The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for Italy's services sector rose to 53.1 in May, up from 47.3 in April, IHS Markit said on Thursday.
The increase takes the sector back above the 50-point threshold that indicates it is in expansion.
The rise beat the expectations of analysts, who had forecast the index climbing to 52 points.
The composite index, which includes the manufacturing sector, was up from 51.2 in April to 55.7 in May, the highest level since February 2018.
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