1998 economic predictions released

The Slovak Statistical Office (ŠÚSR) released on March 20 its predictions for the Slovak economy's development in the first half of 1998. The gross domestic product should grow at an annual rate of 5.9 percent, a slight drop against 6.0 percent in the first half of 1996. The ŠÚSR also said year-on-year consumer inflation would be 7.2 percent at the end of June 1998, a significant increase over the 6.2 percent rate recorded in June 1997. Nominal wage growth was forecast at 10.8 percent and industrial output was seen growing at a real rate of 3.7 percent in the first half of the year.