Update: Economic growth in the fourth Q of 2018 - 3.1%

Economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2018 was updated to 3.1% in the third estimate published today by the Central Bureau of Statistics, compared with 3% growth published in the previous estimate a month ago. According to this estimate, economic growth rose slightly in the second half of 2018 - 2.4%, compared with 2.3% in the previous estimate.
Economic growth in the second half of 2018 was weak compared to a larger increase in the first half - 3.4% and a better rise in the second half of 2017 - 4.3%. According to this estimate, the annual growth rate of the economy in the fourth and final quarter of 2018, which was 3.1%, was better than in the third quarter, when the economy grew by 2.8%, as well as the second quarter, when the economy grew by 0.7%. However, compared to the first quarter of 2018, when the economy grew by 4.4%, it is a decline in growth.
This estimate corrects the second estimate published last month. The Central Bureau of Statistics updates its estimates after completing data that were missing from the previous estimates. This estimate does not relate to the government deficit - a figure for which the next publication will only apply in August.