Taken together, the second and third quarters of 2005 posted a GDP growth of 1% (0.4 % + 0.6 %), half of it due to the sole contribution of capital formation (0.5 %).
As regards price trends over the last few years, headline HICP inflation rates in the euro area have remained elevated, at rates just above 2%, mainly as a result of the strong increases in energy prices and, to a lesser extent, rises in administered prices and indirect taxes.