The euro-area recovery failed to gather momentum last quarter,as France unexpectedly stalled and economies from Italy to theNetherlands shrank.

Growth of just 0.2 percent for the currency bloc, half as muchas economists had forecast, adds pressure on the European CentralBank (ECB) to deliver stimulus measures next month in its battleagainst weak inflation and anemic output. While German expansiondoubled to 0.8 percent, that wasn't enough to offset renewedweakness across the region, including a 0.7 percent drop inPortugal.

ECB President Mario Draghi primed investors last week forfurther stimulus in June, saying the 24-member Governing Council is“comfortable with acting” next month. With the euro area's recoveryfrom a record-long recession still fragile, officials are battlingto revive price growth, with the inflation rate at less than halfthe ECB's target.