Overview
- Eurostat's flash estimate shows a 0.2% quarter-on-quarter expansion across the 20-country bloc in the July–September period.
- France beat expectations with 0.5% growth driven by stronger exports from aerospace, pharmaceuticals and defense.
- Germany and Italy recorded zero growth in the third quarter, while Spain expanded by 0.6% after a faster second quarter.
- The European Central Bank kept its deposit rate around 2% for a third straight meeting, citing a broadly benign price outlook.
- October inflation eased to 2.1% with core steady at 2.4%, and the ECB's survey points to inflation near target and only a slow pickup in activity.