France's gross domestic product (GDP) has expanded by 0.9 percent over the first three months of this year, national statistics institute Insee said here Wednesday.

The figure is notably higher than a 0.3-percent rise over the last quarter of 2010, but slightly down from an initial Insee forecast of one percent for the January-March period.

"GDP growth estimation for Q1 is marginally revised ... This revision is partly imputable to the revision of some indicators available in May notably for production and households' consumption, and to the integration of information known after the first publication," Insee said in a statement.

For the first three months, French households expenditure remained stable at 0.4 percent from the previous quarter, while gross fixed capital formation rose from 0.5 percent to 1.2 percent.

In the mean time, export grew by 1.8 percent after they had increased by 0.7 percent in the previous three months, while imports gained more strength by growing by 3 percent, compared to a 0.4-percent drop in the fourth quarter 2010.

As a result, the foreign trade balance dragged the French GDP growth down by 0.4 point in the first quarter of 2011 after contributing to a 0.3-point increase in the previous quarter, the statement said.

Earlier reports said France wants to raise its GDP growth to 2 percent this year and to 2.5 percent by 2014. (Xinhua)