The French private sector contracted for the first time in over a year in February, flash data from Markit showed Monday.
The flash composite output index dropped to a 13-month low of 49.8 in February from 50.2 in January. A reading below 50 indicates contraction in the sector.
The manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose unexpectedly to 50.3 from 50 a month ago. Economists had forecast the indicator to fall to 49.9.
Meanwhile, the services PMI slid to 49.8 from 50.3. It was expected to rise marginally to 50.4 in February.
"The private sector economy continues to follow a broadly stagnant path, with first-quarter GDP looking likely to remain sluggish following a 0.2 percent rise at the end of 2015," Jack Kennedy, a senior economist at Markit, said.
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