At 53.6 in September, down from 54.9 in the previous month, the IHS Markit Flash France Composite Output Index remained above the crucial 50.0 nochange mark for a twenty-seventh month in a row, with the latest figure signalling a solid increase in output across the French private sector. That said, the pace of expansion was at a 21-month low. A broad-based slowdown was recorded, with both the manufacturing and service sectors registering weaker gains during September.