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from barcharts
LONDON (AP) — The eurozone economy lost momentum in the third quarter, official figures showed Friday — a development that puts further pressure on the European Central Bank to stimulate growth more.
Despite a series of tail winds, the 19-country eurozone only grew 0.3 percent in the July-September period from the previous quarter, according to Eurostat, the EU's statistics agency.
That was below market expectations for a second straight 0.4 percent quarterly rise. On an annual basis, the eurozone economy, which comprises some 330 million people from the Atlantic to the eastern Mediterranean, was 1.6 percent bigger, just ahead of the 1.5 percent rate recorded in the second quarter.
The eurozone started recovering from its longest-ever recession just over two years ago but growth has never managed to break out of a narrow range, despite favorable conditions such as cheaper oil, a lower euro and weak inflation. The slowdown in emerging markets, notably China, isn't helping and is one reason why the ECB is expected to do more in December.
"The subdued pace of growth and persistent weak inflation applies further pressure on the ECB and increases the likelihood of the further measures being announced in December," said Chris Williamson, chief economist at financial information company Markit.
Confidence remains fragile in a region that has spent much of the past seven years dealing with a debt crisis that has, at times, threatened the future of the euro currency itself. Problems aren't just confined to those countries that suffered most from the financial crisis. Finland was the worst-performing eurozone country in the third quarter, contracting 0.6 percent.
http://www.barchart.com/headlines/story ... s-momentum