2026.09.2307:27:59UTC+00France Services Activity Rise to 10-Month High

The S&P Global France Services PMI rose to 51.4 in September 2026 from 48.0 in August, its highest level since November 2025, according to preliminary estimates. The latest reading signaled a return to expansion in France’s services sector, driven by stronger demand and higher sales. New orders edged up for the first time in ten months, while backlogs of work increased at the fastest rate in nearly three-and-a-half years.

However, despite the pickup in activity, employment continued to fall, with private-sector staffing declining for a fifth consecutive month. Business confidence weakened as well, with firms pointing to higher interest rates, political uncertainty, and intensifying international competition as key concerns.

At the same time, price pressures strengthened. Both input costs and output charges rose at their fastest pace since May, as companies reported higher fuel, energy, metals, and component prices.