Euro-zone Sept PMI slightly worse than expected.

The euro-zone purchasing managers index for manufacturing declined to 45 in September (final) from an initial read of 45.3 and compared to 47.6 in August. The median market forecast had called for 45.3, so it is worse than expected. This is the lowest reading since December 2001 and yet another sign of the faltering euro-zone economy. EUR/USD has slipped back to 1.4115 at writing.