FRANKFURT—Robust domestic consumption kept Germany's economy on a steady yet modest growth path at the end of last year, despite weak exports and growing headwinds from the global economy, official data showed Friday.

Germany's gross domestic product grew at a quarterly rate of 0.3% in the fourth quarter—the same rate as in the previous quarter and in line with economists' forecasts, data from Germany's statistical office showed.

Germany kicks off a day of gross domestic product data from across the eurozone on Friday. Some economists warned that the eurozone economy might have already lost steam at the end of last year, as deteriorating prospects for the global economy cast doubt on its growth outlook.

Germany's statistics office said that net trade weighed on growth in the final three months of 2015, as goods exports were down from the third quarter—a sign that companies were feeling the pinch from weak demand from China, Russia and other large developing economies.

Domestic consumption, however, supported Europe's largest economy at the end of last year, Destatis said. Household spending rose again, albeit slightly, in light of a buoyant labor market and rising wages, while falling energy and fuel prices boosted disposable income. Public spending picked up markedly, Destatis said, with the government struggling to accommodate a record influx of migrants.

Moderate growth in Germany and slower growth in France—its GDP grew by just 0.2% in the final three months of last year compared with 0.3% in the third quarter—raises questions about the health of the wider eurozone at the end of 2015.

Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal last week forecast that the eurozone economy grew at a quarterly rate of 0.3% in the fourth quarter, unchanged from the third quarter. But a string of weak national industrial production data released earlier this week have increased the chances of a weaker outcome. The European Union statistics agency is due to publish flash GDP data at 10:00 GMT Friday.

Write to Nina Adam at nina.adam@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 12, 2016 03:05 ET (08:05 GMT)

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