European Monetary Union Markit Manufacturing PMI below expectations (50.8) in December: Actual (50.6)

Germany’s manufacturing sector showed signs of a return to growth in December with the seasonally adjusted Markit/BME Germany Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index printing at 51.2, up from November’s 17-month low of 49.5. The latest index reading was indicative of a modest improvement in operating conditions. New orders returned to growth in December, thereby ending a three-month period of contraction.