Euro zone business grew at its slowest rate this year in September on tumbling demand, according to new surveys, as the bloc struggles to add momentum to its fragile economic recovery.

Germany’s private sector expanded at a robust pace last month, pointing to an economic rebound between July-September after Europe’s biggest economy unexpectedly shrank the quarter before.

However, business growth in the euro zone’s number two and three economies – France and Italy – contracted, suggesting stagnation or worse there could continue.