germanys economy grew less in the third quarter than initially reported german statistics office destatis said thursday gross domestic product rose by an adjusted 17 from the previous quarter according to destatis in its second estimate for the period this expansion was less than economists expectations of 18 growth in the wall street journals survey gdp grew 25 on year in the third quarter on a calendar and priceadjusted basis destatis said confirming the preliminary estimate and in line with forecasts of economists polled by the journal compared with the fourth quarter of 2019 the quarter before the coronavirus crisis began in europe gdp was 11 lower in the third quarter of 2021 destatis said in the third quarter household consumption rose 62 on the quarter after adjustment for price seasonal and calendar variations government final consumption expenditure decreased by 22 investment fell being 37 down in equipment and 23 down in construction foreign trade decreased in the third quarter exports posted a 10 decline and imports fell by 06 compared with the previous quarter