Kuwait posted a 2007/08 budget surplus of 9.32 billion dinars ($35.17 billion), almost 19 percent lower than an preliminary forecast due to an expenditure hike, government data showed on Tuesday.

Revenue of world's seventh-largest oil producer was a little over 19 billion dinars in the year to March 31, compared with a forecast of 18.93 billion dinars in March as oil prices soared, according to the data obtained by Reuters.

Expenditure stood at 9.69 billion dinars, up from an earlier forecast of 7.49 billion dinars, the data showed.

In March, the government forecast a surplus of 11.44 billion dinars based on 12 months of data but some ministries are often late reporting actual spending. - Reuters