Aggressive ECB policy fails to boost flagging eurozone firms

Aggressive new policy from the ECB has so far failed to boost ailing eurozone business, according to surveys that showed a widening chasm between sickly France and a more resilient Germany.

Yesterday’s purchasing managers indexes (PMIs), which survey thousands of companies globally every month, also showed Chinese factory activity wilted for an 11th month in September, as Europe’s troubles continued to hit Asian exporters.

While the downturn in Europe’s largest economy, Germany, eased by a surprising amount this month, French firms fell deeper into the mire in September — and at a far faster rate than expected.