Slightly stronger-than-expected growth in Germany and France pushed the eurozone’s recovery up a gear in the fourth quarter and offered potential for a more robust 2014, albeit with risks.
Data Friday showed the eurozone economy rose by 0.3 percent in the three months to December compared with the previous quarter. This slightly exceeded market expectations for a 0.2 percent expansion.
The 9.5 trillion euro economy had already emerged in the second quarter from its longest recession since its introduction, but record-high unemployment, external economic risks, fiscal austerity and low inflation have kept a lid on the rebound.
The EU’s statistics office will publish a detailed breakdown on March 5, but analysts said the fourth-quarter growth was mainly driven by exports and investment.
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