{
  "id": 14018308,
  "title": "French economy posts minimal growth in third quarter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/french-economy-posts-minimal-growth-in-third-quarter",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-12T18:05:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Investing.com",
    "slug": "investing-com",
    "url": "https://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/french-economy-posts-minimal-growth-in-third-quarter-93CH-4945036"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "France's economy grew by a mere 0.1% in the third quarter, the Bank of France reported on Monday. The service sector helped offset declines in manufacturing, construction, and agriculture. The euro zone's second-largest economy showed a slight improvement from the previous quarter when it remained stagnant. The central bank's estimate remained unchanged from earlier projections, based on a monthly survey of 8,500 company executives. Manufacturing output continued to rise in September, although at a slower pace than expected. Demand remained strong in aerospace and electrical equipment sectors, with the latter boosted by data center construction. Construction activity grew minimally, helped by a rebound in structural work delayed by summer heatwaves. However, order books remained thin, especially for single-family homes. Companies faced pressure from rising costs and weak sales, while industrial raw material prices, including energy, fuel, and metals, surged in September. Companies only partially passed on these increases to customers. Cash positions deteriorated in both industry and services sectors. Restaurants faced weak demand, while professional services firms reported longer payment delays. Business leaders' uncertainty rose in September, reversing a steady decline since March. Fuel prices were the main concern for companies. Some companies are delaying projects, and households are becoming more cautious with spending, the central bank stated. For October, firms anticipate industrial output to accelerate, though car production is expected to fall sharply due to temporary plant shutdowns linked to supply shortages. Service activity is expected to grow at a slower pace, while construction is forecast to remain relatively stable. The national statistics agency, INSEE, will release its preliminary third-quarter GDP reading on October 30.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}