Eurozone Economy: Composite PMI dips to 55.2 in March
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Moving to Europe. Businesses across the eurozone ended the first quarter with their weakest expansion since January 2017. IHS Markit's data shows the bloc's Composite Purchasing Managers' Index fell 1.9 to 55.2 in March. But it remains well above the 50 mark separating growth from contraction. The sharp drop came as snowy weather and a strong currency curbed growth in new orders. The euro has gained over 2 percent against the dollar in the last three months. That makes the bloc's exports more expensive. Data also shows eurozone's inflation rate rose to 1.4 percent. That's still some distance from the European Central Bank's target of 2 percent as it looks to wind down the stimulus programme in coming months.