8  ICT investment represented roughly 3% of GDP in the United States compared with 1.5% in the euro area over the period 1980-2005 (source: OECD productivity database). 9  Basu, S., J. Fernald, N. Oulton, and S. Srinivasan.
Following six quarters of negative output growth, euro area real GDP rose by 0.3%, quarter on quarter, in the second quarter of 2013. Measures of confidence and surveys of production have given some support to the view that euro area economic activity should continue its slow recovery in the current quarter, despite weak production data for July.