The Spanish government said today it expected the economy to contract 3.6 per cent this year, two percentage points more than in its previous forecast, according to dpa. Spain's recession will continue until 2010, when gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink 0.3 per cent, the government said. Unemployment will continue growing, rising from an average 17.9 per cent this year to 18.9 per cent in 2010. Growth is expected to resume in 2011 when it will reach 1.8 per cent. The government said it was cutting public spending by 4.5 per cent in 2010, when it expected public deficit to reach 7.9 per cent.