Private-sector economists have raised their growth forecast for the year, in what has been their most upbeat prediction since late 2014.

Economists expect the economy to grow 3.2 per cent this year, up from the 3 per cent they had predicted in a previous survey.

They expect growth to moderate to 2.8 per cent next year.

But they are also worried about trade protectionism, with 88 per cent of respondents citing it as a risk, up from just 40 per cent in the previous survey.

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