The euro zone economy posted growth of 0.2% in the first quarter of 2010, narrowly up on the previous three-month period but well short of US and Japanese rivals, the EU said today. The euro fell a four-year low under $1.21 this afternoon as traders worried about the euro zone debt crisis and the weak growth figures. The euro went as low as $1.2019 at one stage, touching a low point that was last seen on March 29, 2006. It later recovered a little to stand at $1.2056 this afternoon. Compared with the corresponding three months in 2009, seasonally-adjusted gross domestic product for the 16 countries that share the euro currency showed an increase of 0.6%, revised up from earlier figures. The previous quarter's data was amended to show 0.1% growth having previously been reported as flat. Throughout the 27-nation EU as a whole, which also includes Britain and Poland, the first quarter also showed 0.2% growth, with 0.5% annual growth.