Austria: Economy flatlines in Q2 2026
GDP reading: Austria’s economy stagnated on a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis, posting 0.0% growth in Q2 following a 0.2% rise in the previous quarter. Q2’s reading was the weakest since Q3 2024. The sharp rise in oil prices caused by the war in Iran weighed on the domestic economy, halting its recovery.
On a year-on-year basis, economic output expanded 0.8% in Q2, following a 0.9% expansion in the previous quarter.
Economy stagnates as consumption contracts: Compared to the previous quarter’s data, readings in Q2 softened for private consumption (-0.1% in seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter terms vs +0.2% in Q1) and government consumption (-0.1% vs +1.6% in Q1). In contrast, readings strengthened for fixed investment (+0.4% vs 0.0% in Q1), exports of goods and services (+0.5% vs -0.7% in Q1) and imports of goods and services (+0.6% vs -0.5% in Q1).
Panelist insight: EIU analysts commented on the outlook:
“We forecast that real GDP growth will remain lacklustre at 0.8% in 2026 as the conflict in the Middle East keeps inflation elevated and weighs on consumer demand (which we had previously been expecting to drive stronger growth this year).”