ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: COMMISSION FORECASTS 2.9% GROWTH RATE.

These figures are not expected to be formally adopted until 25 April (after the 20 to 23 April informal Finance Council in Malm, Sweden). Commission services however, are already working on the basis of these figures to complete the spring economic forecasts. The downward revision (-0.3%) of the Euro zone forecasts is regarded as mild compared with the world-wide slowdown and the economic hard landing expected for the US.Likely to be revised in the coming weeks, the figures are in line with statements made by members of the Eurogroup (informal...