--Germany 2001 GDP Seen at 1.2% vs 1.9%; 2.1% vs. 2.6% in 2002
--Unemployment Expected at 8.0% in 2001; 8.2% in 2002
WASHINGTON (MktNews) - The International Monetary Fund plans to lower its growth forecasts for Germany for this year and next in its World Economic Outlook, to be published in late September, the Financial Times Deutschland reported Thursday.
Gross domestic product growth in 2001 is expected to be revised down to 1.2% from the previous estimate of 1.9%, the newspaper reported. The IMF's GDP estimate for 2002 is expected to be lowered to 2.1% from 2.6%, the Financial Times said.
According to the report, the IMF also expects German unemployment to reach 8.0% this year and 8.2% next year.
Earlier this week, the Italian news agency ANSA, citing IMF sources, reported that the WEO foresees global growth in 2001 slowing to 2.8% as compared to its April estimate of 3.2%.
The report expects U.S. growth of 1.5% in 2001 and 2.5% in 2002, unchanged from its previous forecast, ANSA said, while the eurozone could expect growth of 2.0% in 2001 and 2.4% in 2002, both estimates 0.4 percentage points lower than the IMF's previous figures.
The Financial Times noted that individual country and regional estimates could still be revised by the IMF by the end of September.