German real GDP slows in 2013.

Germany's price-adjusted GDP growth eased to 0.4% in 2013 from 0.7% in 2012 and missed consensus of 0.5%. "The German economy suffered from the continuing recession in some European countries and from restrained growth of the global economy," the Federal Statistical Office said. "Strong domestic demand could offset those factors only to a limited extent." The trade balance hurt growth by 0.3 percentage point, which might assuage criticism that Germany relies too much on exports.