 11th hour like we have seen with.

effo rts efforts in rajasthan and india to make healthcare right highlights the difficulties of healthcare reform in the country. state legislators passed a law requiring all hospitals to provide emergency treatment to everyone that manages stiff opposition from private doctors, forcing the local government to backtrack halfway. selena is suffering from fruit cancer. it is a cruel disease, even more so if you are for. he has been forced to sleep outside this hospital for the last one to two days. we can't afford a bed. we love --we we can't afford a bed. we love "we live _ we can't afford a bed. we love "we live 300 _ we can't afford a bed. we love --we live 300 kilometres - we can't afford a bed. we love. --we live 300 kilometres away. ——we live 300 kilometres away. there is no hospitalfor this treatment there so we had to come here. we had no choice but to stand the pavement because we can't afford $22 for the bed. ~ ., we can't afford $22 for the bed. ~ . , ., , we can't afford $22 for the bed. ~ ., , ., , , bed. what you see here is re bed. what you see here is pretty much _ bed. what you see here is pretty much what - bed. what you see here is pretty much what you - bed. what you see here is pretty much what you see| pretty much what you see in most public hospitals in india. big crowds and long lines of people waiting to be served. these hospitals get far many

more patients than they have the capacity to handle. but in a first, the state of rajasthan passed a right to health law last month making healthcare a legal entitlement and forcing all hospitals, state funded or private, to provide free emergency care to anyone who walked through the doors. doctors at private hospitals went on strike, arguing the legislation wasn't clear on how it will reimburse private hospitals for treating poor patients. hospitals for treating poor atients. , , , , , patients. the responsibility is not on this — patients. the responsibility is not on this noble _ patients. the responsibility is not on this noble profession, | not on this noble profession, the responsibility goes to the head physician, the responsibility goes to the politician.— responsibility goes to the olitician. . ., �*, ,, ., politician. ra'asthan's state government — politician. rajasthan's state government eventually - politician. rajasthan's state i government eventually agreed politician. rajasthan's state - government eventually agreed to exclude most private medical facilities from this requirement. india's public health infrastructure suffers from chronic underinvestment. the ratio of doctors to patients is far below who prescribed standards and

out—of—pocket spending on healthcare remains very high. according to the world health organization, medical bills push 55 million indians into poverty every year. experts say the government cannot depend on private institutions to plug these gaps. private institutions to plug these gem-— private institutions to plug these gaps-— private institutions to plug these as. ., ., these gaps. the right to health should be the _ these gaps. the right to health should be the guiding - these gaps. the right to health should be the guiding principle j should be the guiding principle for the state to provide the bulk of the care. i would argue that 3% of the gdp in provision for healthcare without which is not even a pipe dream.- not even a pipe dream. india s-ends not even a pipe dream. india spends a _ not even a pipe dream. india spends a fraction _ not even a pipe dream. india spends a fraction of - not even a pipe dream. india spends a fraction of that - spends a fraction of that currently. legislation alone will not help. unless it's hand—in—hand with more public spending to make healthcare accessible to millions in the world's most populous country. apple has announced the launch of a savings account that platt pays 4.15% annually but it's

only available to us residents. that is it from us, thanks watching. do stay with bbc news and i will see tomorrow. ian ward has turned his living room into a slot car race track. �* ., ., ' :: room into a slot car race track. �* ., ., ':: , track. i've got over 105 cars now, 14 — track. i've got over 105 cars new. 14 box _ track. i've got over 105 cars now, 14 box sets _ track. i've got over 105 cars now, 14 box sets upstairs i track. i've got over 105 cars| now, 14 box sets upstairs in track. i've got over 105 cars - now, 14 box sets upstairs in my bedroom and probably another 26. it takes my mind off things, it's brilliant. he rediscovered _ things, it's brilliant. he rediscovered his - things, it's brilliant. he rediscovered his childhood hobby a year ago and says it's really helped with his autism and mental health. the

scalectrix _ and mental health. the scalectrix gives - and mental health. the scalectrix gives me - and mental health. the scalectrix gives me the | and mental health. tie: scalectrix gives me the option to be flexible, if i don't like this track, i can change the track. my brain accepts that because it is something completely different. he has also taken — completely different. he has also taken is _ completely different. he has also taken is tracked - completely different. he has also taken is tracked out - completely different. he has also taken is tracked out on | also taken is tracked out on the road, hosting monthly meats in this local community centre. it's a great group, this is. we bring together like—minded people, who like racing cars and it's a great two hours on a sunday evening. mi; and it's a great two hours on a sunday evening.— sunday evening. my first time down here _ sunday evening. my first time down here tonight, _ sunday evening. my first time down here tonight, this - sunday evening. my first time down here tonight, this is - sunday evening. my first time down here tonight, this is a i down here tonight, this is a big club start. little small things like a track on a floor, built into a big club and i wish ian the best of luck. hi there. i'm ellis with the catch up. the uk prime minister rishi sunak says he wants all school pupils in england to study some maths until 18, although it won't be compulsory

to take the subject at a level. although it won't be compulsory to take the subject at a level. he says an anti—maths mindset is holding back the economy. we're going to change the way our system works so that everyone in our country will study some form of maths all the way to 18. at least four people between ages of 17 and 23 were killed at a teenager's birthday party in alabama at the weekend. a young american football star has been named as one of the terms. of the victims. some other stories now. researchers have found air pollution causes harm to people at all stages that life. count and stunt children's growth.

brecon beacons national park has announced that it will use its welsh language name only in the future. time now to leave you with 10 seconds of shark. this man was having a nice relax outside his home in north carolina in the united states when a black bear came a bit too close for comfort. you are all caught up now, have a good night. goodbye.

hello, from the bbc sport centre. coming up on this programme: drama at the crucible with play suspended as a protestor interupts the world snooker championship. another heavy defeat for leeds who remain two points above the relegation zone as liverpool put six past them at elland road. and royal challengers bangalore fall short of the highest run—chase in indian premier league history as they're beaten by chennai super kings. hello and thanks forjoining us, here's your latest sports news. play at the world snooker championship was suspended after a protester climbed onto one of the tables and covered it in orange powder.

another protester tried to glue herself to a table.