The French trade deficit hit a new high of just under 8 billion euros ($8.4 billion) in January, double the level expected by economists. Exports dropped 2% on a year earlier, largely due to lower deliveries by Airbus – adjusting for that they were unchanged. The initial data for February does not look good. China-bound exports fell marginally according to local data, lagging a broader acceleration in Chinese import growth. Shipments to the U.S. fell marginally after rising 20% in January, with beverages leading the slowdown. French business managers’ optimism may be at risk after reachi...