Eurozone businesses are ending the year in slightly better shape than expected, but growth remains weak, particularly in Europe’s biggest economy, Germany<br /><br /> Companies are also still having to cut prices to keep their sales up. <br />It was the 33rd month of price reductions. <br /><br /> Surveys of thousands of firms did reveal a renewed upturn in the region’s smaller periphery countries.<br /><br /> In France, the second biggest economy in the currency bloc, there was a continued decline, but the downturn in the private sector did ease this month. <br /><br /> The French services industry came close to expanding, suggesting the worse may be over there amid reports of improving business morale.
