Germany exits winter recession but output stagnates at best

The outlook for France looks more positive. France’s economy grew significantly faster than estimated and inflation eased

Chemicals giant BASF has said it expects a tentative recovery

Germany exited its winter recession in the second quarter but output only stagnated, with questions about the fundamental health of Europe’s largest economy remaining.

Gross domestic product was unchanged from the previous three months, falling short of the 0.1% growth estimated by economists. Revised figures for the prior quarters revealed the slump was shallower than initially thought, however.