Slovakia's Q2 GDP grows 9.4 pct, revised up from 9.2 pct

Sep 4, 2007 - Slovakia recorded GDP growth of 9.4 pct for the second quarter of this year, the Statistics Office of the Slovak Republic said, revising upwards its earlier estimate of 9.2 pct.

In the same period last year, GDP growth reached 6.7 pct.

For the first half of 2007, growth stood at 9.2 pct, against 6.7 pct for the first six months of 2006, the Statistics Office added.

Real GDP growth is expected to come to 8.8 pct for the full year. This information comes from the latest prognosis of macroeconomic development. The Statistics Office has not changed its estimates of GDP formation in absolute terms either, which should reach 1,830.1 bln Slovak koruna by the end of this year.

The Statistics Office is positive about inflation developments, reducing its previous estimate on average inflation for the whole of 2007 by 0.2 percentage points to 2.5 pct.

On the other hand, unemployment should slightly worsen, it said.

The jobless rate should reach 10.8 pct, 0.2 percentage points above the office's previous estimate three months ago.

(SKK 1 = EUR 0.0296)