Peru estimates 6 percent economic growth in 2010

LIMA, Peru

Peru's government says its economy is expanding more quickly than initially expected and it now predicts growth of 6 percent or more this year.

Finance Minister Mercedes Araoz says the government has revised its economic growth estimate upward from 5.5 percent.

Araoz told the Peruvian radio station Radioprogramas on Thursday that "it's going to be probably about 6 percent or a little bit higher." She credited rapidly growing private sector investment, and said that next year Peru is likely to see growth of about 5 percent.

Peru's growth last year was above 1 percent in spite of the world economic crisis.

Araoz said Peru aims to hold inflation to less than 3 percent this year.