every day more bad economic data, the possibility of a stagnating economy is going to look pretty attractive soon.

The French economy remained a blot on the eurozone’s economic landscape in April, as leading surveys of the private sector showed the country lagging the pack.  Closely-followed indicators for France revealed that the country’s private sector growth slowed this month. The all-sector purchasing managers’ index (PMI) slipped from March’s 51.5 to 50.2, according to preliminary estimates compiled by Markit.  Any number above 50 would imply that the private side of the economy was growing, a threshold the French index narrowly managed to remain above. While the currency bloc’s other large economies enjoyed stronger scores, analysts at French banks declared that the country was still limp.  Frederik Ducrozet, an economist at Crédit Agricole, said that France was “still lost in stagnation”. Ken Wattret, of BNP Paribas, said that the reading “looks very disappointing”.  Both the manufacturing and services components of the French PMI fell in April, to 48.4 and 50.8 respectively, as the country's industrial sector continues to shrink. Jack Kennedy, an economist at Markit, said: "Output growth stuttered almost to a halt in April, signalling a continuation of the moribund economic environment." ... the French economy is a basket case and has been for some time. They have gold plated rules so business can't sack people, pension rights that are bankrupting the Country, taxes through the roof; workers who strike all the time.   People can't set up companies or grow businesses because over regulation by the State which actually penalises you if you want to grow your business and have massive disincentives for employing more people.  Yes Motorways and TGV are good, but then they have huge areas which are not developed unlike us which makes it so hard and expensive to put in new roads or railways; whereas in France who have huge tracks of land virtually empty to buy and build on. Huge numbers of French people have come to our more liberal shores to set up and run businesses. France is effectively closed to international business whereas we are open and welcoming.  The huge growth in jobs in the UK and reduction in levels of unemployment has been very rapid over the last 2 years. In France Unemployment, and particularly long term and youth unemployment remain stuck at over 10% and getting worse.