PARIS--French business confidence in manufacturing was stable in December, French statistics agency Insee said Friday.

The confidence reading in December was 99, unchanged from November, Insee said. Business leaders said their foreign order books were stronger while their outlook for production stagnated.

Analysts polled by The Wall Street Journal had expected confidence levels to remain at the same level in December as November.

Write to Stacy Meichtry at stacy.meichtry@wsj.com

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