Europe's recovery continued still ticking along in April, according to the latest purchasing managers' indices (PMIs).
The score was led by positive surprises in some of the harder-hit countries in southern Europe.
Analysts were expecting an improvement for Spain and Italy, but at 60.3 (the strongest since 2006), Spain's was much stronger than even bullish economists foresaw.
Italy's result is solid too. At 53.1, it's the second-strongest in more than four years. Jobs are being created at the fastest pace since 2007, according to the survey.
Declines in the bloc's two biggest economy, Germany and France, dragged the index down. We've already had the "flash" readings for those two countries, with both showing a minor deteriorating in growth during April.
- Spain: 60.3 (57.3 in March, 57.4 expected)
- Italy: 53.1 (51.6 previously, 52 expected)
- France: 51.4 (52.4 previously, 50.8 expected)
- Germany: 54 (55.4 previously, 54.4 expected)
- Eurozone: 54.1 (54.2 previously, 53.7 expected)
