PARIS (MNINews) – The following is the text of the overview of the
Bank of France’s April monthly business survey:
SUMMARY
In April, industrial activity picked up slightly overall. It grew
in all sectors, except in the automotive sector where it posted a marked
drop as a result of the decline in orders placed with car manufacturers.
The capacity utilisation rate hardly changed compared with the
previous month, remaining well below its long-term average.
Order books remained, on the whole, close to normal levels.
Inventories of final goods were deemed to be at targeted levels.
Forecasts for the coming months continued to point on average to a
slight rise in activity.
Activity in the services sector, still driven by the recovery in
temporary work, recorded slightly stronger growth due, in particular, to
the more pronounced improvement in IT services, technical engineering
and road transport.
Prices hardly varied, while staff levels recorded a small rise.
The outlook for activity and demand for the months ahead appear,
overall, relatively favourable.
–Paris newsroom +331 42 71 55 40, e-mail paris@marketnews.com
[TOPICS: M$F$$$,M$X$$$,M$$EC$,MT$$$$]
