Germany avoided a technical recession and managed to claw some growth. It also enjoyed upwards revisions and a better y/y growth rate. So, Germany managed to print some growth despite tensions with Russia and a general gloom. So, is Germany back to the driver seat, and can pull the euro-zone forward as the locomotive of growth? Not exactly. A 1.2% annual growth rate is still very slow, and it is likely isolated: most other members are lagging behind. Austerity vs. Stimulus Germany has been called to set aside its austerity stance and invest to stir the local and the euro-zone economies. These calls came out clearly from international organizations and also more gently from the ECB. This could come in form of tax cuts or direct investments, but the basic theme is that monetary policy alone is not a panacea, and action is needed from government. Action is not only structural reforms but also stimulus. However, such figures could encourage Germany to do the opposite: , this will reinforce Merkel’s current stance of pursuing a balanced budget next year. German Chancellor Angela Merkel enjoys high approval in her country and for good reasons: Unemployment is falling: The drop of 22K in the ranks of the jobless is blessed news. Low inflation is good: it is hard to convince the public that falling prices can turn into a vicious cycle and even harder in Germany, where there is great fear of hyperinflaiton following the Weimar experience. And now, no recession, so everything’s great, if a 1.2% growth rate can be seen as such. So why should Germany do more? It can continue telling others to become more German and everything will sort itself out. So all in all, if these GDP numbers result in less motivation for German stimulus, we could see the euro-zone continuing to struggle. Unfortunately, it is more likely than not that Germany will be pulled down by its peers rather than the other way around. More opinions: When push comes to shove, Germany will blink on QE Yohay Elam Yohay Elam Yohay Elam: Founder, Writer and Editor I have been into forex trading for over 5 years, and I share the experience that I have and the knowledge that I've accumulated. After taking a short course about forex. Like many forex traders, I've earned a significant share of my knowledge the hard way. Macroeconomics, the impact of news on the ever-moving currency markets and trading psychology have always fascinated me. Before founding Forex Crunch, I've worked as a programmer in various hi-tech companies. I have a B. Sc. in Computer Science from Ben Gurion University. Given this background, forex software has a relatively bigger share in the posts. Yohay's Google Profile View All Post By Yohay Elam Opinions share Read Next 3 Reasons Why Cable Is A Good-Risk Reward Short Trade Yohay Elam 8 years Germany avoided a technical recession and managed to claw some growth. It also enjoyed upwards revisions and a better y/y growth rate. So, Germany managed to print some growth despite tensions with Russia and a general gloom. So, is Germany back to the driver seat, and can pull the euro-zone forward as the locomotive of growth? Not exactly. A 1.2% annual growth rate is still very slow, and it is likely isolated: most other members are lagging behind. Austerity vs. Stimulus Germany has been called to set aside its austerity stance and invest to stir the local and the euro-zone… Regulated Forex Brokers All Brokers Sponsored Brokers Broker Benefits Min Deposit Score Visit Broker 1 $100T&Cs Apply 0% Commission and No stamp DutyRegulated by US,UK & International StockCopy Successfull Traders 9.8 Visit Site FreeBets Reviews$100Your capital is at risk. 2 T&Cs Apply 9.8 Visit Site FreeBets Reviews$100Your capital is at risk. 3 Recommended Broker $100T&Cs Apply No deposit or withdrawal feesTrade major forex pairs such as EUR/USD with leverage up to 30:1 and tight spreads of 0.9 pips Low $100 minimum deposit to open a trading account 9 Visit Site FreeBets ReviewsYour capital is at risk. 4 T&Cs Apply Visit Site FreeBets ReviewsYour capital is at risk. 5 Recommended Broker $0T&Cs Apply Trade gold, silver, and platinum directly against major currenciesUp to 1:500 leverage for forex trading24/5 customer service by phone and email 9 Visit Site FreeBets ReviewsYour capital is at risk.