-- France's trade deficit increased to 6.86 billion euros in March from the revised 5.51 billion euros in February, according to government data published Thursday.
Analysts expected a 5.6 billion-euro trade deficit for the month.
Exports stood at 52.46 billion euros, compared with a revised 51.95 billion euros earlier, while imports rose to 59.32 billion euros from the revised 57.46 billion euros.