French industry sees investment rising 5%
PARIS: French industry sees investment rising five percent this year and
increasing six percent in the manufacturing sector, with corporate sales
rising five percent overall and in manufacturing, the Bank of France said on
Monday.
The central bank said in an annual survey of nearly 9,000 companies that
industrial activity was expected to rise largely on the back of a
significant pick-up in foreign demand in 2000 compared to 1999 levels.
The central bank said the balance of companies reporting an expected
improvement in demand was at its highest since 1990.
"The importance of debt levels and interest rates are deemed to be of little
influence," the Bank of France said, noting that 1999 industrial turnover
had risen four percent over 1998, with a tapering off in foreign sales.
Physical investment rose three percent, at both industrial and manufacturing
levels in 1999, versus four and seven percent respectively in 1998, it
added. (Reuters)
For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
|Disclaimer|
For comments and feedback send Email
© Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 2000.