The euro zone economic recovery has unexpectedly gathered pace this month as the bloc's dominant services industry saw already buoyant demand rise, more than offsetting a deepening downturn in manufacturing, surveys showed.

HCOB's flash Composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global and seen as a good gauge of overall economic health, jumped to an 11-month high of 54.4 in April from March's 53.7, data showed on Friday.