- Claus Vistesen, Pantheon Macro
The single currency economy expanded in the third quarter, showing a 0.3% in the region's gross domestic product (GDP) on the previous three months and up 1.6% on a yearly basis. The figures were spurred by a rebound in smaller countries, including Portugal, which saw its fastest growth pace since 2013. During the last week, the European Commission cut its GDP forecasts for the euro area on advanced political uncertainty and weaker global trade. The EU expects the currency bloc to grow 1.7% this year and 1.5% in 2017, after climbing 2% in 2015.
In the meantime European stocks were mixed on Tuesday, as market sentiment remained globally positive following the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States last week, while disappointing German third-quarter growth weighed. Moreover, earlier on Tuesday, preliminary data showed that German gross domestic product went up 2% in the third quarter, disappointing expectations for an increase of 0.3% and down from a growth rate of 0.4% in the previous quarter.
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