ROME (Reuters) -Italy’s service sector expanded for the 11th month running in October and at the fastest pace since May 2024, a survey showed on Wednesday, raising the prospect of firmer growth in the euro zone’s third-largest economy.

The HCOB Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for services climbed to 54.0 last month from 52.5 in September, moving further above the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction.

A Reuters survey of 16 analysts had pointed to a reading of 53.0.

“With overall demand firming and export orders showing early signs of recovery, the outlook has brightened – even if hiring and sentiment remain restrained,” said Hamburg Commercial Bank AG economist Nils Muller.

Italy’s services sector entered the fourth quarter “on a strong footing,” he said.

The PMI’s s

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