Germany’s flash estimate of gross domestic product growth for the third quarter of 2026 came in at 0.2%, the country’s preliminary reading showed. The figure was released at 09:00 GMT on 30 October 2026 and is a first estimate that may be revised as more data arrives.
Against forecast and previous period
The reading was above the market forecast of 0.1%. It was, however, lower than the previous period’s 0.3%. Growth above expectations and growth slower than the prior quarter can both hold at once, because the forecast and the previous period are separate points of comparison.
GDP growth measures the change in the total value of goods and services produced in an economy over a given period. A reading of 0.2% means output expanded slightly over the quarter. Economists and policymakers watch the figure closely as a broad gauge of the health of the economy.
What the figure measures
Because the number is a flash estimate for Q3 2026, it is the earliest published view of the quarter and is later subject to revision. The result sits between the forecast and the prior quarter, and it is the single figure released for this period.
Related: Germany GDP Growth Accelerates to 1.2% in Q3 2026 · France GDP Growth Slips to -0.1% in Q3 2026
