Analysts see Australia GDP growing 2.6% in 2016

Sydney

AUSTRALIA'S economy is seen weathering an unwelcome rise in the local dollar and uncertainty over China this year, while the worst fallout from a mining downturn may finally be over.

The latest Reuters poll of analysts expects Australia's A$1.6 trillion (S$1.65 trillion) of gross domestic product (GDP) to expand 2.6 per cent this year, unchanged from the previous poll. Growth was forecast at a solid 2.9 per cent for 2017. That would actually be a step down from last year when the economy surprised everyone by expanding at a 3 per cent pace, well above previous forecasts of 2.3 per cent.