Finland’s Q4 flash GDP growth likely to be zero on quarterly basis

Finland's flash GDP growth is expected to have been zero on quarterly basis in Q4. The actual GDP, which will be released later, might be weaker than the flash estimate. The flash estimate is based on deflated monthly sales data. Prior to the recent release of the industrial output data for December, the Q4 flash GDP data seemed to have likely contracted slightly on a quarterly basis.

However, the industrial production data was slightly stronger than expected. Hence, the flash estimate for Q4 seems to be slightly better than expected earlier. However, domestic demand in Q4 most likely was not strong enough to offset the weakness in net exports, implying slight negative growth, despite the upcoming expected flash readings.