Feb. Service Index: SA 51.2
Jan. Service Index: SA 53.2

FRANKFURT (MktNews) - The -NTC seasonally adjusted services index for Germany fell to 51.2 in February from 53.2 in January, showing that the pace of growth in the services sector moved closer to a standstill, Monday.
The February index level is the lowest since May 1999 and confirms
An index reading above 50 signals that activity is expanding, a reading below 50 that it is contracting. The higher the reading above 50, the faster the growth.
Input prices rose in February, while prices charged declined. This indicates that while inflationary pressures from oil and the weak euro are still strong, services companies are not passing the higher prices on customers.
The input prices index rose to 54.8 in February from 53.2 in January. The input prices subindex rose for the first time since September 2000, when it reached a record level of 66.3
Service prices charged actually fell in February. The prices charged index fell to 49.8 after 50.1 in January, and thus below the 50 threshold for the first time since December 1999. The decline in the index in February was the fifth in succession.
The other components of the overall activity index declined, except outstanding business. Three of the six subindexes are now below the 50 level.
The incoming new business subindex fell to 49.1 from 50.4 in January and the outstanding business subindex remained below 50 despite rising slightly from 47.2 to 47.7 in January. February was the fifth month of contraction for outstanding business.
The business expectations subindex fell to 61.2 in February from 64.7 in January, though it remained relatively high.
The employment subindex fell to a seasonally adjusted 51.3 from 51.6 in January, marking the fifth straight decline.
The German services index is based on a survey of business executives at 460 service companies and covers about 40% of Germany's economy in terms of output.