Economics
German Economy Stagnates, Just Barely Skirting a Recession
- Flat GDP misses forecast for 0.1% growth in fourth quarter
- Euro-area growth seen confirmed at 0.2%, survey shows
Daimler is preparing comprehensive cost-cutting.
Photographer: Michaela Handrek-Rehle/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Germany’s economy stagnated at the end of 2018, just barely avoiding a recession, and continued trade tensions mean any pickup in Europe’s powerhouse economy could be muted.
The fourth-quarter performance means the country trailed most of its peers in the euro area, where average growth was 0.2 percent. 2019 hasn’t brought much relief so far: disappointing numbers keep rolling in and a slew of institutions have downgraded their outlooks.