Germany's economy grew by 1.7 per cent in 2004, in a robust upturn from the year before, the Federal Statistics Office reported Thursday. The Wiesbaden-based office said the gross domestic product (GDP) figure came after the German economy had shrunk by 0.1 per cent in 2003. Statistics office president Johann Hahlen was due to hold a press conference Thursday to discuss the economic performance figures and current situation in Europe's largest economy.