7 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · Apr 30
Insee said GDP was flat after 0.2% growth in late 2025, missing expectations, as household consumption fell 0.1%, investment 0.4% and exports dropped sharply.
The weakness adds pressure on the eurozone's second-largest economy as Middle East-driven energy price rises hit Europe harder and threaten any industrial recovery.
The ECB, deciding on rates later Thursday, has already cut its 2026 eurozone growth forecast to 0.9%, while higher oil prices and a prolonged Strait of Hormuz closure could worsen the slowdown.
France's economy has stalled. Is the rest of the Eurozone heading for a stagflation crisis?
Is the Iran war a convenient excuse for France's deep-rooted economic weaknesses?
Can France's big bet on nuclear power shield its citizens from a full-blown recession?
Did the Bank of France's €13 billion gold profit signal a new strategy for economic stability?
With French bonds weakening, is the country's massive public debt becoming its biggest threat?
The IMF warns of a global shock. Are central banks about to repeat the policy mistakes of the 1970s?