Italian GDP leaped 16.1% in the third
quarter of this year compared to the second quarter, ISTAT said
in a provisional estimate Friday.
This was more than analysts and the government expected.
In year-on-year terms, however, GDP fell 4.7%, the statistics
agency said.
Therefore, the acquired variation for 2020 is -8.2%, ISTAT said.
Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri said the ISTAT figures showed
the government was on target to meet its yearly GDP forecast of
+9%, even with a drop in the fourth quarter.
He said that the government COVID lockdown had "delayed but not
jeopardized the recovery".
Bank of Italy Governor Ignazio Visco said the figure was better
than expected but there were still fears the economy might not
grow as much as forecast because of the second wave of COVID-19
being bigger than expected.
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