France’s private sector economy continued to lack any impetus for growth, February’s HCOB ‘flash’ PMI® survey data showed, with business activity levels virtually unchanged from the beginning of the year. Stagnation was also seen in employment after back-to-back months of expansion either side of the new year. Weighing on economic performance was a further reduction in new business inflows which shrank for a third successive month and at a pace that was the quickest since last July. Underlying data also revealed a heavy drag emanating from exports. Meanwhile, firms’ expectations for the year ahead weakened slightly, ... (full story)