Italy's economy is finally growing again - and faster than expected

Reuters / Stefano Rellandini

Italy's struggling economy has finally returned to growth.

The country's GDP grew by 0.3% in the first quarter of the year, beating analysts' forecasts of 0.2%.

It follows no growth in the final three months of 2014 and nine months of recession before that.

Year-on-year growth also beat expectations, with GDP flat compared to this time last year. Analysts had predicted a 0.2% drop.

France also beat expectations with GDP out this morning. The French economy growing 0.6% in the first three months of the year. Both point to a strong performance for the Eurozone as a whole.