The German economy only narrowly avoided falling into recession earlier this year, data published yesterday revealed.

GDP flat-lined in the three months to March 31 after a 0.5 per cent decline in the final quarter of 2022. Analysts had forecast 0.2 per cent growth. 

Two consecutive quarters of contraction in output is a recession – so Europe’s largest economy survived by the skin of its teeth.

Behind the line: GDP flat-lined in the three months to March 31 after a 0.5 per cent decline in the final quarter of 2022

Behind the line: GDP flat-lined in the three months to March 31 after a 0.5 per cent decline in the final quarter of 2022

Behind the line: GDP flat-lined in the three months to March 31 after a 0.5 per cent decline in the final quarter of 2022

‘The German economy remained stuck in the mud at the start of 2023,’ said Claus Vistesen at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

Interest rate hikes are expected to weigh on the economy in the second half of the year.

#fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle#mobile {display:none} #fiveDealsWidget {display:block; float:left; clear:both; max-width:636px; margin:0; padding:0; line-height:120%; font-size:12px} #fiveDealsWidget div, #fiveDealsWidget a {margin:0; padding:0; line-height:120%; text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif} #fiveDealsWidget .widgetTitleBox {display:block; float:left; width:100%; background-color:#af1e1e; } #fiveDealsWidget .widgetTitle {color:#fff; text-transform: uppercase; font-size:18px; font-weight:bold; margin:6px 10px 4px 10px; } #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {float:left; display:block; width:124px; margin-right:4px; margin-top:5px; background-color: #e3e3e3; min-height:200px;} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {margin-right:0} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle {display:block; margin:10px 5px; color:#000; font-weight:bold} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage img {float:left; display:block; margin:0; padding:0} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {border:1px solid #ccc} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage img {width:100%; height:auto} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemdesc {float:left; display:block; color:#004db3; font-weight:bold; margin:5px;} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemRate {float:left; display:block; color:#000; margin:5px} #fiveDealsWidget .dealFooter {display:block; float:left; width:100%; margin-top:5px; background-color:#e3e3e3 } #fiveDealsWidget .footerText {font-size:10px; margin:10px 10px 10px 10px;} @media (max-width: 635px) { #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {width:19%; margin-right:1%} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {width:20%} } @media (max-width: 560px) { #fiveDealsWidget #desktop {display:none;} #fiveDealsWidget #mobile {display:block!important} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {background-color: #fff; height:auto; min-height:auto} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem {border-bottom:1px solid #ececec; margin-bottom:5px; padding-bottom:10px} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {border-bottom:0px solid #ececec; margin-bottom:5px; padding-bottom:0px} #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem, #fiveDealsWidget a.dealItem#last {width:100%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {float:left; display:inline-block} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemImage {width:35%; margin-right:1%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent {width:63%} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemTitle {margin: 0px 5px 5px; font-size:16px} #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent .dealItemdesc, #fiveDealsWidget .dealItemContent .dealItemRate {clear:both} }

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk

You May Also Like

‘It’s hard getting money to stretch’: single mothers say they need support

Women in Leicestershire on how soaring bills have hit their finances –…

Garden centres near me: Is my local garden centre open now?

GARDEN centres are the perfect spot to look for Christmas decorations and…

How risky is Dogecoin? The dangers of buying the cryptocurrency

DOGECOIN reached a record-breaking high of $0.4377 per coin earlier this month,…

I tested supermarket Christmas puddings – bargain winner is high-end and worth every penny, plus it beats Aldi 

CHRISTMAS pudding is falling out of favour – with many Brits preferring…