Sweden's Migration Agency cuts forecast for asylum seekers this year

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's Migration Agency expects up to 100,000 asylum seekers in 2016 after last year's record influx, a new forecast showed on Wednesday. The Migration Agency said it expected between 40,000 and 100,000 to claim asylum in Sweden this year against a previous forecast of between 70,000 and 140,000. The smaller numbers means the costs related to asylum seekers is expected to be 6.4 billion crowns ($789 million) lower at 54.7 billion in 2016. Sweden took in around 160,000 asylum seekers last year but numbers have dropped after the introduction of border controls as well as measures making it harder for refugees to enter the European Union. (Reporting by Stockholm Newsroom; Editing by Simon Johnson)