June 1, 2006	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 4, 1427

NEW DELHI, May 31: India’s economy recorded annual growth on Wednesday of 8.4 per cent, beating previous estimates after a record performance in the fourth quarter but the impressive numbers failed to halt another sell-off in the markets.

In the last quarter of the fiscal year to March, India clocked a record 9.3 per cent growth driven mainly by a healthy 5.5 per cent increase in agriculture, data released by the government’s Central Statistical Organisation showed.

Besides agriculture, better than expected performances in manufacturing and services also contributed to boost India’s economic performance in January-March last quarter of 2005-2006.

The farm sector, which accounts for about a quarter of India’s GDP, grew 3.9 per cent for the year compared to a meagre 0.7 per cent in 2004-05, the data showed.—AFP