Latest data released by Markit - 22 March 2019

  • Prior 51.5
  • Services PMI 48.7 vs 50.6 expected
  • Prior 50.2
  • Composite PMI 48.7 vs 50.7 expected
  • Prior 50.4

Uh oh, are the wheels starting to come off again? The prints here are rather poor as they all fall into contraction territory (below 50.0). Markit notes that French business recovery is running out of steam in the face of deteriorating demand and that "there is definitely a risk of renewed downturn in France".

The euro took a bit of a tumble on the release here with EUR/USD falling from 1.1385 to 1.1360 levels before now being flat on the day at 1.1374.