France PMI Manufacturing was finalized at 58.9, down marginally from March’s 59.3. Markit noted that business conditions improved at “marked, albeit softer, rate”. Output and new orders continued to rise sharply. But there was strongest rate of input cost inflation for a decade.
Eliot Kerr, Economist at IHS Markit, said: “The latest PMI figures saw the continuation of a strong run for the French manufacturing sector. Although rates of growth generally eased, the overall increases in key barometers such as output and new orders remained historically marked, and confidence towards the 12-month business outlook remained elevated. “On the other hand, persistent supply-chain disruption remains a worry, with bottlenecks related to COVID-19 continuing to cause delivery delays and drive prices higher.
