Categories: Retirement Planning and Investing

France Fizzles, Germany Slows as Europe’s Economy Stalls

Albertane

France Fizzles, Germany Slows as Europe’s Economy Stalls (Reuters)

The euro-zone economy all but stagnated in the third quarter with France’s recovery fizzling out and Germany’s growth slowing. The 9.5 trillion euro economy pulled out of its longest recession in the previous quarter but record unemployment, lack of consumer confidence and weak bank lending are preventing a rebound. In the quarter ended in September, the combined economy of the 17 countries sharing the euro grew by a slower-than-expected 0.1 percent. In the previous quarter, it rose 0.3 percent — the first expansion in 18 months. France’s economy contracted by 0.1 percent in the third quarter but it had been expected to post growth of 0.1 percent. Its economy now has shrunk in three of the last four quarters. Growth in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, slowed to 0.3 percent, down from 0.7 in the second quarter.

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Paul Dykewicz

Paul Dykewicz is the editor of StockInvestor.com and the editorial director of Eagle Financial Publications in Washington, D.C. He writes and edits for the website, as well as edits investment newsletters, time-sensitive trading alerts and other reports published by Eagle. He also is an accomplished, award-winning journalist who has written for Dow Jones, USA Today and other publications, as well as served as business editor of a daily newspaper in Baltimore. In addition, Paul is the author of the inspirational book, "Holy Smokes! Golden Guidance from Notre Dame's Championship Chaplain." He received his MBA in finance from Johns Hopkins University, where he was a two-time president of the school's Finance Club. In addition, Paul has a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in journalism from Michigan State University. Outside of work, Paul volunteers with a faith-based organization to assist the poor in Southeast Washington, D.C., to learn personal finance skills to lift themselves out of debt.