The second estimates for the third quarter of 2012 published by Eurostat shows that GDP fell by 0.1% in the euro area and increased by 0.1% in the EU during the third quarter of 2012, compared with the previous quarter. In the second quarter of 2012, growth rates were -0.2% in both zones.

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, published its second estimates for the third quarter of 2012 that show that GDP will decrease by 0.1% in the euro area while will increase by 0.1% in the EU. In particular, -0.6% and -0.4% respectively compared with the third quarter of 2011. Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, GDP fell by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU in the third quarter of 2012, after -0.5% and -0.3% respectively in the previous quarter. Eurostat's first flash estimate published in August 2012 showed that the GDP in the euro area and the EU fell down by 0.2% during the second quarter of 2012.

In the United States, during the third quarter of 2012, GDP increased by 0.7% compared with the previous quarter (after +0.3% in the second quarter of 2012), but fell by 0.9% in Japan (after +0.1%). Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, GDP rose by 2.5% in the United States (after +2.1% in the previous quarter) and by 0.2% in Japan (after +3.4%).

With regard to the figures by sector, during the third quarter of 2012, household final consumption expenditure remained stable in the euro area and increased by 0.1% in the EU (after -0.4% and -0.3% respectively in the previous quarter). Gross fixed capital formation fell by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU (after -1.8% and -1.7%). Exports rose by 0.9% in both zones (after +1.6% and +1.2%), while imports increased by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the EU (after +0.6% and +0.7%).