The euro area economy gathered further growth momentum at the end of 2017, spurred on by a near-record expansion of manufacturing production and the steepest increase in service sector activity for over-six-and-a-half years. The final IHS Markit Eurozone PMI Composite Output Index posted 58.1 in December, up from 57.5 in November, to register its highest reading since February 2011. The headline index has signalled growth for 54 successive months, with the average level during quarter four the best since the opening quarter of 2011.