Compared to the previous quarter, the domestic economy recorded a real increase of 0.2 percent. The Iran war only partially influenced the quarter.
Despite numerous global trouble spots, Austrian economic output increased slightly in the first three months of the year. According to Wifo flash estimates, gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.2 percent in real terms in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter. After the stagnation in the fourth quarter of 2025, there was a slight increase again, according to Wifo on Thursday. The outbreak of the Iran war only partially influenced this quarter.
In industry, value added rose moderately by 0.4 percent, but in the construction industry it fell again, this time by 0.5 percent. In the areas of trade, transport, accommodation and gastronomy, value added fell by 0.4 percent. “The Iran war may also have contributed to the decline in the transport sector, but trade made a positive contribution to growth,” writes Wifo in a press release.
Economic performance was supported by consumption. Private household consumption rose by 0.8 percent, while public consumption demand increased by 0.4 percent. Exports were almost stagnant, while imports were 0.9 percent higher than the previous quarter. (APA)
