The S&P Global France Composite PMI eased to 48.8 in August 2026 from 49.4 in July and worse than market forecasts of 49.5, flash estimates showed. The data indicated the eighth consecutive month of decline in the country’s private sector, with the pace of contraction quickening from the previous month. The weakness stemmed entirely from services, while manufacturing output rose for the first time since April. In some cases, firms cited extreme heat as a factor weighing on activity.