German GDP grew 1.7% in 2015, strongest rate in 4 years

[BERLIN] The German economy expanded by 1.7 per cent in 2015, a slight improvement on the previous year and the strongest rate in four years, a preliminary estimate from the Federal Statistics Office showed on Thursday.

Europe's largest economy is benefiting from strong private consumption and higher state spending, compensating for a weaker contribution from trade amid a slowdown in emerging markets.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected growth in gross domestic product (GDP) of 1.6 per cent for 2015.

REUTERS