Italy's economy contracts by 0.3 pct in Q2: ISTAT

ROME, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) slumped by 0.3 percent in the second quarter (Q2) of the year compared to the previous quarter, preliminary data from the government's statistics institute showed Monday.

The GDP in Q2 was still 0.6 percent higher than the same period a year earlier, said Italy's National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).

In a statement, ISTAT said the trend of