UPDATE 2-Argentina's trade surplus widens in 2009-president

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Argentina's trade surplus totaled $16.98 billion in 2009 and the country's industry output rose in December, President Cristina Fernandez said on Thursday.

The trade surplus figure represented an increase from the $16.59 billion number Fernandez had previously announced.

Industrial production rose 10.4 percent in December in seasonally adjusted terms from a year earlier, Fernandez also said in a public appearance at the presidential palace.

Both indicators are due to be officially released on Friday at 4 p.m. (1900 GMT).

A Reuters poll showed on Thursday that analysts forecast industry output expanded 4.5 percent in December from the comparable month a year ago in non-seasonally adjusted terms, boosted by rising car exports to neighboring Brazil.

Estimates from seven analysts surveyed by Reuters ranged from growth of 2.0 percent to 7.0 percent, with a median outlook of 4.5 percent and an average forecast of 5.0 percent.

Economic analysts accuse Argentina's government of publishing overly optimistic data on industrial production, economic growth and unemployment for political gain.

Argentina's inflation data has been discredited for more than two years.

Fernandez has said Argentina's economy expanded 0.9 percent in 2009. But many private analysts estimate the economy contracted last year.

(Reporting by Jorge Otaola; Writing by Kevin Gray and Walter Brandimarte; Editing by Leslie Adler, Leslie Gevirtz) Keywords: ARGENTINA ECONOMY/ ([e-mail]; [phone]; Reuters Messaging: [e-mail]) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.