OTTAWA - The Canadian economy exceeded low expectations to grow at an annual rate of 0.8 per cent in the final three months of 2015.

A consensus of economists had predicted real GDP for the fourth quarter to produce a flat reading, according to Thomson Reuters.

Statistics Canada says the economy grew by 1.2 per cent in 2015 - less than half of the 2.5 per cent pace for 2014.

The economy fell into a technical recession at the start of 2015 when it contracted over the first two quarters by a revised 0.9 per cent and again by a revised 0.4 per cent.

Real GDP increased by a revised 2.4 per cent in the third quarter.

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