The central bank said its September sentiment indicator for the industrial sector was unchanged on the previous month, at a reading of 97. "In September, industrial activity remained stable: the contraction in the automotive and equipment manufacturing sectors was offset by the growth in the food industry and certain sectors of the consumer goods production industry," the Bank of France said in its survey. Its sentiment indicator for the services sector slipped back to 96 from 97 in August, although the Bank said activity picked up over the month, notably in the transport and computer and information services sectors. For the months ahead, the Bank of France said it expected activity in industry to remain stable, but the outlook for the services sector was less bright, with a slowdown expected in the short term.