Keep sliding the Italian manufacture. Last month the PMI index stood at 47,9 points, remaining for the eighth consecutive month below the 50 threshold, which marks the boundary between expansion and contraction. However, this is a slightly higher figure than expected, the highest in the last six months. This is stated by the monthly survey on category purchasing managers by Markit and Adaci, which records the umpteenth drop in the orders, production and employment chapters.
Published on 22 March, the 'flash' survey on manufacturing in the entire euro area disappointed the expectations of the financial markets with a drop to 47,7 after 49,0 in February.
