Euro zone industrial output was higher than expected in November, underlining the strong economic momentum of the single currency area that is enjoying its fastest growth in a decade.
The European Union's statistics office Eurostat said today that industrial production in the euro zone rose 1% in November compared to October and was 3.2% higher than a year earlier.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 0.8% monthly rise and a 3% year-on-year gain.
The stronger than expected growth was mainly thanks to a surge in the production of capital goods, demand for which rises when investment goes up, as well as intermediate goods and durable consumer goods.
Industrial production is one of the main components of euro zone gross domestic product, alongside services.
Euro zone GDP rose 0.6% on a quarterly basis in the third quarter of 2017 and was 2.6% higher year-on-year.
Investment and household consumption were the biggest contributors to the quarterly figure.
