November 8, 2003	Saturday	Ramazan 12, 1424

FRANKFURT, Nov 7: A sharp contraction in industrial output in Germany in September means that the eurozone’s biggest economy is likely to grow only fractionally in the third quarter, analysts here said on Friday.

Data published by the economy and labour ministry in Berlin showed that German industrial output fell sharply in September, largely as a result of the effects of the summer holidays.

Output fell by 1.2 per cent in September from the figure for August, the ministry calculated.

However, the ministry noted that the summer holidays fell in Sept in the three biggest regional states in Germany and the output figure was therefore likely to be revised upwards later.—AFP