France 2012 growth forecast cut to 0.4%

The French economy will grow a very slight 0.4 percent in 2012, the INSEE national statistics institute said on Tuesday, slightly less than the 0.5 percent previously forecast.

INSEE said the French economy, which grew by 1.7 percent last year, will post zero growth in the first two quarters of this year before growing 0.1 percent in the third quarter and 0.2 percent in the fourth.