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Eurozone downturn at its weakest since July 2023
Tentative signs of improvement in the euro area economy were seen at the start of the year, January’s HCOB PMI® survey showed, as contractions in business activity and new orders softened, while growth expectations strengthened to a nine-month high. There was also a stabilisation of employment, which had previously contracted in the final two months of 2023, while export1 demand fell at its slowest pace since last April. Stubborn inflationary pressures remained apparent, particularly for prices charged by firms for goods and services. Both output prices and input costs rose at their sharpest rates for eight ... (full story)