The German economy has probably continued to expand at a fast pace in the third quarter, driven mainly by a strong manufacturing sector, the Bundesbank said. "Overall, according to the data available so far, the upward trend in the German economy continued at a speedy pace in the third quarter," the German central bank said in its October monthly report. Activity in the construction sector improved in the quarter, albeit at a slower pace than in the spring, according to the Bundesbank. The central bank also said private consumption showed a mixed picture in the third quarter: sales in the traditional retail sector stagnated, while sales of motor vehicles increased. "Private consumption is, overall, still lacking momentum," it concluded.