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France: Strong private sector growth continues at start of 2018
January flash data point to further strong growth in the French private sector economy. At 59.7, the IHS Markit Flash France Composite Output Index signalled a rate of expansion that was broadly unchanged from the prior survey period and only just shy of November’s six-and-a-half year peak (60.3). Encouragingly, the expansion was broad-based across both the manufacturing and services sectors. A fractional pick-up in the rate of increase at service providers was partially offset by a slight moderation at their manufacturing counterparts. The rates of growth remained historically marked in each case nonetheless. As ... (full story)