Germany returns to robust growth Germany's export-powered economy has returned to robust growth, helping offset weakness across the rest of the eurozone, including France, where economic activity has stagnated. German gross domestic product expanded by 0.5 per cent in the first quarter of the year compared with the previous three months, the country's statistics office reported on Tuesday. That was much stronger than expected by economists. Positive impulses came from exports but also domestic consumption, according to officials. The data confirmed Germany's position as one of the world's best-performing advanced industrial economies. Unemployment has fallen to the lowest levels since reunification in 1990, while business confidence remains high. German GDP had fallen 0.2 per cent the final quarter of 2011. The latest data confirmed the country had escaped recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction. However, they are unlikely to dispel worries about the impact of the eurozone's re-escalating debt crisis and the economic "shock" effect of a possible Greek exit. Germany's "immunity against downward trends in most other eurozone countries is vanishing," warned Carsten Brzeski, economist at ING in Brussels. Recent falls in companies" order books showed "that the euro crisis is getting closer." In contrast to Germany, much of the rest of the eurozone remains in deep recession. Separately on Tuesday, France reported that growth had stalled in the first three months of this year. First-quarter GDP was unchanged from the fourth quarter, which had seen a 0.1 per cent rise. Figures for overall eurozone GDP will be released later on Tuesday.