French Economy Flat in First Quarter

W460

France's economy failed to grow in the first quarter of 2014, according to data released on Thursday by the Insee national statistics institute.

The figure was below the meagre 0.1 percent growth that Insee had forecast for eurozone's second-largest economy between January and March.

Household consumption, the traditional motor of growth in France, fell by 0.5 percent in the first quarter, compared with a 0.2 percent rise in the last quarter of 2013.

GDP in 2013 had risen by 0.4 percent, Insee said, revising its earlier estimate of 0.3 percent.

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