Favourable sentiment indicators suggest that the economic recovery will remain robust. Real GDP rose by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2017, driven by a strong contribution from domestic demand. Labour market conditions have continued to improve in recent months, with the unemployment rate falling faster than expected. As the pace of export growth is expected to normalise somewhat after the strong growth rates seen in early 2017, real GDP growth should moderate slightly in the near term, while remaining well above potential, in line with elevated levels of business and consumer sentiment. Over the medium term, ... (full story)