Euro-Area Surveys Show Slowdown Putting Pressure on ECB

Euro-area manufacturing and services growth unexpectedly slowed to the weakest pace this year, increasing pressure on the European Central Bank to add stimulus to the economy.

Purchasing Managers Indexes for both industries fell and a composite gauge dropped to 52.3 in September from 52.5 in August, London-based Markit Economics said today. Economists in a Bloomberg survey predicted an unchanged reading. A manufacturing gauge for China published today rose.