sentiment in the french manufacturing sector rose in january beating forecasts despite supply disruptions and the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus across europe manufacturing sentiment was at 112 in january up from a revised reading of 110 in december the french national statistics office said thursday economists polled by the wall street journal had forecast a reading of 111 however the business sentiment indicator which includes all the economic sectors fell to 107 in january from 109 in december insee said