France's Hollande sees flat GDP in H1 2012

PARIS, July 9 (Reuters) - The French economy ground to a halt in the first half of the year with gross domestic product remaining unchanged between the months of January and June, President Francois Hollande said on Monday.

"Everyone knows that for the first half growth will be flat," Hollande said at the start of a two-day conference in Paris with representatives of labour unions.

"We need to do everything we can to generate lasting growth for the years ahead," he said, adding that a high rate of growth was "an obligation" to tackle unemployment.