Italy slips into recession for third time in a decade

Country's economy shrinks by 0.2% amid weakening growth rates across the eurozone

Italy's economy fell into recession in the final three months of 2018, in a blow to the country's governing radical centre-right coalition, which pledged to boost the country's persistently low GDP growth.

The 0.2% drop in the eurozone's third largest economy between October and December followed a 0.1% fall in the previous three months, the Italian statistics agency said. Declining GDP growth over two consecutive quarters put Italy in recession. It is the third time the country has fallen into recession in a decade.