Italy's economy grew faster than expected during the second quarter

 Rome center

 Italy's economy grew by 1.0% during the second quarter of the year compared to the previous three months, according to preliminary data released on Friday.

This figure is higher than expected, despite the problematic situations created as a result of the war in Ukraine.

On an annual basis, second-quarter gross domestic product in the eurozone's third-largest economy rose 4.6%, according to ANSA.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast an increase of 0.3% compared to the previous quarter, and 3.7% compared to the same period last year.

Friday's data followed quarterly growth of 0.1% in the first three months of the year and a 6.2% rise from the same period a year earlier.

This was the sixth consecutive quarter of economic growth for Italy.

ISTAT said that the industry and service sectors had grown, while agricultural production had declined. "A positive contribution to economic growth came from the domestic component, while the net foreign component generated a negative contribution," the statement said.

Italy, like the rest of Europe, is facing increasingly challenging economic conditions as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has raised energy costs and uncertainty for businesses.

The government in April revised its economic growth forecast for 2022 down to 3.1% from the 4.7% forecast last September. The International Monetary Fund predicted this week that the Italian GDP will grow by 3.0% this year compared to the average growth of 2.6% that the eurozone will have.

However, given the political instability that is returning to Italy following the collapse last week of Prime Minister Mario Draghi's government of national unity, the economy could go through a difficult period through the end of 2022. Data released earlier this week showed that business and consumer morale fell in July.