At 48.7 in March, the IHS Markit Flash France Composite Output Index fell from 50.4 in February, signalling a renewed decline in private sector business activity. Contributing to the downturn was an acceleration in the rate of new order decline, driven by the sharpest fall in new export business for nearly three years. Meanwhile, input price inflation eased from February, and employment grew at the slowest pace since December 2016. The moderate contraction in output was driven by declines in both the manufacturing and service sectors. Goods producers saw output fall at the fastest pace since December, with panellists ... (full story)