growth

The French national statistics office INSEE foresees domestic product growth rise in early 2015, helped by oil price tumble and weak euro.

The influential Observatoire Français des Conjonctures Économiques (OFCE), known as the French Economic Observatory in English, has just published a powerful critique of French government economic policy. In cautious but bleak language it charts how austerity is sapping France's economy while pointing out that the government's massive hand-outs to companies will contribute only a meagre stimulus to growth. Its grim conclusions match those of other economists, but this study differs by also showing how austerity choked off a recovery back in 2010 that could have delivered nearly 2.4% growth instead of the anaemic, near-zero growth since. It is, argues Mediapart's Laurent Mauduit, a damning indictment of President François Hollande's economic strategy.

Finance minister says economy will grow by just 0.4% in 2014 compared with recent 0.5%  forecast and public deficit will be 4.4% not 3.8%.

Finance minister says growth for 2014 will be 0.5% - half the original forecast - as figures show French economy stagnant in second quarter.

Figures expected to show on Thursday that French economy barely expanded during second quarter of this year after stagnating in the first.

French president's call for Germany to do more to encourage economic growth in France is rebuffed by Angela Merkel’s spokeswoman.

National statistics office INSEE says growth will be around 0.7% this year, below the 1% needed to help reduce France's budget deficit.

Zero growth in first quarter in France as household expenditure and exports slowed considerably, while Germany's economy grew by 0.8%.

Bank of France predicts growth in French economy of just 0.2% in second quarter of 2014, the same as in the first three months of the year.

The French national statistics institute reported the country's economy expanded by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2013, more than expected.

According to preliminary figures released by French central bank, the country’s recovery gained ground at the end of 2013 with 0.5% growth.

France's economy shrank by 0.1% in the third quarter but ministers insist that the overall figures for 2013 will show growth.

Once shunned for exposure to debt in Greece and Italy, French bank stocks were top pick this year, but future competitivity doubts now cloud future.

Unexpected second-quarter economic growth of 0.5% in France, 0.7% in Germany sees eurozone grow overall 0.3%, ending18-month recession.

At meeting in Germany, finance minister Pierre Moscovici says Paris still committed to getting finances in order, but not at expense of growth.