The Planning Office predicts higher economic growth in Belgium in 2018, according to its latest analysis, published on Thursday. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, which was 1.7% in 2017, is expected to increase to 1.8% in 2018. Jobs are scheduled to continue their upward trend - growing by 1.2%, even if the increase will be less than the 1.4% registered in 2017 - in a context of rising salaries. Unemployment is expected to keep going down – by 35,000 units – this year.
The increased growth will be due mainly to higher domestic demand, the Planning Office says.
Economic growth in Belgium is still lower than in the euro zone as a whole, even if the gap is expected to narrow in 2018. Economic growth in the euro zone was 2.5% in 2017 and will be 2.2% in 2018.
Inflation will slow down slightly in Belgium this year, going from 2.1% in 2017 to 1.7%, due to the appreciation of the euro and lower electricity prices in Flanders.
The Brussels Times