BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The euro area economy grew at a slower-than-estimated pace in the fourth quarter as net trade held back growth, final data from Eurostat showed Friday.
Gross domestic product rose 0.2 percent sequentially, which was revised down from 0.3 percent estimated previously. The economy had expanded 0.3 percent in the third quarter and 0.1 percent in the second quarter.
On a yearly basis, GDP expanded 1.2 percent, slower than the 1.4 percent rise in the third quarter. The fourth quarter rate was revised down from the initial estimate of 1.3 percent.
For the full year 2025, GDP increased 1.4 percent after expanding 0.9 percent in 2024.
On the expenditure-side, household consumption and government spending increased 0.4 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively. Gross fixed capital formation advanced 0.6 percent sequentially.
Meanwhile, exports fell 0.4 percent and imports dropped 0.2 percent. As a result, the net trade provided a negative contribution of 0.1 percentage point. Changes in inventories were negative for the euro area by 0.1 percentage point.
Within the currency bloc, Ireland reported the biggest contraction of 3.8 percent, while the region's four largest economies all expanded from the prior quarter.
Germany and Italy grew 0.3 percent each and France logged 0.2 percent expansion. At the same time, Spain recorded a robust growth of 0.8 percent.
Further, data showed that the number of employed persons rose 0.2 percent from the prior quarter, the same as in the preceding period and matched the initial estimate. The annual growth improved slightly to revised 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter from 0.6 percent in the third quarter.
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