Here come European PMIs...
The purchasing managers' index from Markit gives an indication of whether service sectors are growing or contracting, giving a number between 0 and 100 to indicate just how fast or slow.
Anything above 50 signals growth - the higher the better - while below means contraction.
We're also getting composite estimates for December growth in Germany, France, and Europe as a whole - in other words, how the economy did overall.
Here's what we've got so far:
- Spain: Big miss - 55.1, against a forecast of 56.4 and down from November's figure of 56.7;
- Italy: Big beat - 55.3, against a forecast of 53.6 and up from November's figure of 53.4.
- French services: Miss - 49.8, against a forecast of 50, flat on November's figure.
- French economy: 50.1, down from 50.3 in November.
We'll update this post with figures for France, Germany, Britain, and the Eurozone as a whole as they come in. Keep checking back.