Italy employers see GDP up 0.8 pct in 2010

Italy's employers' confederation Confindustria revised upwards its forecast for 2010 economic growth on Wednesday to 0.8 per cent from 0.7 per cent and forecast a long, slow recovery.

Gross domestic product (GDP) for the euro zone's third-biggest economy will shrink by 4.8 percent in 2009 from a previous forecast of a fall of 4.9 per cent, the group said in an analysis. Italy's deficit-to-GDP ratio in 2009 is seen at 5.2 per cent, compared with a previous estimate of 4.9 percent.