(SomaliNet) Zimbabwe is set to continue to suffer the consequences of economic crisis throughout the New Year, economists have predicted. "The year 2007 is bad news already before we have even started it," John Robertson, one of the economists told local journalists. "The first half of the coming year will be markedly worse than 2006. Inflation will continue to rise; there will be extensive foreign currency shortages and a further contraction in employment,” Eric Bloch, another economist added. Bloch predicted that while the second half of 2007 will register less inflation, the decline will be minor.
However, the economists’ view is no in line with projections with Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, Herbert Murerwa who said, “the economy is projected to grow marginally by between 0.5 to one percent in 2007," while reading the 2007 budget.