German finance ministry sees "much slower" growth from Q2

BERLIN: German economic growth slowed in the second quarter of 2011, and this weakness is likely to continue into the second half of the year, the country's finance ministry said in its monthly report published on Friday.

"In the second quarter, the economic upturn in Germany probably continued at a much slower pace," the report said. "Industry in particular showed a reduction in the pace of expansion," the report continued.

Analysts expect Europe's growth of biggest economy to slow to 0.5 percent in the second quarter and continue at that clip after a bumper 1.5 percent expansion in the first three months of the year, a Reuters poll last week showed.

Copyright Reuters, 2011