Middle-class wilt: what’s happened to Asia’s middle-earners?

For decades, western companies looked to Asia for growth. They saw an opportunity to establish their brands with a rapidly-expanding middle class. But now, in many parts of Asia, the growth of that aspirational class is slowing. So, what happened to Asia’s middle classes? Hosts: Mike Bird and Alice Fulwood. Guests: The Economist’s Ethan Wu; Wolfgang Fengler, CEO of research firm World Data Lab; and Ibrahim “Ben” Suffian of the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.