News about the french

French industrial production unexpectedly declined in December as demand for manufactured goods remained weak after the economy emerged from a recession. Output at factories and utilities fell 0.1 percent from November when it increased a revised 0.6 percent, about half the rate originally reported, Insee, the Paris-based statistics office, said today. The median forecast of 10 economists was a 0.5 percent increase. France’s economy emerged from the recession in the second quarter, helped by government incentives for purchases of cars and other stimulus measures. The stimulus measures are being withdrawn this year and that may hurt demand at a time of rising unemployment. Read full story here...