Brussels, 08/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Because US momentum is muted and persistent sluggishness in sales and construction, the European Commission has scaled back its growth forecasts for the second quarter of 2002 in the eurozone. In a press release issued on Tuesday, it is now predicting growth of 0.4 to 0.7% on the previous quarter, compared with its April predictions of between 0.5 and 0.8%. Its forecasts for the first quarter (0.2 to 0.5% growth) have not been changed. The Commission has also observed sluggish car sales and points out that the US economy is not growing particularly fast, as indicated by the Purchasing Managers' Index for the manufacturing sector which fell from 55.6 in March to 53.9 in April. This lacklustre growth provides confirmation that the economic upturn in the twelve eurozone countries is nothing to write home about, while inflation is causing renewed concern to the European Central Bank, raising speculation about a hike in interest rates (see EUROPE of 3 May, p.9 on Wim Duisenberg's press conference).