French consumer spending dives sharply in May

PARIS, June 25 (Reuters) - French consumer spending dived 1.6 percent in May, its sharpest fall in nearly four years and new proof of the woes in the euro zone's second largest economy.

National statistics office INSEE said on Wednesday a 3.7 percent drop in household purchases of cars led spending down, with strong falls also seen in durable goods and clothing.

Economists polled by Reuters on average expected spending -- for long the driver of French growth -- to rise ...