Growth in the euro area in December turned out to be lower than expected

 

 Growth in the eurozone in December was lower than expected due to new restrictions imposed by the spread of the coronavirus strain Omicron, which is hampering the recovery of the bloc's dominant services industry, the EU Observer notes.

Growth in the German private sector has evaporated as constraints have hit the services sector hard in Europe's largest economy. In France, the only other country in the Community to report good data, restrictions have also affected hotel and travel companies.