Optimism in the euro zone's economy brightened for the fifth month running and hit a 2-year high in September, driven by improving confidence across all sectors and confirming that a recovery is underway.
The European Commission said on Friday the 17-nation bloc's morale rose faster than expected to 96.9 from 95.3 in August, the best reading since August 2011.
In the wider European Union, confidence was up by 2.4 points to 100.6 points, taking the indicator above its long-term average for the first time since July 2011.
In the euro zone, the positive trend was particularly strong in three out of the bloc's five largest economies, with Spain and Italy rising by 2.5 points and France up by 1.6 points.
Sentiment in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, was broadly unchanged, while the mood in the Netherlands worsened by 0.9 points in September.
Across the bloc, employment plans were revised upwards in industry, services, retail trade and construction, the European Commission said.
Read more; Euro zone morale reaches two-year high in September | Fox Business
The European Commission said on Friday the 17-nation bloc's morale rose faster than expected to 96.9 from 95.3 in August, the best reading since August 2011.
In the wider European Union, confidence was up by 2.4 points to 100.6 points, taking the indicator above its long-term average for the first time since July 2011.
In the euro zone, the positive trend was particularly strong in three out of the bloc's five largest economies, with Spain and Italy rising by 2.5 points and France up by 1.6 points.
Sentiment in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, was broadly unchanged, while the mood in the Netherlands worsened by 0.9 points in September.
Across the bloc, employment plans were revised upwards in industry, services, retail trade and construction, the European Commission said.
Read more; Euro zone morale reaches two-year high in September | Fox Business
