March PMI readings are starting to show what wars eventually do, far from the battlefield: they make companies more cautious, weaken demand, and cloud decision-making. In Europe, private-sector growth slowed noticeably this month. Germany's growth eased to a three-month low. France contracted at its fastest pace since October. Britain also cooled to its weakest reading since September. These numbers suggest the Middle East conflict is already moving from geopolitical risk into everyday economic activity. PMIs in the US are due later this morning.
