LONDON (AFX) - The International Monetary Fund predicted the UK economy will grow by 2.1 pct this year rather than the 2.6 pct rise in gross domestic product that it forecast in April, according to the Financial Times. The IMF lowered its forecast because of the weakness of manufacturing industry and the slowdown in export growth, the FT reported, citing a draft version of the organisation's world economic outlook. The UK government is forecasting 2001 GDP will rise by 2.25-2.75 pct.