Europe's consumers are at their most bullish since 2007
REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
As measured by the EC, the confidence index rose to -3.7, from -6.7 in February. Those are the best readings seen since mid-2007.
Consumer confidence rose pretty solidly between the end of 2012, when it seemed like the euro crisis was finally in the rear view mirror, up to mid-2014.
The block had something of a relapse last year - though it had only just come out of recession, weak economic data suggested there could be another (which would have been the third in six years).
But after dipping a bit during the Autumn and early Winter, consumer confidence is now really powering ahead again.
A series of new figures released today surprised to the upside too: At 103.9, "economic sentiment" as measured by the European Commission is also climbing. At 103.9, it's at its highest since mid-2011.
What's more, today's data show us that the current upswing has a nice broad base.
At -2.9, industrial confidence is at its highest level since September 2011, while at 6, services sentiment is higher than it's ever been (measurements only started two years ago)
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