French industrial output drops unexpectedly

By William Horobin

PARIS
French industrial output dropped unexpectedly in October for the second month in a row, data from national statistics bureau Insee showed , providing a further indication of a weak start to the final quarter of 2013 in the euro zone
Industrial production in the currency bloc's second largest economy fell 0.3% in October from September, when it also fell 0.3%, Insee said
Analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires had expected a 0.2% rise in October
The October decline confirms a steady shrinking of output in industry
Over the three months through October, industrial production was 0.6% below the previous three months, Insee said
The disappointment comes after separate data showed Monday that German industrial production dropped 1.2% in October from the previous month
Manufacturing output--a key component of the overall figure for industry--rebounded 0.4% in France in October, buoyed by rising production of vehicles and electronic equipment