MADRID, Oct 29, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Spain's economic growth slowed slightly in the third quarter as exports fell, preliminary data showed Wednesday.

Gross domestic product in the eurozone's fourth-largest economy rose 0.6 percent in the July-September period from the previous quarter, the national statistics institute INE said in a statement.

That is down from a 0.8 percent recorded in the second quarter.

Exports of goods and services fell 0.6 percent in the third quarter, the statistics office said, ending a two-year run of consecutive gains.

Despite the slowdown, the data suggest Spain remains on track to meet Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's target of full-year growth of 2.7 percent.

The third-quarter GDP data "keep the Spanish economy in positive territory and reflect a growth pattern that differs from the rest of Europe," economist Manuel Hidalgo of the Esade Business School told AFP.

Spain's economy has been outperforming its peers, recording 3.5 percent growth in 2024 compared with a one-percent EU average.

The International Monetary Fund recently raised its full-year growth forecast for Spain for 2025 to 2.9 percent from 2.5 percent previously.

Tourism remains a key engine of growth, with more than 22 million foreign visitors recorded in July and August alone

Rising business investment and steady consumer demand have also underpinned Spanish growth.