The International Monetary Fund has increased to 6.6 percent from 6.5 percent its prediction of the rate of expansion of the Mainland’s gross domestic product this year.

IMF says in the latest edition of its World Economic Outlook that it has also increased its prediction of the rate of economic growth next year – to 6.2 percent from 6.0 percent.

The IMF says its latest predictions are rosier than those it made in January because the momentum of the economy has increased, and because the fund expects government policy to keep supporting growth.

The annual rate of growth in GDP was 6.9 percent in the first quarter of this year, the fastest pace for 18 months, official data indicate.