STOCKHOLM: Activity in Sweden's manufacturing sector jumped to 69.1 points in April from an upwardly revised 64.7 points in March, data showed on Monday.

It was the second-highest reading in the 26-year history of the index, compilers Silf and Swedbank said in a statement, and follows strong GDP figures for the first quarter.

"Since the trough in April last year, the PMI index has risen 32.7 points, which is considerably faster than the recovery after the global financial crisis of 2008/9," said Jorgen Kennemar, economist at Swedbank.