Eurozone’s PMI services index was finalized at to 53.3 in April, marking a notable improvement from March’s 51.5. PMI Composite was finalized at 51.7, up from the previous month’s 50.3 Both reached the highest levels in 11 months.
Notable country-level performances on PMI Composite include Spain reaching a 12-month high at 55.7, Germany achieving a 10-month high at 50.6, and France hitting an 11-month high at 50.5. However, Italy recorded a two-month low at 52.6, and Ireland saw a six-month low at 50.4.
Chief Economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, Cyrus de la Rubia, highlighted the positive momentum, noting that service providers have witnessed growth for the third consecutive month, signaling an end to the lackluster performance observed in the latter half of the previous year. He emphasized the uptick in employment, new business, and order book growth, which reached its strongest expansion in eleven months.
However, concerns regarding operating costs persist, with PMI index for operating costs in the service sector continuing to rise rapidly over the past year. De la Rubia cautioned that ECB is likely to adopt a cautious approach regarding potential rate cuts, given this trend. Despite this, service companies have managed to offset some of the cost increases by passing them on to consumers, reflecting improving demand conditions.
