French manufacturers happier in November

PARIS, Nov 27 (AFP) – French manufacturers are becoming increasingly optimistic about business prospects in the country and their level of confidence is now at its highest since mid-2001, the statistics institue INSEE reported Thursday.

It said an index measuring industrial sentiment in France gained five points to a reading of 100 in Novemner, “its best level since the spring of 2001.”

“Responses from industry leaders to a November survey confirm an improvement in the level of confidence,” INSEE said.

The survey also found that heads of enterprises have seen a pickup in business activity in the last three months.

“Stocks of finshed products are lower than their average levels,” the study found, adding that foreign-based orders had increased.

In another report INSEE said Thursday that industrial producer prices in France rose 0.1 percent in October from September and were up 0.3 percent from October 2002.

Prices had fallen 0.1 percent in September compared with August.

© AFP

                                                                Subject: French news