Around 800,000 people demonstrated across France, including 250,000 in Paris, according to the CGT. The march in Paris began at 2 pm from the Porte d'Italie and headed for the Porte de Vincennes after the route was changed by the Police Headquarters at the last minute. October 24, 2026. (Photo by Telmo Pinto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Economic expansion in the euro zone slowed to 0.4% in the third quarter, statistics agency Eurostat said on Friday.

The 21-nation euro area rebounded to 0.6% growth in the second quarter, following stagnation in the first three months of the year.

The flash third quarter reading was nonetheless higher than the 0.2% growth that was forecast in a Reuters poll of economists.

However, France's economy unexpectedly contracted by 0.1% over the July to September period. The country is grappling with soaring borrowing costs as investors balk at a political struggle to reduce its high budget deficit and mounting national debt.…