The rate of growth in eurozone business activity hit a three-month high in February, according to provisional PMI® survey data. The improvement in the rate of expansion was most notable in the manufacturing sector, where output increased at the fastest pace since August last year. Meanwhile, the upturn in overall new orders remained muted and was unchanged from January, and companies again showed a reluctance to hire additional staff. The rate of input cost inflation quickened for the fourth month running, although output charges were raised at a slightly softer pace than in January. Business confidence also eased, ... (full story)