Skip to content
Subscriber Only
Markets
Economics

Fatter East European Wallets Drive the Catch-Up With Richer West

  • Largest economies in EU’s east outpace growth in euro region
  • Higher wages, social programs help fuel private consumption
Updated on

Go inside the global economy with Stephanie Flanders in her new podcast, Stephanomics. Subscribe via Pocket Cast or iTunes.

Consumers emboldened by rising wages and government spending helped propel the European Union’s ex-communist economies to unexpectedly strong growth at the start of the year.