German, French economies in euro zone expected to recover first

According to data released by Eurostat on August 13, the region's gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of this year fell slightly by 0.1% from the previous month, which was much lower than the median forecast of 0.4% by economists. Analysts pointed out that this means that the possibility of the euro zone economy emerging from recession sooner is increasing. The data also showed that Germany and France, the euro zone's largest economies, unexpectedly achieved quarter-on-quarter growth in GDP in the second quarter, potentially becoming the first economies in the region to emerge from recession. Regarding the recovery of the economic status quo of the two largest economies in the euro area, as well as the positive performance of the overall economy in the euro area, the Wall Street Journal believes that this will make the European Central Bank no longer continue to implement stimulus measures to expand the economy. According to the latest forecast of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the annual GDP of the euro zone will decline by 4.8% in 2009, and the decline in 2010 will be about 0.2%.