LONDON (Reuters) – The downturn in euro zone business activity eased this month but an improvement in the manufacturing outlook was partly offset by a steeper decline in the bloc’s dominant services industry, a survey showed on Wednesday. HCOB’s preliminary Composite PMI, compiled by S&P Global, rose to 47.9 this month from December’s 47.6, just shy of expectations in a Reuters poll for 48.0 but marking its eighth month below the 50 level separating growth from contraction. “The commencement of the year brings positive tidings for the euro zone as manufacturing experiences a widespread easing …