France Services Activity Rises to 10-Month High

The S&P Global France Services PMI rose to 51.4 in September 2026 from 48.0 in August, reaching a 10-month high, signalling a return to expansion in the services sector and exceeding market expectations of 48.3, preliminary estimates showed. The upturn in services activity was supported by improving demand and rising sales, while new orders increased for the first time in 10 months, pointing to a renewed improvement in business activity.

The S&P Global France Services PMI fell to 48.0 in August 2026, revising lower than the preliminary estimate of 48.4 and marking a sharper contraction than 49.6 in the previous month. New business declined for the eighth time in the past nine months, with firms citing the impact of extreme heat, particularly on demand from non-domestic markets. Employment also fell once again, as companies continued to avoid replacing departing workers and reduced permanent staff numbers. On the price front, input costs rose further, with higher fuel prices identified as a key source of inflationary pressure. Meanwhile, output charges recorded their highest increase in three months. Looking ahead, French service providers became more optimistic about the 12-month outlook, although confidence remained historically weak and below the survey average. Political uncertainty, weaker client demand, and challenging global economic conditions continued to weigh on sentiment.

The S&P Global France Services PMI fell to 48.4 in August 2026 from 49.6 in July, signaling a faster contraction in services activity, preliminary estimates showed. The reading also defied market expectations for the contraction to ease to 49.8. The downturn was accompanied by further workforce cutbacks, contrasting with the fastest pace of factory job creation in a year. Cost pressures increased at a faster pace among service providers, while selling prices rose at the fastest rate since May. Service companies also cleared backlogs of work at a faster pace in August. Business confidence weakened, with optimism toward the year-ahead outlook falling to its lowest level since May amid uncertainty surrounding the international landscape and domestic political situation.