IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Real quarterly GDP increases by 4,5 percent in the second quarter of 2007 following an increase of 4,7 percent in the first quarter of 2007.

The seasonally adjusted real GDP at market prices for the second quarter of 2007, compared with the first quarter of 2007, increased by an annualised rate of 4,5 percent. The corresponding increases for the respective quarters of 2006 were 5,0 percent, 5,5 percent , 4,5 percent and 5,6 percent , yielding an annual growth rate of 5,0 percent in real GDP at market prices.

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

The seasonally adjusted real annualised value added by the non-agricultural industries (excluding the impact of the volatile agriculture industry) for the second quarter of 2007 increased by 4,4 percent. The corresponding growth rates for the primary, secondary and tertiary industries of the economy are increases of 2,6 percent, 2,7 percent and 5,4 percent, respectively.

The unadjusted real GDP at market prices for the second quarter of 2007 increased by 5,0 percent compared with the second quarter of 2006. The corresponding increase for the respective quarters of 2006 were 4,6 percent, 4,4 percent , 4,7 percent and 6,2 percent. The estimate of GDP for the first six months of 2007 compared with the corresponding period in 2006, is 5,2 percent.