Euro zone economic growth in the third quarter defied market expectations of a slowdown and was steady quarter-on-quarter, preliminary data showed on Thursday, while headline inflation slowed because of a sharp fall in energy prices. The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat estimated gross domestic product in the 19 countries sharing the euro grew 0.2 percent in the July-September period against the previous three months, the same as in the second quarter. Economists polled by Reuters had expected growth of only 0.1%. But GDP data for Germany, the euro zone’s biggest economy, is only due on Nov 14, so the Eurostat estimate for the whole euro zone could be revised downwards if market expectations of negative third quarter growth in Germany are confirmed. Separately, Eurostat said euro zone consumer prices rose 0.7 year-on-year percent in October, down from 0.8 percent year-on-year in September. The European Central Bank […]