PARIS, Dec 9 (Reuters) – France’s economy is set to notch up modest growth in the final quarter of the year thanks to firm industrial activity, despite domestic political uncertainty, the Bank of France said on Tuesday in its latest business sentiment survey.
The euro zone’s second-biggest economy is set to grow 0.2% in the fourth quarter, down from 0.5% in the previous three months, the central bank forecast.
That would leave France in good stead to achieve, if not surpass, the 0.8% annual growth expected by the government this year as the economy proves relatively resilient in the face of recurring political instability.
France has faced recurring political crises, with minority governments struggling to pass crucial budget legislation, since President Emmanuel Macron lost his majority in a snap election last year.
The central bank’s monthly survey, which polled executives from roughly 8,500 companies between November 26 and December 3, pointed to continued economic momentum in November, driven largely by industrial activity outperforming its long-term average for the sixth consecutive month.
The survey found that the upswing in industry was stronger than anticipated, fuelled by a surge in production of computer, electronic, and optical products.
Meanwhile, the agro-food and automotive sectors showed signs of revival, adding breadth to the recovery. The resilience in industry contrasted with more subdued trends in services and construction, which saw little change during the same period.
Looking ahead to December, businesses expect growth to persist in industry, albeit at a slower pace, while services and building activity are forecast to remain largely flat.
(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
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