The French economy slipped into recession in the first quarter of 2013, preliminary data from statistical office Insee showed Wednesday.
The gross domestic product declined 0.2 percent quarter-on-quarter in the first quarter of 2013. This followed a 0.2 percent contraction in the fourth quarter of 2012, which is revised from the previous estimate of 0.3 percent fall.
This was the third decrease in GDP in the past four quarters. Economists had forecast a 0.1 percent shrinkage for the first three months of this year.
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