PARIS (AP) -- French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Friday that he sees "timid and modest" signs of recovery in the global economy, which is suffering one of its sharpest downturns in decades.
During a visit in the Haute-Marne region of eastern France, Fillon told workers at the Forge of Bologne that he is encouraged by improvements in production and investment indicators in China and India as well as "very modest" gauges in the United States.
"In the last weeks there have been more and more signs of recovery, even if they are quite timid and modest," he said.
France's national statistics agency said last month that the French economy is shrinking at the fastest pace in over 30 years and the recession will deepen this year before it gets better. French workers have staged strikes and protests against cutbacks and layoffs amid the downturn.