French manufacturing contracts for first time since November, PMI shows

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) - France's manufacturing sector contracted in May for the ‌first time since November, as the spike ‌in energy prices and transport disruptions resulting from the ​Iran conflict impacted businesses, a survey by S&P Global showed on Monday.

The S&P Global France Manufacturing final Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 49.7 points ‌in May from ⁠52.8 in April, albeit coming above a flash April manufacturing PMI figure of ⁠48.9 points.

Any number below 50 shows a contraction in activity, while above 50 shows expansion.

The ​final April ​manufacturing PMI figure of ​49.7 points was ‌its lowest since November and also the first time it had fallen below the 50-point level since November.

"Supply chains are still adjusting to the volatility induced by the war in the Middle ‌East and ensuing energy-price ​shock," said Joe Hayes, principal ​economist at S&P ​Global Market Intelligence.

"For example, more French ‌manufacturers experienced delivery issues ​and input price ​rises than in April – pressures that could play out as higher goods prices and ​supply issues ‌across the economy more broadly over the ​coming months," he added.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; ​Editing by Toby Chopra)