France trims 2019 growth forecast

PARIS, Aug 26 (AFP): The French government has revised its growth forecast for 2019 downwards to 1.7 per cent from 1.9 per cent, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told the Journal du Dimanche.

"The growth forecast on which we will build this (2019) budget will be 1.7 per cent," he told the weekly in an interview, while promising to maintain "the pace".

"When we came up with last year's budget, we projected 1.7 per cent for 2018 and 2019," he said.

"We were criticised because we were too cautious, and today we're back to that number. Predictions are important, but what matters is the policy that is being pursued, and we are staying the course and keeping up the pace," the prime minister added.

On August 1, Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin also trimmed the growth forecast for 2018 from 2.0 per cent, estimating that it would be "not less than 1.8 per cent".