The eurozone economy enjoyed brisk growth in the third-quarter, boosting optimism about its underlying strength even as clear signs emerge that global financial turmoil is taking its toll in the final months of 2007.

Sharp rebounds in France and Germany resulted in gross domestic product rising by 0.7 per cent in the three months to September in the 13-country eurozone. That was more than double the 0.3 per cent seen in the second quarter and close to rates seen at the end of 2006 and in the first months of this year.