DAVOS-Renault CEO says slowdown makes 2009 target tougher

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 26 (Reuters) - French carmaker Renault's (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) 2009 sales target will be tougher to achieve due to slower global economic growth but is not threatened, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn told Reuters on Saturday.

Renault aims to increase sales by 800,000 cars by 2009, taking its sales to more than 3.3 million vehicles.

"I think we are going to have a year of decline in the United States, Western Europe and Japan, and a year of growth in other markets... (but) growth in developing markets will be lower than what we have seen in 2007," Ghosn said.

"I don't think it is threatening the (sales) target, it will make it difficult," he told Reuters at the World Economic Forum.

Ghosn said he was not worried about the group's operating margin, which is still expected to grow this year.

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