Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Bank Indonesia predicted the countrys economy would grow 4.9 percent in the third quarter of this year - a better performance than in the previous quarter.

"Our prediction is that the economic growth rate is higher in the third quarter," Executive Director of the Central Bank Juda Agung said here on Friday.

Juda said the stronger growth in the third quarter was indicated by a number of data such as 14 percent increase in cement sales and significant increase in the imports of capital goods.

"Imports of steel rose 60 percent indicating that the government spending is on the increase," Juda said.

He said he is confident that the economic performance will continue to improve in the rest of the year, adding the growth could grow higher than 5 percent in the last quarter of the year.

"The economy is rebounding and this woulod have good impact on rupiah," he added.

In the previous two 1uarters , the countrys economy was hit hit by slump with growth of 4.72 percent in the first and 4.67 percent in the second quarter.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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