GDP growth in Q2:11 - brace yourself, the slide could be significant.

According to the weekly report by Standard Bank economists, Adriaan du Toit and Shireen Darmalingam, gross domestic product (GDP) growth has been robust in the fourth quarter of 2010 (4.5% quarter-on-quarter) and the first quarter of this year (4.8% q/q) but with few real drivers of growth in the first quarter of 2011. “Specifically,” the report added, “the risk of a marked moderation has always been high. We expect GDP growth to have slowed to 1.6% q/q in the second quarter - which if realised, will weigh heavily on our full-year GDP growth forecast of 3.8%.”