Activity in the services sector in the eurozone fell slightly in July. That emerges from definitive figures from market researcher Markit.
The purchasing managers’ index, which reflects the activity in the sector, recorded a level of 53.2, compared to 53.6 a month earlier. A provisional estimate indicated a level of 53.3. A position above 50 indicates growth, each figure below it indicates contraction. The composite index, including industry, came in at 51.5, compared with 52.2 a month earlier.
The index for the German services sector was 54.5, against a level of 55.8 in June. The indicator for the service sector in France was 52.6, where it was 52.9 a month earlier. Levels of 51.7 and 52.9 respectively were measured for Italy and Spain.
The British services sector grew faster than a month earlier. In July, the purchasing managers’ index was 51.4. Economists had expected an average of 50.3.
