Purchasing managers' activity falls in Italy

(ANSA) - Rome, September 1 - Purchasing managers' activity fell in August to 49.8 points from the previous 51.9 points in July, Markit Economics said Monday. The Purchasing Managers' Index sets 50 as the border between expansion in the economy and contraction.
    The August measure suggests that activity has contracted after more than a year of expansion and is the latest in a long string of bad economic news for Italy.