French Business Managers Still See 10% Investment Growth This Year
France's business managers continued to expect a strong recovery in investment this year despite the second wave of coronavirus infections that is hurting economic activity across the world. Business managers forecast 10 percent growth in investment this year, after a 12 percent fall in 2020, results of the April round of a quarterly survey by the statistical office INSEE showed Thursday. Thus, the January forecast was retained. Investment is expected to recover markedly in the agri-food industry and in the other manufacturing sector that includes textile, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and metal work, among others. Companies in the electrical, electronic and machine equipment sector were particularly optimistic and they forecast a solid 27 percent growth in investment, which would entirely erase the 13 percent slump suffered last year. The transport equipment sector is expected to partly reverse the 18 percent slump in investment it suffered last year with 7 percent growth this year. The latest forecast will be further reviewed in July.
