Spain's economy secretary says could raise growth forecast

MADRID: Spain's economy secretary Fernando Jimenez Latorre said on Thursday the government could raise its forecast for economic growth when it prepares next year's budget in September.

"The government will update its forecasts for the (2015) budget due in September, and everything suggests that economic activity is speeding up and the revision will be upwards," Jimenez Latorre said in a conference.

The government currently expects the economy to grow 1.2 percent this year and 1.8 percent in 2015 while the Bank of Spain revised up this week its own growth forecasts to 1.3 percent and 2 percent for this year and next respectively.