Brazil economy to grow more than 2.8 pct in 2018 -finance minister

BRASILIA, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Brazil Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said on Tuesday that the country's economy would grow by more than the 2.8 percent rate currently forecast by economists, also predicting 2019 growth would be greater than 2.5 percent.

Meirelles said he would not be surprised if 2017 growth hit 1.1 percent instead of the 1 percent forecast. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres Writing by Jake Spring)