- Chris Williamson, chief economist from Markit
The final eurozone composite purchasing managers' index fell last month, a sign the eurozone is likely to fall into the recession in the third quarter. As reported by the Markit, the index, which is a gauge of economic growth, fell to a four-month low at 46.1, down from 46.3 in August, slightly above a preliminary estimate of 45.9. The services PMI dropped to the lowest level since July 2009, reaching 46.1, compared to 47.2 in the previous month.
"Rather than clearing, the cloud of uncertainty hanging over business investment and spending got notably darker in September," said Chris Williamson, chief economist from Markit. "There therefore seems little scope for a return to growth in the fourth quarter."
Also Wednesday, the European statistics office, Eurostat, said region's retail sales grew by a seasonally adjusted 0.1% in August, compared to expectations for a 0.1% decline. On a yearly basis, retail sales fell by 1.3% in August, compared to expectations for a 1.9% decline.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index erased 0.09 per cent to 271.37. Germany's DAX Index rose 0.22 per cent to 7,322.08 and France's CAC 40 Index inched lower 0.24 per cent to 3,406.02.
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