Eurozone growth sags to 0.2 percent in Q2 (AP)

FRANKFURT, Germany ? Economic growth in the 17 countries that use the euro sagged to a lackluster quarterly rate of 0.2 percent in the second quarter as Germany's expansion slowed sharply.

The official figures from the European Union statistics agency are more downbeat news for the global economy. They were well short of the 0.8 percent figure from the first quarter, and follow disappointing second-quarter growth reported in the U.S.

A big decline in Germany's growth to 0.1 percent was primarily behind the fall in the overall growth rate though the slowdown was evident all round the eurozone.

With growth stalling and a government debt crisis flaring, the European Central Bank may have more reason to avoid more interest rate increases this year.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110816/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_economy

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