Consumer confidence picks up in eurozone, EU data shows

Consumer confidence in the eurozone rallied sharply inMarch, hitting a level last seen in 2011, dpa cited a European commissionsurvey as showing on Thursday.The mood among households in the currency bloc gained markedly tominus 9.3, a big advance on the index from minus 12.7 in February,according to the monthly compilation.The indicator, based on consumer surveys in 16 of the 18 nations thatuse the euro currency, had languished below minus 10 for two and ahalf years, a graph released with the announcement showed.For the European Union as a whole, including non-euro nations, thindex rose to minus 6.7 from minus 9.3 last month.