-
French service sector continues to weaken in October
Business activity across France's service sector fell at a strong pace at the start of the fourth quarter, latest HCOB PMI® data showed, and although the rate of decline did lose some momentum, it was only marginally weaker than September's 34-month record. A further marked reduction in demand for services from customers both domestically and internationally was a key factor behind October's contraction. A positive from the survey results was sustained growth in employment, despite backlogs falling strongly. Business confidence was however subdued, while input cost inflation intensified amid sustained wage pressures ... (full story)