BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Belgian speciality textile group Sioen Industries lowered its fourth-quarter expectations on Thursday and said it would fail to meet analysts' forecasts for the full year.

www.sioen.com

"Economic reality impels us to adjust our expectations," Sioen said in a statement. "Current market conditions will depress our results for the last quarter."

Chief Financial Officer Geert Asselman told Reuters the worse-than-expected fourth quarter meant Sioen would miss analysts' consensus forecasts of core earnings -- before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA -- of 50 million euros ($71.9 million) for the full year.

The company said it had taken steps to ensure profitability, citing an ability to reduce workforce at short notice on economic grounds, restructure and cut costs in Belgium. (Reporting by Anne Jolis, editing by Dale Hudson)