Growth in Germany and France slows sharply in Q3

The recovery in both France and Germany, Europe's largest economies, slowed considerably in the third quarter.

Germany, Europe's largest country, saw a sharp slowdown in the third quarter, with growth of 0.7% compared with a revised figure of 2.3% in the previous three months. In France, GDP grew by 0.4% between July and September, compared with growth of 0.7% in the previous quarter. By comparison, UK Q3 economic growth was 0.8%. Germany's second quarter growth rate, now revised up from 2.2% to 2.3%, was the fastest since the country reunified. Announcing its first estimate of third quarter growth, the German statistics office Destatis said the upturn was continuing. But it said the slower...