INSEE

The INSEE report noted more worryingly that domestic investment was not picking up quickly and had, in fact, fallen by 0.4 percent in the second quarter after a 1.0 percent decline in the first three months.

INSEE said that the Q2 performance was the strongest since early 2011.

INSEE said that second quarter GDP in the Eurozone should rise by 0.1 percent after six consecutive quarters of contraction.

In its latest overview of growth potential and other indicators, INSEE forecast choppy waters for France over the next seven months, despite a modest uptick in Gross Domestic Product in the current quarter.

INSEE noted that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, a sharp decline from an already existing contraction of 0.1 percent in the third quarter of that year.

INSEE also noted household consumption and purchasing power also declined in 2012, by 0.1 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively, compounding the problems for the economy.

INSEE said the industrial confidence index in October fell to 85, down five points from September.

Nandana Ekanayake, Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of INSEE Cement Sri Lanka presented an overview of the company's commitment to build a sustainable nation and spoke on the value of sustainable construction focusing on green manufacturing.

The EU harmonised index of consumer prices should slow down "sharply" to annual growth of 1.1% in May, Insee said, after 1.5% in April.

But Ronan Mahieu, head of Insee's national accounts department, said drug revenues would only ''marginally'' boost France's current GDP of some 2.2 trillion euros ($2.7 trillion), to the tune of ''a few billion euros."