Service industries show declines in Europe BRUSSELS, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A broad measure of service industries in Europe showed business dropping for the fourth consecutive month in December, research firm Markit reported Wednesday. With numbers below 50 indicating a contraction, the Purchasing Managers Index for service industries in the 17-member eurozone rose, but not high enough to indicate growth. The index came in at 48.8. Indexes for Germany, at 52.4, and France, at 50.3, rose to five-month and three-month highs, respectively, which helped offset sharp drops in Italy and Spain. The PMI for Italy for the month was 44.5. In Spain, the service PMI came in at 42.1.