Europe saw stronger growth at start of year before US tariffs darkened outlook

Containers piled up in a cargo terminal in Frankfurt, Germany (Michael Probst/AP)

Europe’s economy grew more strongly in the first three months of the year, only to see hopes for an ongoing recovery quickly squelched by US President Donald Trump’s trade war.

Gross domestic product in the 20 eurozone countries grew 0.4% in the first quarter, improving on 0.2% growth in the last part of 2024, according to official figures released by European Union statistics agency Eurostat.