Clouds over France
France’s economy is coming to a standstill. The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for France declined 0.6 percent in September to 112.8 (taking 2004 as benchmark), following a 0.5 percent decline in August, and a 0.3 percent decline in July. The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index (CEI) for France, a measure of current economic activity, though, was unchanged in September at 105.6, following a 0.1 percent increase in August, and a 0.1 percent…