Italy's economy contracted slightly in the fourth quarter of 2022, hit by inflation and an energy crisis linked to the Ukraine war, the Istat national statistics office said Tuesday.

Gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 0.1 percent in the final three months of last year compared to the previous quarter, according to an initial estimate.

Over the year, however, it grew 3.9 percent compared to 2021, exceeding the government's forecast of 3.7 percent.

The eurozone in general recorded growth of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, official data showed Tuesday, although German GDP shrank 0.2 percent over the same period.

"After seven consecutive quarters of growth, the Italian economy recorded a slight downturn" in the fourth quarter, Istat said in a statement.

This reflects a reduction in economic activity in agriculture and industry, and a slight increase in the services sector, it said.