The S&P Global France Services rose to 51.4 in September 2026 from 48.0 in the previous month, reaching the highest level since November 2025, preliminary estimates showed. The reading signalled a return to expansion in France’s services sector, with activity supported by improving demand and rising sales. New orders also increased marginally, marking the first improvement in ten months, while outstanding business rose at the fastest pace in nearly three-and-a-half years. Despite the improvement in activity, employment continued to decline, with private-sector staffing falling for a fifth consecutive month. Business confidence also weakened, with firms citing higher interest rates, political uncertainty and international competition. Meanwhile, price pressures intensified, with input costs and output charges rising at their fastest pace since May, as companies cited higher fuel, energy, metals and component costs.