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Germany drives Eurozone forward
Business activity in the Eurozone continues to grow, fresh data revealed yesterday. The purchasing managers’ index came in at 57.5 for March – down from 58.2 in February, but still recording robust economic growth. “The data suggest that Eurozone GDP rose 0.8 per cent in the first-quarter of the year, but a rise of perhaps 1.5 per cent is signalled for Germany,” said Chris Williamson of Markit, which runs the survey. “Growth in the periphery remained very subdued in comparison,” he added. Input prices jumped at their steepest rate since July 2008, the survey said. Meanwhile, business confidence hit a three-year high in France, according to a separate survey.