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Demand for French services falls at fastest pace in three years, pulling activity lower once again
Weakness in the French service sector extended to November, HCOB PMI® data showed, as new business receipts fell at the fastest pace in three years, leading activity levels to fall strongly yet again. Growth expectations for the next 12 months subsequently weakened, while the upturn in employment was only marginal as some companies resorted to lay-offs to reduce costs. As for prices, output charge inflation ticked up to a four-month high as input cost pressures remained historically sharp. The seasonally adjusted HCOB France Services PMI® Business Activity Index – which measures changes in the volume of business ... (full story)