December 30 (SeeNews) - Serbia's economy is expected to contract by a real 2.9% this year after growing by a real 5.5% in 2008, the country's statistics office said on Wednesday.
The estimates are based on preliminary figures showing growth in the transport, warehousing and communications sector, as well as in the financial and agriculture sectors, while other sectors have been recording falls, the statistics office said on its website.
Earlier on Wednesday, it said Serbia's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by a real 2.3% on the year in the third quarter and shrank by a real 3.5% in the first nine months of 2009, compared to the same period last year.
GDP contracted by revised 4.2% year-on-year in the second quarter, equal to the 4.2% real drop recorded in the first quarter.
Serbia's central bank said on Tuesday it expects GDP to grow by 1.5% next year.