The Italian Economy Contracted More Sharply In The Second Quarter
The Italian economy contracted more sharply in the second quarter than previously thought.Gross domestic product (GDP) fell 13 percent quarter on quarter in the three months from April to June 2020 and fell 18 percent year on year, according to the Italian statistical office Istat, and revised its previous estimate.Statisticians originally expected a quarter-on-quarter contraction of 12.8 percent and a year-on-year increase of 17.7 percent.The government expects a partial economic recovery in the second half of the year and predicts a full-year GDP decline of 9 percent.Most international institutions, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, expect the Italian economy to contract by more than 10 percent this year.