By Maria Martinez
BERLIN (Reuters) – German investor morale in April posted its strongest decline since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 due to the uncertainty unleashed by U.S. tariffs.
The economic sentiment indicator fell to -14.0 points from 51.6 points in March, the ZEW economic research institute said on Tuesday. Analysts polled by Reuters had pointed to a reading of 9.5.
The erratic changes in the U.S. trade policy are weighing heavily on expectations in Germany, ZEW president Achim Wambach said.
“It is not only the consequences the announced reciprocal tariffs may have on global trade, but also the dynamics of their changes, that have massively increased global uncertainty,” Wambach said.
By contrast, assessments of the current economic situation have slightly improved, with the corresponding indicator increasing to -81.2 points from -87.6.
The score, in a range from minus 100 to plus 100, is based on a survey of about 350 Germany-based financial analysts at banks, insurers and large industrial companies.
(Reporting by Rachel More and Maria Martinez, Editing by Miranda Murray)
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