Signs of life in European economy

The article says the enduring eurozone recession appears to be easing: key growth indicators gave a surprisingly strong showing, and a purchasing managers index (PMI) for July switched to a growth reading for the first time in 18 months.

The PMI moving to a growth reading signals expansion in purchasing managers' activity and is presented in the article as a key growth indicator. In this piece it is used as evidence that the eurozone’s long-running recession may be easing.

According to the article, Germany saw notable improvement in July: manufacturing output increased to a 17-month high, and service-sector activity rose to a five-month high.

The article reports that France, Italy and Spain each registered a further easing of contraction, and manufacturers in those countries recorded solid growth.

No. The article states the recession 'seems to be easing at last' and highlights encouraging indicators such as the PMI shift and sector highs, but it does not claim the recession is definitively over.

The article highlights manufacturing as showing solid growth across several countries, and it also notes an uptick in service-sector activity in Germany (a five-month high).

These indicators — especially the PMI switching to a growth reading and rising manufacturing and service activity — provide timely signals about economic trends in the eurozone. The article presents them as evidence the recession may be easing, information that investors often monitor when assessing regional economic momentum.

Key timing details in the article: the PMI switched to a growth reading for July for the first time in 18 months; Germany’s manufacturing output hit a 17-month high and its service-sector activity hit a five-month high.