German government mulls raising 2014 growth target to 1.8 percent - report

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government is considering raising its growth forecast for 2014 to 1.8 percent from an earlier target of 1.7 percent published late last year, according to a report in Der Spiegel magazine on Sunday.

Economy Ministry officials want to raise the 2014 target to 1.8 percent for Europe's largest economy.

The Economy Ministry is working on the government's official forecast together with the Chancellery and the Finance Ministry before the official target is published.

The magazine said the Economy Ministry believes the economy will continue to gain pace in 2015 with gross domestic product up by 2 percent.

It also expects the number of people employed in Germany to climb above the 42 million level for 2014 and 2015.

The Bundesbank has forecast 1.7 percent growth for 2014 and 2 percent for 2015 after the German economy grow by 0.4 percent in 2013.

(Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum; Editing by Sophie Hares)