PARIS, July 30 (Xinhua) -- France's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.2 percent quarter on quarter in the second quarter, rebounding from a 0.1 percent contraction in the previous quarter, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.
The recovery was driven by a return to growth in final domestic demand excluding inventories. Household consumption increased by 0.2 percent after declining by 0.3 percent in the first quarter, while government consumption rose by 0.4 percent, following a 0.3 percent increase.
Overall, final domestic demand excluding inventories contributed 0.1 percentage points to GDP growth, compared with a negative contribution of 0.2 percentage points in the previous quarter.
On July 7, the French government lowered its 2026 growth forecast to 0.7 percent from 0.9 percent, citing the economic impact of tensions in the Middle East. It had already cut the forecast from 1.0 percent to 0.9 percent in mid-April. ■