Official figures have confirmed a disappointing contraction for the German economy in the final quarter of last year while the country was struggling with a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Gross domestic product shrank by 0.7 per cent in the October to December quarter compared to the previous quarter, according to the Federal Statistical Office on Friday. The contraction contributed to lower-than-expected GDP growth of 2.8 per cent in 2021 as a whole for Europe’s most important economy, according to the latest data. This was low compared to many other major European economies, includ…