Euro zone consumer morale brightens in March

Optimism in the euro zone's economy brightened more than expected in March, as European consumer confidence showed its strongest monthly jump in nearly five years. The lift will encourage those in the European Central Bank who have been grappling with sluggish price rises, despite setting the cost of borrowing at close to zero. The European Commission data on Friday showed that morale across the 18-nation bloc increased to 102.4 from February's level of 101.2, exceeding market expectations of 101.4. The data means that consumer confidence has improved sharply this year to swing above its long term-average for the first time since July 2011.

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