BRUSSELS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Gross domestic product (GDP) in the eurozone grew by 0.4 percent in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, slowing from 0.6 percent in the second quarter, according to a preliminary flash estimate released by Eurostat on Friday.
GDP in the European Union (EU) increased by 0.5 percent quarter on quarter, down from 0.7 percent in the previous quarter, the EU's statistical office said.
On a year-on-year basis, GDP growth edged up to 1.3 percent in the eurozone and 1.5 percent in the EU, compared with 1.2 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively, in the second quarter.
The eurozone economy stagnated in the first quarter before rebounding in the second.
Economic performance weakened in several major eurozone economies. Germany's GDP increased by 0.2 percent quarter on quarter, down from 0.3 percent in the second quarter. France's economy contracted by 0.1 percent after remaining unchanged in the previous quarter, while Italy's GDP stagnated after growing by 0.2 percent. Spain recorded growth of 0.6 percent, compared with 0.7 percent in the second quarter.
Elsewhere in the EU, Ireland recorded quarterly GDP growth of 5.5 percent, the highest among member states with available data, while Lithuania posted the sharpest contraction, at 1.0 percent.
Eurostat cautioned that the preliminary estimates were based on incomplete data and remained subject to revision.
The European Central Bank (ECB) kept its three key interest rates unchanged on Thursday, warning that continued increases in energy prices posed upside risks to inflation and downside risks to economic growth.
Bert Colijn, chief economist at ING, said that persistently rising energy prices, including natural gas prices, would pose additional challenges to eurozone growth during the winter months.
The relatively high level of interest rates and weakening business demand for loans would also weigh on economic activity, he noted, citing the ECB's bank lending survey. ■
