German GDP drops by 3.8%, largest decline in 40 years
Saturday, May 16, 2009
- 12 February 2012: Anti-ACTA activists protest across Europe
- 10 February 2012: German judge orders life sentence for nation's 'first Islamic-motivated terror attack'
- 8 February 2012: European cold spell kills hundreds
- 26 January 2012: 'Davos man' versus 'Camp Igloo'; 42nd World Economic Forum convenes in Swiss alps
- 24 January 2012: Wikinews Shorts: January 24, 2012
According to official figures, Germany's economy contracted by 3.8% in the first quarter of this year, the worst decline in four decades. This is the fourth consecutive time the quarterly GDP has fallen. The plunge was larger than the 3.2% decline predicted by economists.
The Federal Statistics Office reports that the decline was lead by a large slide in exports and investments.
"This is a dramatic plunge and a worse start to the year than we could have imagined," said Juergen Michels, an economist for Citigroup in London.
Other European countries also reported declines in their GDPs. Italy reported a 2.4% decline in GDP in the first three months of 2009, the fastest plunge since 1980, while France reported a 1.2% fall in output.
The eurozone, consisting of sixteen countries, saw its economy contract by 2.5% last quarter, the worst slump since 1995.
[edit] Sources
- "Germany sees GDP plunge 3.8%, worst drop in 40 years" — Global Crisis News, May 15, 2009
- "German economy in record decline" — Al Jazeera, May 15, 2009
