After stumbling last year and part of this year, Belgium’s economy and exchange traded fund (ETF) now appear poised for growth once again.

After four consecutive quarters of contraction, Belgium’s economy is looking at a growth spurt for the fourth quarter. (Struggles Belgium faced). A quarter-on-quarter rise of 0.5% was better than the 0.4% analysts had forecast, reports iFocus.  (Steps Belgium took to save its economy).

Consumer confidence in this country is also optimistic; as economic prospects have improved, fears about employment (or a lack thereof) have eased. Reuters says the index rose to -10 points, rather than the -12 seen previously.

European Union regulators approved Dutch and Belgian state bailouts for ING and KBC banks after both agreed to reduce operations to compensate for the advantages they receive from government aid, reports Associated Press.

For more stories about Belgium, visit our Belgium category.

• iShares MSCI Belgium Investable Market (NYSEArca:EWK): up 56.8% year-to-date

Tags: Belgium, Europe, EWK, Global ETFs