Eurozone real GDP grew 0.6% quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter of 2026 on a seasonally adjusted basis, Eurostat said, revising the previous estimate of 0.4% and exceeding the 0.4% Reuters consensus. The economy expanded 1.2% from a year earlier, while European Union growth was revised to 0.7% from 0.5%. Household consumption supported the expansion and exports added to growth, but inventories detracted. Ireland led the eurozone with 10.2% quarterly growth, while Germany rose 0.3%, Spain 0.7% and Italy 0.2%; France was flat and Austria contracted 0.1%. Large-scale artificial-intelligence investment is seen by some as offsetting energy-price pressure linked to the Iran war, although forecasters warn growth could remain below the bloc’s reduced potential rate. The European Central Bank is due to announce its latest rate decision later this week, with markets increasingly pricing a hike to contain energy-driven inflation.