WRAPUP 1-Europe's economy hit hard as energy price shock stifles demand
Published on: May 21, 2026, 3:13 p.m. | Source: Devdiscourse
Private sector activity in Germany, Europe's largest economy, contracted for a second consecutive month in May while in France the headline PMI fell to its lowest in five-and-a-half years with firms frequently citing fuel and energy cost pressures, as well as general economic angst, as reasons for lower output. In Britain, outside the European Union, companies suffered their most widespread drop in activity in over a year due to the economic fallout from the Iran war and political uncertainty at home.
