The German economy grew in the third quarter, an unexpectedly positive performance powered largely by private spending, official figures showed on Friday. Gross domestic product in Europe's biggest economy expanded by 0.3 per cent in the July-September period compared with the previous quarter, the Federal Statistical Office said. That followed a slight increase of 0.1 per cent in the second quarter. The German economy managed to hold its ground despite difficult framework conditions of the global economy, with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain interruptions, rising prices and the war in Ukraine, the statistics office said. The government said earlier this month that GDP was believed to have shrunk in the third quarter and was expected to decline again in the last three months of the year as well as the first three months of 2023 before beginning to recover. Two consecutive quarters of negative growth is one technical definition of recession. With energy prices high,
In an intensified crisis scenario, Germany's real gross domestic product (GDP) would decline by just under two per cent in the current year compared with 2021, according to the report
Imports increased 4.5% on the month, compared with an average forecast for a 1.4% increase
Consumers are once again showing some optimism at the beginning of the year with improved economic and income expectations.
Industry has been hit by supply shortages of microchips and other components, while rising coronavirus cases are clouding the outlook for retailers.
The ifo Institute, a research institution based in Munich, has lowered its 2022 economic growth forecast for Germany from the previous forecast of 5.1 to 3.7 per cent in 2022.
Inflation in Germany continued to rise and climbed from 4.5 per cent in October to 5.2 per cent in November, the highest rate registered in the country since June 1992
The group is considering partnerships and consolidation or a stand-alone scenario for its marine systems division.
Scholz's center-left Social Democrats said they will present their agreement with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats on Wednesday
Factories churned out fewer capital goods and consumer goods, with the slump particularly deep in vehicle production
The German economy contracted at its steepest rate on record in the second quarter and the government is desperate to mitigate the effects of the pandemic as much as possible
The economic slump was much stronger than during the financial crisis more than a decade ago
"Corona has caused unprecedented economic damage. It is an economic catastrophe of exceptional proportions," said Peter Hein van Mulligen, chief economist at the Dutch statistics office
To cushion some of the blow, Berlin has passed a rescue package totalling 1.1 trillion euros
Germany in mid March closed schools, shops, restaurants, playgrounds and sports facilities and many companies have stopped production to help slow the spread of the disease.
Germany and the eurozone also face the possibility of disrupted trade with Britain, which left the EU on January 31
The debt obsession that ate the economy
Positive contributions came from domestic demand as household consumption, government expenditure and gross fixed capital formation increased on the quarter
Less than 6 weeks before an election, German economy is proving its staying power