Economic Sentiment Improves Slightly

The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany has slightly increased in March 2016. The index has improved by 3.3 points compared to the previous month, now standing at 4.3 points (long-term average: 24.5 points). "The uncertainty associated with the future economic development of important emerging economies, with the development of the oil price and with the external value of the euro continues to call for caution. Apparently, the renewed move of the ECB to considerably ease its monetary policy has not had a substantial effect on economic sentiment," says Professor Sascha Steffen, head of the ZEW Research Department "International Finance and Financial Management".

The assessment of the current situation in Germany is worsening. Slightly decreasing by 1.6 points, the index now stands at 50.7 points.

Financial market experts' sentiment concerning the economic development of the Eurozone has weakened. ZEW’s Indicator of Economic Sentiment for the Eurozone has decreased by 3.0 points to a reading of 10.6 points. Losing 3.8 points in March 2016, the indicator for the current situation in the euro area has fallen to a value of minus 11.8 points.

For more information please contact

Dominik Rehse, Phone +49(0)621/1235-378, E-mail rehse@zew.de

Jesper Riedler, Phone +49(0)621/1235-379, E-mail riedler@zew.de

More information and studies on the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment and the release dates 2016 (as PDF file, 28 KB).