The euro area economy grew by 0.4% in the third quarter of 2026, beating expectations but slowing from the 0.6% expansion recorded in the previous quarter, according to preliminary figures released by Eurostat on Friday. Analysts had expected growth of 0.2%.
Compared with a year earlier, output across the 21-country currency bloc was 1.3% higher. The European Union as a whole recorded quarterly growth of 0.5% and annual growth of 1.5%. Eurostat cautioned that the estimates are preliminary and may be revised as more data becomes available.
National results showed a mixed picture. Germany’s economy expanded by 0.2% from the previous quarter, while Spain and the Netherlands each grew by 0.6%. Italy was unchanged. France contracted by 0.1%, and Lithuania recorded a 1% decline. Ireland posted the strongest quarterly increase, at 5.5%.
The figures point to continued growth across much of the bloc, but not to a uniform recovery. Germany’s expansion remained modest, while France’s contraction underlined the pressure facing some of Europe’s largest economies.
The outlook is also clouded by elevated energy costs and renewed inflation risks. The European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged this week but warned that rising energy prices could require further action. Eurostat’s next flash estimate for third-quarter growth is scheduled for 13 November.
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