Eurozone October flash services PMI 51.7 vs 52.5 expectedPrior 53.0Eurozone October flash manufacturing PMI 52.4 vs 52.7 expectedPrior 52.9Eurozone October flash composite PMI 51.9 vs 52.7 expectedPrior 53.1After the softer prints from France and Germany, the weaker-than-expected results for the overall euro area are not all too surprising. But at least for now, business activity continues to grow with both output and new orders increasing for the fourth successive month in October,albeit at the slowest pace during this sequence.A key drag on growth was a renewed drop in business activityin the French services sector. But there were also signs of weakness elsewhere in the region as growth also edged lower in therest of the euro area for both the manufacturing and services sectors.Looking to prices, manufacturers reported a sharp and accelerated increase ininput prices in October amid higher energy costs mostly. The latest risewas the steepest since May and above the average for theyear-to-date. However, the rate of outputprice inflation slowed in October at least with both Germany and Franceposting weaker increases in selling prices than in September.As for the rest of the euro area, they saw the rate ofinflation accelerate as a whole.Overall, the data pretty much underscores that higher interest rates are also starting to take a toll and dampening demand. But the picture of sustained growth and more stubborn inflation pressures willlikely add to speculation of more aggressive policytightening from the ECB down the road. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com.