Following a weak start into the year, the German economy is gaining momentum. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that, compared with the previous quarter, the gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2013 after adjustment for price, seasonal and calendar variations. According to the most recent calculations, the German economy had stagnated in the first quarter of 2013, following a 0.5% decrease of the GDP in the last quarter of 2012. In the second quarter of 2013, positive contributions were made mainly by domestic demand. Final consumption expenditure was up both for ... (full story)