Britain trims growth outlook

London - Britain slightly lowered its official growth forecast for 2015 on Wednesday as finance minister George Osborne gave his annual budget statement.

Growth for 2015 was forecast to be 2.4 percent, down from a forecast of 2.5 percent made in March, Osborne told parliament.

“That is faster than America, faster than Germany and twice as fast as France,” he said.

Growth in 2016 was expected to be 2.3 percent, unchanged from the March forecast made by Britain's Office for Budget Responsibility.

For the rest of the decade, growth would be 2.4 percent a year, Osborne said.

The Bank of England has previously predicted Britain's economy will grow by 2.5 percent this year and by 2.6 percent in 2016.

Reuters

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