-- The decline in France's private sector business activity worsened in April due to a steeper contraction in the service sector, while manufacturing production expanded at the strongest rate in over four years.
The S&P Global Flash France Composite PMI Output Index hit a 14-month low of 47.6 in April, against the prior reading of 48.8, data from S&P Global showed Thursday. Analysts expected a reading of 48.6.
For the manufacturing sector, the PMI was at a 47-month high of 52.8, compared with the March reading of 50 and the consensus estimate of 49.5. On the other hand, the services PMI clocked in at a 14-month low of 46.5, compared with the previous 48.8 and market forecast of 48.4.