Gross domestic product (GDP) in the OECD area grew by 0.6% in the third quarter of 2010. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of growth, but is down on the 0.9% recorded in the second quarter.

Euro area and European Union GDP grew by 0.4%, down from the 1.0% recorded in the previous quarter. At 0.7%, growth in Germany remained relatively robust but this was still sharply down on the record 2.3% growth recorded in the previous quarter. GDP growth also slowed in France (0.4%), Italy (0.2%) and the United Kingdom (0.8%). Growth rates accelerated in Japan (0.9%) and, marginally, in the United States (0.5%), compared to the previous quarter.

Relative to a year earlier, GDP in the OECD area expanded by 3.1%, the same rate as in the previous quarter.