German economy: Growth in Q3, consumer confidence improve

Germany's economy recorded a 0.4% growth during the third quarter of the year, official statistics showed on Friday, slightly higher than a projected 0.3%.

Consumer confidence has also inched up, after a long period of decline, a Friday survey showed.

While some economists saw this as a sign the ongoing recession may not be as bad as initially expected, others warned it could be the calm before the storm.

GDP in the third quarter of 2021 grew by 1.8%.

A sharp increase in energy prices this year has taken its toll on the German economy, with inflation standing at a whopping 10.4% in October.

What do the latest figures say?

The Federal Statistical Office's latest figures say the recorded growth was primarily driven by private consumer spending.

 "Overall, the German economy remains robust," the office said in a statement.

The forward-looking barometer of pollster GfK, meanwhile, registered on Friday a 1.7-point increase in consumer confidence for December, compared to November.

The survey added that November's gauge also slightly improved, after a historic drop in October.

Some economists predicted that the approaching downturn will not be as severe as initially expected.

Concerns for the economy persist

Others, however, continue to sound the alarm over the high inflation as a burden on companies and consumers' purchasing power. They also warned of the weak state of the global economy, bound to negatively impact Germany's export-heavy economy.

A European Commission forecast earlier this month predicted that the eurozone will slide into a recession in the winter, as inflation continues to rise.

The forecast expected Germany, Europe's largest economy, to be next year's worst performer with the country's economic output predicted to shrink by 0.6% over the next year. 

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rmt/sms (AFP, dpa)