GDP increased by 0.8% in both the euro area (EA17) and the EU27 during the first quarter of 2011, compared with the previous quarter, according to flash estimates published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the fourth quarter of 2010, growth rates were +0.3% in the euro area and +0.2% in the EU27.

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 2.5% in both the euro area and the EU27 in the first quarter of 2011, after +2.0% and +2.2% respectively in the previous quarter.

During the first quarter of 2011, US GDP increased by 0.4% compared with the previous quarter (after +0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2010). Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, US GDP rose by 2.3% (after +2.8% in the previous quarter).