In the first quarter of 2024, Europe’s economy showed a slight improvement, with a 0.3% growth compared to the previous quarter as inflation pressure on consumers began to ease and the German economy, the largest in Europe, showed signs of modest growth. The eurozone, consisting of 20 countries, experienced its strongest performance since the third quarter of 2022, a significant improvement from the shrinkage experienced in the last two quarters of 2023.
The economy had been facing challenges due to high inflation and energy price spikes caused by disruptions in natural gas supplies from Russia. However, these challenges started to ease as energy prices fell and inflation dropped to 2.4% in April. Despite this, record high interest rates from the European Central Bank continued to pose a challenge by increasing the cost of credit for businesses and consumers.
Inflation nearing the 2% target set by the European Central Bank has led to speculations that the central bank might reduce its benchmark rate from the current record high of 4% in June. Germany, which has been struggling with economic stagnation, saw a 0.2% growth in the first quarter of the year after a 0.5% contraction in the previous quarter.
While the growth in Germany is a positive sign, concerns about long-term issues such as bureaucratic obstacles, skilled labor shortages, insufficient infrastructure investment, and slow adoption of digital technology continue to be significant challenges. Other eurozone economies, like France and Spain, also showed some growth, with Ireland being a standout performer with a 1.1% gain, driven by multinational corporations headquartered there. Despite these positive signs, structural weaknesses in Germany and other countries are expected to limit the pace of economic rebound in the near future.