FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Aerial view of containers at a loading terminal in the port of Hamburg, Germany August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo/File Photo/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government has revised down its economic growth forecasts for this year and next, a source told Reuters on Friday.

The source said the government expects the economy to grow by around 1.7 to 1.8 percent this year, down from a previous estimate of 2.3 percent. It expects an expansion of around 2.0 percent in 2019, lower than the 2.1 percent forecast in April.