Italy cuts 2019 growth forecast to 0.2pc from 1.0pc

MILAN: Italy's populist government on Tuesday slashed its 2019 economic growth forecast to 0.2 percent from a prior estimate of 1.0 percent, highlighting a gloomy overall eurozone outlook.

The ruling coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and anti-immigrant League party has nonetheless pledged to respect "targets set by the European Commission," a statement issued by the Italian presidency said.

"The government's programmes are confirmed; no new taxes and no change in the finance law," it added.

No press conference was scheduled Tuesday by the government and more details were not available.

The Italian economy, the eurozone's third largest, has been identified as a weak link along with that of normally strong Germany, so while the new number did not come as a complete surprise, it underscored that the 19-nation bloc was likely to struggle to make headway this year.

The International Monetary Fund sharply lowered its growth outlook for the eurozone on Tuesday, saying that gross domestic product (GDP) in the bloc should increase by just 1.3 percent this year, after a rise of 1.8 percent in 2018.

Meanwhile, the finance ministry in Rome also raised the budget deficit forecast to 2.4 percent of GDP from a level of 2.04 percent agreed upon with EU officials, which could trigger another round of wrangling, and possibly provoke pressure from financial markets.

In late March, Economy Minister Giovanni Tria warned that Italy was headed for zero economic growth this year, even while brushing off possible changes to the government's big-spending budget.

And the European Commission had already pencilled in growth of just 0.2 percent for Italy, while the IMF's estimate on Tuesday was 0.1 percent.

The EU had also warned of a new row brewing with Italy over its budget, barely a few months after both sides agreed on a hard-fought deal with Rome's disputed 2019 finances.

Italy's public debt now sits at 2.3 trillion euros ($2.6 trillion), or 131 percent of Italy's GDP -- way above the 60 percent EU ceiling, though much of it is held domestically which reduces pressure on the government somewhat.

In the fourth quarter of 2018, the Italian economy contracted owing to a slowdown in exports, plunging it into a technical recession and increasing the government's budgetary woes.

Populist policies by Italy's government have affected business investment meanwhile, while consumer confidence has slumped as well.