French threw up a nasty surprise
Damir Sangolj/Reuters
This is below economic forecasts of a 0.5% expansion.
Meanwhile, manufacturing production contracted 1.1% year-on-year, much lower than the expected 1.2% rise. It's France's worst industrial contraction since 2014.
It mirrors Germany, whose industrial production contracted 1.3% in March. On the plus side, German exports enjoyed an uptick, rising 1.9%.
Germany's Economy Ministry remained positive, saying the export figures suggested things were looking up:
"The industrial sector has overcome its foreign trade related weak phase of the second half of 2015," it said. "The economic trend in the industrial sector is currently pointing upward."
- I got a $40K raise using this 30-second strategy. It made me realize loud work, not hard work, always wins.
- Qatar Airways' new CEO explains why it's sticking with the Airbus A380 as other airlines retire the costly superjumbo
- Prince Harry and Meghan found out about Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis on TV like everyone else, report says
- BenQ Zowie EC2-CW review – Premium wireless mouse for gamers
- Banks' GNPAs set to improve further to 2.1 pc by FY25: Care Ratings
- FPIs make remarkable comeback, infuse ₹2 lakh cr in FY24
- PM Modi and Bill Gates discuss AI, climate change, millets and more
- Consuming excessive salt and inadequate potassium, protein is making North Indians prone to life-threatening diseases: Study