Factories and refineries in the euro zone ratcheted up their production faster than economists expected in October, according to official EU data.
Industrial output in the euro zone climbed 0.4% in October from September and rose 3.8% over 12 months, figures from the Eurostat data agency showed.
The result, adjusted for seasonal variations, beat economists' expectations for industrial output to rise only 0.2 over one month and grow 3.7% over one year.
It also marked a pick-up from September when output fell 0.8% over one month and expanded 3.3% over one year.
The improvement was driven by growth in the production of capital goods used to make other products, and which include such things as tools and machinery.
The production of intermediate goods such as steel or car engines used for other products also saw firm growth in the 13 member states that use the euro.
In the 27-nation EU as a whole, industrial output rose 0.5% in October over one month and increased 3.6% over one year.
