April 8 (UPI) -- The French economy declined 6 percent in the first quarter of 2020 caused by reaction to the coronavirus -- its greatest decline since the end of World War II, the Bank of France said Wednesday.
The contraction, brought on by a collapse in supply and demand in response to the pandemic, was France's largest since 1945. A lockdown began March 17 and is to remain in place until at least April 15, but the restrictions could be extended by the French government.