Euro zone recovering faster than anticipated: Lagarde

FRANKFURT - The euro zone economy is recovering quicker than anticipated just six months ago, mostly due to a rapid vaccination campaign that allowed large sectors of the economy to reopen, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said on Thursday.

The combined gross domestic product of the 19 countries sharing the euro was now expected to return to its pre-crisis level before the end of the year, even if the growth trend was yet to fully recover, Lagarde said in a speech.