2021.10.2110:03:00UTC+00French Manufacturers' Confidence Remains Stable

Confidence among French manufacturers remained unchanged in October, survey results from the statistical office Insee showed on Thursday.

The manufacturing confidence index held steady at 107 in October. The score was forecast to fall to 105 from September's initially estimated value of 106.

The balances of opinion on overall order books improved to -6 from -9, while the ones regarding production, be it past or expected, slightly dropped in October. The past production index came in at 11 versus 12 a month ago.

The personal production expectations index fell to 17 from 18 in the previous month. Similarly, the general production expectations indicator stood at 21, down from 22.

The balance on the foreign order books slightly picked up to 15 from 17.

Further, the survey showed that the balance of opinion on the expected variation in the workforce size remained stable at 10.0. The one on the past variation in the workforce size has bounced back sharply to +5, its highest level since April 2019.

The overall business confidence index that comprises the responses of business leaders from sectors namely, manufacturing, construction, services, retail trade and wholesale trade, advanced to 113 in October from 111 in September.