It was the seventh consecutive period of expansion mainly boosted by net external demand as exports of goods and services expanded 1.5 percent (-1.8 percent in Q3), while imports advanced at a slower 0.8 percent (-3 percent in Q3). By contrast, domestic demand shrank by 0.1 percent (-0.4 percent in Q3), due to a 1.6 percent contraction of gross fixed capital formation (-2.7 percent in Q3) while government expenditure showed no growth (-0.5 percent in Q3) and household consumption grew at a slower 0.2 percent (+0.4 percent in Q3).
Total employment advanced 0.7 percent, following a 0.5 percent contraction in the precedent quarter.
Year-on-year, the economy advanced 1.3 percent, easing from a 1.4 percent growth in the previous quarter. Domestic demand grew 2.1 percent, the same as in the previous quarter, as households spending expanded by 2.4 percent (+2.3 percent in Q3) and public expenditure increased by 0.9 percent (+1 percent in Q3). Fixed investment contracted 0.9 percent (+2 percent in Q3). Exports increased by 2.3 percent (+4 percent in Q3) and imports went up by 4.3 percent (+5.4 percent in Q3). As a result, net exernal demand registered a significant negative contribution to the economy's growth.
Considering full 2015, the GDP expanded by 1.5 percent (+0.9 percent in 2014), supported by private and public consumption while net external demand held back growth.