French Economy Grows 0.2% in Q2 2026 Amid Rise in Spending & Exports

Overview of France's Economic Performance in 2026 Second Quarter Growth Data PARIS, July 30 (Reuters) - The French economy grew by 0.2 percent during the second quarter, official data showed on Thursday, in line with a Reuters analyst poll, as a pickup in household spending and exports boosted the euro zone's second-biggest economy. Comparison with First Quarter The second-quarter growth came after the French economy retracted by 0.1 percent during the first quarter. Revised Growth Forecast for 2026 Earlier in July, France cut its overall growth forecast for the whole of 2026 to 0.7% from 0.9%. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Diana Mandia Alvarez; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Key Takeaways France’s economy edged up by 0.2% in Q2 2026, reversing the 0.1% drop in Q1 and aligning with consensus expectations. ( ec.europa.eu ) Earlier in July, both the government and INSEE downgraded France’s full‐year 2026 growth forecast from around 0.9% to 0.7%, citing weak early‐year performance and global uncertainty. ( investing.com ) Despite Q2 growth, rising unemployment (up 0.8% in absolute jobseekers) and pressure on public finances highlight enduring vulnerabilities in the economy. ( lemonde.fr )