Kuwait GDP to grow in 2010

Kuwait's real GDP is expected to grow this year after dropping 4.6 per cent in 2009, the central bank governor said in remarks published on Tuesday.

Sheikh Salem Abdul-Aziz al-Sabah told the newspaper an-Nahar that real GDP for 2009 was estimated to be KD18.8 billion ($64.83 billion), compared to KD19.7 billion in 2008.

He said real GDP for the oil sector was expected to grow by 1 per cent in 2010, and the non-oil sectors by around 2.5 per cent.

The governor did not provide figures or an overall percentage for this year.

Real oil sector GDP for 2009 was forecast to drop 11.4 per cent to KD7.1 billion, and real non-oil sectors were forecast to record "no significant growth" at KD11.7 billion, he said.

Demand for oil dropped in 2009 because of the slowdown in the world economy after the economic crisis. Oil is the mainstay of Kuwait's economy.

Inflation rate in the Gulf Arab state was expected to stay at "relatively stable levels" of 4 per cent for 2009, Sheikh Salem told the daily.

Kuwait's central bank surprised the markets in February, cutting its key interest rates by 25 to 50 basis points to support growth, expecting inflation to stay low. The Gulf state's discount rate is currently at 2.5 per cent. 
 

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