PRAGUE, Dec 9 (Reuters) - The Czech economy expanded by 1.0 percent in the third quarter from the previous three-month period, just below a preliminary estimate of 1.1 percent, the statistics bureau said on Thursday.
On annual basis, the economy rose by a real 2.8 percent between July and September, a touch below a preliminary estimate of 3.0 percent released on Nov. 12.
In other data, consumer prices rose 0.2 percent in November from October, putting the annual inflation rate at 2.0 percent. The annual growth was driven by an increase in manufacturing, market services and trade, the stats office said.
The Czech year-on-year growth was worse than the growth in neighbouring Slovakia, which posted a 3.8 percent year-on-year rise in July-September and Poland's 4.2 percent year-on-year growth. It was better than 1.7 percent growth in Hungary. [
]**************************************************************** KEY POINTS (See details below comments): CZECH Q3 GDP (pct) Q/Q YR/YR Real change 1.0 (1.1) 2.8 (3.0) CONSUMER INFLATION Nov Oct Nov forecast pct change month/month 0.2 -0.2 0.1 pct change year/year 2.0 2.0 1.9
COMMENTS:
PAVEL SOBISEK, CHIEF ECONOMIST, UNICREDIT PRAGUE:
"The drop versus the flash estimate was small and corresponds to our expectations after yesterday's (quarterly) current account data. The only reason of the revision was probably the change in the balance of services and nothing more significant happened."
"The structure of growth did not change much from the pervious period. Domestic demand (was solid). There is a decline in the contribution of foreign trade to GDP growth or the contribution could possibly be negative."
CENTRAL BANK FORECAST: The central bank had forecast third-quarter GDP growth of 2.7 percent in its most recent projection in November. In its quarterly forecast, it also saw November annual inflation at 2.1 percent, while analysts in a Reuters poll saw it at 1.9 percent.
The bank cut interest rates to a record low of 0.75 percent on May 6. Details of Q3 GDP data..........................[
] Details of November inflation data..............[ ] DETAILS: GROSS DOMESTC PRODUCT: - On the supply side in the year-on-year comparison, gross added value grew by 3.7 percent mainly thanks to a 10.7 percent rise in manufacturing, a 7.0 percent rise in market services and a 5.3 percent rise in trade. - Manufacturing was driven by the automotive industry, machinery and production of electrical and optical devices. - In the quarter-on-quarter comparison, gross added value rose by 1.5 percent, including a 6.6 percent rise in trade and a 4.5 percent rise in manufacturing. - On the supply side, capital formation and a rise in inventories were key. - Final consumption expenditures rose by 0.7 percent year on year and contributed to GDP growth by 0.5 percentage points. - Gross capital formation rose by 14.4 percent and contributed 3.1 percentage points to GDP growth. - The foreign trade balance fell by 22.9 billion crowns from the same period last year due to worsening in terms of trade. INFLATION: - Monthly consumer price growth was mainly due to a rise in food prices and the prices of non-alcoholic beverages. - Prices of vegetables rose by and a 4.8 percent and prices of fruits were up 4.8 percent. BACKGROUND: - Market expectations before release [ ] - Slovak Q3 GDP..................................[ ] - Poland's Q3 GDP................................[ ] - Hungary's Q3 GDP...............................[ ] - Report on last Czech c.bank rate decision......[ ][
] [ ] [ ] LINKS: - For further details on third quarter GDP and May other past inflation data, Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the Czech Statistical Bureau's website:http://www.czso.cz/eng/csu.nsf/kalendar/2004-hdp - For LIVE Czech economic data releases, click on <ECONCZ> - Instant Views on other Czech data [
] - Overview of Czech macroeconomic indicators [ ] - Key data releases in central Europe [ ] - For Czech money markets data click on <CZKVIEW> - Czech money guide <CZK/1> - Czech benchmark state bond prices <0#CZBMK=> - Czech forward money market rates <CZKFRA> (Reporting by Jana Mlcochova; editing by Michael Winfrey)