German economic growth is losing some momentum. As the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) already reported in its first release of 15 November 2016, the gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.2% - upon price, seasonal and calendar adjustment - in the third quarter of 2016 compared with the previous quarter. In the first half of the year, the GDP had increased somewhat more, by 0.4% in the second quarter and 0.7% in the first quarter.