Mumbai, Aug. 6 -- European Central Bank (ECB) stated in its latest monthly bulletin today that Euro area GDP was unchanged in the first quarter of 2026, but expanded by 0.3%, quarter on quarter, excluding volatile Irish data. Domestic demand weakened in the first quarter, as private consumption growth slowed slightly and investment fell - mainly in construction. Incoming data suggest that the war in the Middle East had contained but uneven effects on activity in the second quarter, with notable differences across sectors.
Consumer-related services were the most affected, although survey evidence points to a partial recovery following the initial shock. By contrast, digital services and the manufacturing sectors remained resilient despite h...