金融英语阅读：EU raises economic growth forecast for 2011

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　　BRUSSELS, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission Tuesday raised its economic growth forecast slightly for the eurozone and the EU in 2011, but warned inflation would also exceed the previous forecast last November.
4 ~$ T! S. T$ |6 J( w( c. r　　According to the latest interim economic forecast, the eurozone economy will grow 1.6 percent and the European Union economy 1.8 percent in 2011, both 0.1 percentage point higher than estimated in the autumn forecast.
　　Due to the surge in energy and commodity prices, inflation was revised up to 2.2 percent in the eurozone, from the previous 1.8 percent. For most of 2011, the index will stay above the "close but below 2 percent" target preferred by the European Central Bank to maintain price stability.
　　For the EU, the inflation rate will average 2.5 percent in 2011.
& q9 z6 C* y0 G, c% O5 M2 C0 b# T　　"Nevertheless, the remaining economic slack, subdued wage growth and overall well-anchored inflation expectations should keep underlying inflationary pressures in check, with inflation expected to end the year at close to 2 percent in both regions," the European Commission said in its report.
! @! W' ?% a& X* F$ v　　The interim economic forecast was based on data from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Britain, which together represent 79 percent of EU and almost 83 percent of euro area gross domestic product.