Czech economy growth slows down to 4.5 pct in Q2

The Czech Statistical Office reported on Thursday that the Czech economy’s growth in the second quarter of 2008 slowed down to 4.5 percent. Among the causes cited was the strengthening of the Czech crown against the euro and dollar with consequences for a number of Czech exporting companies, as well as the slowing consumption rate of Czech households. The Czech Statistical Office also lowered its estimate for the economy’s growth in the third quarter of this year to 5.1 percent.