France’s confidence rebound is already running out of steam - ing think

France's fragile economy faces a double hit as confidence fades and borrowing costs surge The summer improvement in French confidence proved short-lived. In September, the overall business climate fell to 96, moving further below its long-term average, while employment sentiment weakened and consumer confidence remained exceptionally low. Together, these indicators point to subdued domestic demand, cautious hiring and little momentum heading into the autumn. The sectoral breakdown confirms this broad loss of momentum. Retail and services reported softer demand and activity expectations, construction remained under pressure, and the wholesale trade outlook deteriorated amid elevated uncertainty.