November 15 (SeeNews) - The Croatian central bank, HNB, said it is estimating that the country's economic growth has quickened in the third quarter of the current year.
"According to the available monthly indicators, the growth of the real GDP speeded up in the third quarter of 2019," HNB said in a statement on Thursday without quoting figures.
According to latest data of the statistical office, Croatia's GDP growth slowed to a real 2.4% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2019, from 3.9% in the preceding quarter.
The office is expected to release its first estimate on the third-quarter GDP performance on November 29.
HNB also said that in the third quarter of 2019 unemployment in the country resumed its decline after stagnating in the second quarter, while employment growth slowed down.
In addition, the rise in nominal gross salaries slightly accelerated in the July-September period with both public and private sector wages recording growth.
The annual inflation rate remained at 0.8% in September and in August, while financing costs continued to drop, HNB said.
In October, the central bank slightly lowered its 2019 forecast for Croatia's economic growth to 3.0% from the previously anticipated 3.1%, on expectations for stronger domestic consumption and weakening foreign demand.
The revision is in line with the latest estimates of the World Bank, which also in October lifted its 2019 economic growth forecast for Croatia to 2.9% from the previously anticipated 2.5%, on the back of stronger domestic demand.
The International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development anticipate 3.0% GDP growth in Croatia this year, the European Commission's estimate is set at 2019.