IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

The seasonally adjusted real GDP at market prices for the first quarter of 2007 increased by an annualised rate of 4,7 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2006. The corresponding real annualised economic growth rates for the four quarters of 2006 were 5,0 percent, 5,5 percent, 4,5 percent and 5,6 percent respectively.

The main contributors to the increase in economic activity for the first quarter of 2007 were the finance, real estate and business services industry (1,1 of a percentage point); manufacturing industry (0,8 of a percentage point); the wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants industry and the construction industry (each industry contributing 0,7 of a percentage point); the transport and communication industry (0,6 of a percentage point) and general government sector ( 0,5 of a percentage point).

The seasonally adjusted real value added by non-agricultural industries (excluding the impact of the volatile agriculture industry) for the first quarter of 2007 increased by 4,6 percent.

The unadjusted real GDP at market prices for the first quarter of 2007 increased by 5,4 percent compared with the first quarter of 2006. The corresponding increase for the respective quarters of 2006 were 4,6 percent, 4,4 percent (revised from 4,5 percent), 4,7 and 6,2 percent( revised from 6,1 percent) yielding an annual growth rate of 5,0 percent in real GDP at market prices.