Business activity edged up slightly across Germany's service sector in September, according to the latest PMI® survey compiled by S&P Global, following a notable decline the month before. Demand remained under pressure, however, as signalled by a sharp and accelerated drop in new business, with companies using backlogs of work to support activity. Employment in the sector fell - albeit marginally – for the first time since mid-2020 as firms' expectations towards future activity weakened. On the price front, services companies faced another steep rise in operating expenses, but competitive pressures saw them raise ... (full story)