RI`s economy grows 5.8 pct in first semester: minister

Antara News, Friday, July 9, 2010 02:06 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo said the domestic economy grew 5.8 percent in the first half of this year.

"Our economic growth in the first semester is 5.8 percent," he said after attending a plenary cabinet meeting at the presidential office here on Thursday.

He predicted the economy would expand 6 percent in the second semester of 2010.

"Judging by the first-semester growth we predict the full-year economic growth will reach 5.9 percent. But it is not yet final. It can reach 6 percent in the second semester," he said.

He said positive signals of high growth in the second semester had been there.

Asked if the IMF`s upward forecast of global economic growth rate to 4.6 percent from 4.2 percent previously would have a positive impact on the national economy, he said he had no idea about that.

Bank Indonesia, the central bank, said the national economy may grow by 6 percent this year thanks to the positive global and domestic economic developments in the second half of 2010.

The central bank also has predicted the national economy to expand by a range of 6-6.5 percent in 2011.