The euro area economy grew by 0.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, up from 0.2 per cent in the previous quarter, according to a preliminary estimate from Eurostat on Wednesday. GDP in the broader European Union rose by 0.3 per cent, slightly down from 0.4 per cent in the final quarter of 2024. Year-on-year, GDP expanded by 1.2 per cent in the euro area and 1.4 per cent in the EU—matching the growth rates seen in the previous quarter. Ireland posted the strongest quarterly growth at 3.2 per cent, followed by Spain and Lithuania with gains of 0.6 per cent each. Hungary was the only EU country to record a contraction, with GDP shrinking 0.2 per cent. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser
