In Western Europe GDP appears to have fallen in the second quarter, mainly because of the strikes in West Germany and the UK. Growth in North America and to a lesser extent in Japan was slowing down but still fast enough to keep the total output of the OECD area on its upward course. For the first half of the year this was probably about 2½ per cent up on the second half of 1983 and 5 per cent up on the first half.