(RTTNews) - Euro area investor confidence strengthened for the sixth month in a row to reach a 26-month high in April as expectations turned positive for the first time since the start of the war in Ukraine.
The headline investor sentiment index advanced to -5.9 in April from -10.5 in March, data from the behavioral research institute Sentix showed Monday. This was the highest score since February 2022.
The expectations index also hit the highest level since February 2022. However, the economic recovery phase that started at the end of 2022 was comparatively weak, Sentix said.
At 5.0, the expectations index improved from -2.3 in March. Moreover, the gauge rose for the seventh time.
At the same time, the current situation indicator came in at -16.3 in April compared to -18.5 in the previous month.
Although this was the best value since June 2023, the index has "only" recovered for the low in October 2022, when fears of an acute energy crisis dominated, from -38.5 to the current level, the think tank said.
Further, Sentix said the economic momentum is moving in the right direction but it lacks momentum due to the relatively weak conditions in the German economy.
"The German economy remains the relative problem child of the major industrialized nations," Sentix said.
The investor sentiment index climbed to an 11-month high of -20.5 in April from -27.9 in the prior month.
The current situation index posted -36.0 compared to -40.5 a month ago. The expectations index logged a sharp improvement in April, to -3.5 from -14.3.
