德国经济恢复增长-凯发k8官网

the german economy returned to growth in the first three months of the year with a better-than-expected 0.5% rise in gdp, official figures have shown.

德国官方数据显示，2012年第一季度gdp增长超出预期0.5%。

in the final quarter of last year, the german economy contracted by 0.2%, its first dip since 2009.

meanwhile, the french economy recorded zero growth in the first quarter, after growth of 0.1% at the end of 2011.

figures released later on tuesday are expected to show that the eurozone as a whole has returned to recession.

'weak consumption'

compared with the same a quarter a year earlier, the german economy grew by 1.7%.

the german statistics agency destatis said growth in the first quarter was due to a rise in exports and higher domestic consumption.

the return to growth means germany has avoided a so-called double-dip recession, confounding the predictions of a number of ¹.

in contrast, the french growth figures failed to outperform ²' expectations, and the growth figure for the final quarter of last year was revised down to 0.1% from 0.2%.

"there was no good surprise," said philippe waechter at natixis asset management. "there was weak consumption [and] no investment."