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French manufacturing sector ends 2023 with strongest deterioration in operating conditions since May 2020
France's manufacturing sector sank deeper into contraction at the end of 2023, rounding off what has been an intensely difficult year for goods producers in the euro area's second-largest economy. Declines in production, new orders and purchasing activity worsened, while factory jobs were lost for a seventh straight month amid signs of rapidly alleviating capacity pressures. Meanwhile, input prices fell after stabilising in November, prompting more aggressive discounting. The seasonally adjusted HCOB France Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ IndexTM (PMI®), compiled by S&P Global, fell to its lowest level ... (full story)