Concern about the US economy has prompted one of the world's leading media companies to scale back its forecast for US and global advertising growth during 2005.

Carat, a unit of UK-based Aegis that helps companies buy advertisements, on Wednesday cut its forecast of US advertising spending growth from 4.8 per cent in September to 4.5 per cent in 2005. It lowered its global forecast from 5 per cent to 4.9 per cent.