Italy is targeting economic growth of 1.5 pct for 2019, rising to 1.6 pct in 2020

The Italian government is targeting economic growth of 1.5 per cent next year, rising to 1.6 per cent in 2020, Italian financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore said on Thursday.

The paper said growth was targeted to then fall to 1.4 per cent in 2021.

The paper said the numbers will be submitted immediately to the parliamentary budget office, the authority that evaluates government forecasts, the paper said.

On Wednesday the government gave budget deficit and debt targets for the next three years but did not release growth targets.

The IMF has forecast growth of 1.0 per cent in Italy in 2019 against 1.9 per cent for the eurozone.

(With inputs from agencies.)