FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European economic system shrank by a smaller than anticipated 0.7% within the final three months of 2020 as companies in France and Germany weathered a renewed spherical of anti-COVID-19 lockdowns considerably higher than anticipated.
That comfort in official figures launched Tuesday could not erase a gloomier outlook for this 12 months, because the 19 international locations that use the euro are anticipated to lag China and the U.S. in bouncing again from the worst of the pandemic.
For the 12 months, the eurozone shrank 6.8%, in line with EU statistics company Eurostat.
The expansion figures underscored a rollercoaster 12 months of freakish financial knowledge, with a plunge of 11.7% within the second quarter, the largest since statistics began in 1995, adopted by a rebound of 12.4% within the third quarter in late summer time. The winter wave has meant new restrictions on journey, enterprise and exercise, however firms in some sectors similar to manufacturing have been higher in a position to modify than companies companies similar to motels and eating places.
The German economic system, Europe’s largest, grew by a scant 0.1% whereas France noticed a smaller than anticipated drop of 1.3%. General, economists had anticipated a drop within the eurozone of as a lot as 2.5% as just lately as mid-January.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
