As a result, economic growth turned out to be weaker than expected: euro area real GDP increased by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in the last two quarters of 2018, down from 0.4% in the first two quarters (on the basis of preliminary figures). Factors of idiosyncratic nature have been pulling growth down as well.
These relate to temporary issues in the automotive sector due to new regulation, street protests and weather conditions. While there is uncertainty about the magnitude and persistence of these factors, near-term growth in the euro area is likely to be weaker than previously anticipated. Turning to the global environment, global growth is showing signs of a maturing economic cycle.