Kopint-Tárki lowers 2008 GDP forecast

Economic think-tank Kopint-Tarki has lowered its forecast for Hungary's gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2008 from 2.5 percent to 2.2 percent.

It raised its inflation projection for
2008 from 5.2 percent to 6 percent. Domestic consumption will be
flat, in line with Kopint-Tarki's earlier expectations, and the
company expects investments to grow by 3 percent this year and 5
percent next year. Hungary's current account deficit is expected to
be 3.7 billion euros in 2008 and 3.5 billion euros, or 3.2 percent of
GDP, in 2009. Kopint-Tarki projected the ESA95-based public finance
deficit to come in at 4 percent of GDP in 2008 and 3.4 percent in
2009.