The eurozone's private sector contracted for the second month in October, with a slight PMI rise to 49.7. Services slowed unexpectedly, while manufacturing remained in contraction. Germany showed improvement, but France's situation worsened significantly. Employment declined for the third consecutive month, with businesses reducing workforce numbers. The ECB faces challenges as inflation pressures ease in manufacturing but remain high in services. Market reactions included a slight euro increase and declines in sovereign bond yields, while European equities rallied. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)