GDP increased by 0.2% in both the euro area (EA16) and the EU27 during the first quarter of 2010, compared with the previous quarter, according to flash estimates published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the fourth quarter of 2009, growth rates were 0.0% and +0.1% respectively.

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU27 in the first quarter of 2010, after -2.2% and -2.3% respectively in the previous quarter.

During the first quarter of 2010, US GDP increased by 0.8% compared with the previous quarter, after +1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2009. US GDP rose by 2.5% compared with the same quarter of the previous year (+0.1% in the previous quarter).