BERLIN (Reuters) – Investor morale in the euro zone improved in April after a surprise dip in March, in a resumption of improvements of recent months as the assessment of current conditions rose to the highest level in more than a year, a survey showed on Tuesday.
Sentix’s index for the euro zone rose to -8.7 points for April from -11.1 in March, beating forecasts.
Analysts polled by Reuters had expected the index to rise/fall to -9.9 in April.
While an index on the current situation rose for the sixth month in a row in April, to -4.3 from -9.3, the fact that it remained in negative territory indicates the economy is, at best, in a stagnation phase, the survey showed.
An expectations index, on the other hand, held steady at -13.0.
“There is no doubt that the euro zone economy has weathered the winter months better than many feared in the fall,” Sentix said.
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The mild winter and efforts to conserve energy helped prevent a dangerous energy shortage, it added.
The poll of 1,300 investors was conducted between April 6-8, Sentix said.
(Reporting by Tom Sims; editing by Kirsti Knolle)