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France: Slower falls in output and new orders during March
Operating conditions in the French manufacturing sector continued t o worsen in March. The headline Markit France Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index ® (PMI ® ) – a seasonally adjusted index designed to measure the performance of the manufac turing economy – posted 48.8, up from 47.6 in February. Boosting the headline index wer e weaker reductions in output, new orders, employment and stocks of purchases. Only the suppliers’ delivery times component acted to depress the level of the PMI in the latest survey period. Production at French manufacturers fell for a tenth successive month in March. However, ... (full story)