Confindustria says GDP up 2.1% this year, 2.5% in 2016

(ANSA) - Rome, January 28 - Italy's economy should grow by as much as 2.1% this year, rising to 2.5% in 2016, thanks to a series of events and measures including the new quantitative easing program from the European Central Bank (ECB), researchers with employers group Confindustria said Wednesday.
    Factors including a falling exchange rate and lower energy prices will also be good for growth, the research centre of Confindustria said.
    Just one day earlier, the Bank of Italy also predicted that the new QE program unveiled last week by the ECB should provide a lift to growth.
    The ECB program will see massive bond purchase starting in March that will ultimately be worth more than one trillion euros. The Confindustria researchers said that "the more lively trade" environment globally should also encourage growth.
    The Italian economy has shown no real signs of expansion since 2008 and a week before QE was introduced the Bank of Italy had slashed its growth forecast for 2015, predicting an increase in gross domestic product (GDP) of a mere 0.4% this year, compared to the 1.3% it forecast in July. The central bank added at that time that the recession-battered Italian economy should grow 1.2% next year but warned that "considerable uncertainty remains".
    It also estimated that Italy's GDP fell by 0.4% in 2014.