Swedish government cuts 2014, 2015 growth forecast

HARPSUND Sweden (Reuters) - Sweden's centre-right government cut its growth forecast for this year and the next year on Saturday after a sluggish start to the year and continued weakness in the global economy. Finance Minister Anders Borg forecast growth this year of 1.9 percent against a forecast in July of 2.5 percent. Growth next year is seen at 3.0 percent versus a previous forecast of 3.1 percent. Borg said in a statement the public sector was expected to run a deficit of 2.2 percent of gross domestic product this year versus a previous estimate for a 1.6 percent shortfall but that government still expected to return to its 1 percent surplus target in 2018. The four-party, Alliance government is lagging well behind the opposition ahead of elections on Sept 14. (Reporting by Simon Johnson and Johan Sennero; writing by Niklas Pollard)