Reuters, June 30, 2008
Serbia's GDP grows 8.2 pct in Q1 2008 -Stats office
BELGRADE, June 30 (Reuters) - Serbia's economic growth remained strong in January-March at 8.2 percent, keeping the same pace of growth posted in the first quarter of 2007, the Statistics Office said on Monday.
The expansion, led by transport, financial mediation and trade, was above analysts' and official expectations for 7.1 percent growth and follows a year of overall economic growth of 7.5 percent. The government has planned for the economy to grow 6 percent through 2008.
The transportation industry posted the strongest growth of 20.9 percent, followed by a 18.3 percent expansion in the financial mediation sector and a 11.8 percent increase in trade, the statistics office said.
Despite a period of limbo in the first months of the year due to presidential and parliamentary elections and a slowdown in foreign direct investment -- seen as vital to finance the current account deficit and bolster growth -- the performance in January-March was the second strongest in the past three years.
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