BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The euro area economic growth accelerated more than expected in the first quarter, preliminary data from Eurostat showed Friday.
Gross domestic product climbed 0.6 percent from prior quarter, following a 0.3 percent rise in the fourth quarter. Economists had forecast the growth rate to improve marginally to 0.4 percent.
On a yearly basis, GDP growth remained at 1.6 percent, while it was forecast to ease to 1.5 percent.
The EU28 expanded 0.5 percent sequentially in the first quarter and by 1.7 percent from the same period of last year.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX