France’s Le Maire Calls His 2021 Growth Forecast a ‘Challenge’

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the government’s economic forecast of 6% growth in 2021 will be tough to achieve, depending on the speed of coronavirus vaccinations and the impact of lockdowns in neighboring countries.

“The next weeks will be difficult and we need to face up to it,” Le Maire said in an online press conference. “We have forecast growth of 6% in 2021, which would be the highest in the last 50 years. But this figure is a challenge and I want us to be clear about that and the economic uncertainties that surround us.”

High-frequency indicators tracked by Bloomberg Economics show a bounce in economic activity in most countries, including France, in the first week of the year. But mounting concerns over the spread of the virus and the slow pace of vaccinations in the nation suggest that gain won’t be sustained.

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Source: France Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire: 2021 Growth Forecast a ‘Challenge' - Bloomberg