Strong growth in the French manufacturing sector continued in the first quarter of 2018, albeit at a slower pace than observed in December and January. February's data also point to a moderation in the rise in the overall volume of new orders and new export orders, a trend leading to a slowdown in the (still marked) expansion of employment, purchasing activity and production. At the same time, French manufacturers' confidence strengthened for the sixth consecutive month, reaching its highest level since the start of the survey. Purchasing and selling prices continue to rise sharply, with inflation rates declining very slightly compared with January. More information here