FRANKFURT, March 9 (Reuters) - The Sentix index measuring investor morale in the euro zone fell in March, a survey showed on Monday, citing the initial impact of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran that has
Euro Zone Investor Morale Drops in March Amid Iran War and Energy Concerns
Investor Sentiment and Economic Impact Overview
Sentix Index Shows Decline in Morale
FRANKFURT, March 9 (Reuters) - The Sentix index measuring investor morale in the euro zone fell in March, a survey showed on Monday, citing the initial impact of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran that has hit energy infrastructure and global shipping routes.
The index fell to -3.1 points in March from 4.2 the month before, still beating forecasts by analysts polled by Reuters for a reading of -5.0.
Context of the Decline
Calling it the "first indication of the economic situation following the outbreak of the Iran war", Sentix said that the decline capped three consecutive monthly improvements.
Concerns Over Energy and Geopolitical Risks
"This casts considerable doubt on the recent upturn in the EU," Sentix said. "The energy price shock and geopolitical risks are dampening the previously increased optimism for the eurozone economy."
Survey Details and Economic Indicators
The survey of 1,055 investors taken from March 5-7 also showed a decline in both economic expectations and the current situation.
Expectations and Current Situation Indices
Expectations fell to 3.5 from 15.8 in the previous month, while the index measuring the current situation also fell to -9.5 from -6.8 in February.
Impact on German Economy
The index for the German economy, Europe's largest, fell to -12.1 from -6.9 in February in what Sentix said signalled "a renewed downturn after the recent glimmer of hope".
(Reporting by Christoph Steitz, Editing by Linda Pasquini)
