German think tank ZEW: German investor confidence has collapsed

Golden Ten Data reported on March 17 that German think tank ZEW stated on Tuesday that investor confidence in Germany fell far more than expected in March, due to intensified price pressures caused by the Middle East conflict. Germany's March ZEW Economic Sentiment Index dropped to -0.5, while analysts had previously expected the index to fall from last month's 58.3 to 39.0. "The ZEW index has collapsed," said ZEW President Achim Wambach, adding that increased inflationary pressure has heightened the risk of a slowdown in Germany's nascent economic recovery. Wambach noted that the intensity of these impacts depends on the severity and duration of the conflict. According to Wambach, financial market experts are skeptical that the conflict can be resolved quickly. Despite the sharp decline in investor confidence, Germany's March ZEW Current Economic Conditions Index stood at -62.9 points, up from -65.9 points last month.