French economy, exports edge up in Q3

The French economy grew by 0.3 percent in the third quarter of 2009
, the country's central bank said in an estimate published on
Thursday, after the major EU economy emerged from recession. The
figure from the Bank of France followed a slightly higher
third-quarter growth forecast of 0.5 percent by the INSEE national
statistics agency, which estimated a 2.2- percent contraction overall
in 2009 in the worldwide downturn. According to INSEE, France
emerged from recession in the second quarter of 2009 , with 0.3
percent growth in gross domestic product, after four quarters of
contraction. The bank also published on Thursday its monthly
industrial confidence index, which it said strengthened slightly in
September from 89 to 92 points, well up from a low point of 68 at
the height of the crisis in December. Separate figures from the French
customs authorities showed the country's trade deficit -- the amount
by which imports exceed exports -- fell to 3.4 billion euros (five
billion dollars) in August. This was due notably to some major exports
of transport equipment such as Airbus planes.