Singapore  - Singapore's economy is expected to recover slightly in the final quarter of 2009, just after sliding even deeper into recession during the first three quarters of the year, a survey by the city-state's central bank showed Monday.

A poll of 20 economists and analysts by the Monetary Authority of Singapore in February showed they expect Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP) to fall 8.5 percent in the first quarter 2009 compared to the same period a year ago.

That would be double the 4.2-per-cent shrinkage Singapore posted for GDP in the fourth quarter of 2008.

According to a median forecast in the survey Singapore's GDP is likely to fall 6.9 per cent and 4.6 per cent in the second and third quarter respectively, before growing by 0.5 per cent in the final quarter 2009.

For the whole of 2009 the economists expect the island state's GDP to contract by 4.9 per cent, just within the government's forecast which gave a shrinkage range between 2 and 5 per cent.

For 2010, the poll showed a more optimistic outlook with the experts giving an average forecast of 3.3 per cent GDP growth.

The forecasts reflected the views of 20 respondents to the survey, the central bank said.

The city state reached a GDP growth of just 1.1 per cent in 2008, down from 7.8 per cent a year earlier.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew warned in February that the economy could shrink between 8 per cent and 10 per cent in 2009, if exports continue to slump.

In January, Singapore's non-oil domestic exports decreased a heavy 35 per cent compared to a year earlier, following a 21-per-cent decline in the preceding month.

Export data for February was expected to be released Tuesday. (dpa)