STOCKHOLM (AFP) -- The Swedish economy grew by 1.4 percent in the second quarter of 2006 from the first three months of the year, figures released Monday by the central statistics bureau showed.

The rate of growth was equivalent to that of the first quarter from the last three months of 2005, the bureau said.

On a 12-month basis, the economy grew by 5.5 percent in the second quarter, higher than the rate of 4.1 percent recorded in the first quarter.