Statistics Committee posts GDP figures

According to preliminary estimations, Russia's gross domestic product grew by 4.3 percent to 3.65 trillion rubles ($114.56bn) in the third quarter of 2002, compared to the corresponding period of last year, the Russian State Statistics Committee reported. As it was reported earlier, Russia's GDP in the first quarter of 2002 added 3.7 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2001; Russia's GDP in the second quarter of 2002 was 4.1 percent higher than in the corresponding period of last year. According to forecasts of the Russian Economy Ministry, Russia's GDP in 2002 is expected to increase by 4 percent.