The headline German IFO business climate index came in at 98.5 for February, weaker than last month’s 99.1 and missing the consensus estimates pointing to a reading of 99.0. The current economic assessment also missed estimates and came in at 103.4 in the reported month as compared to last month’s 104.3 and 103.9 anticipated.
Meanwhile, the IFO Expectations Index – indicating firms’ projections for the next six months, also fell short of consensus estimates, arriving at 93.8 for February versus expectations of 94.2 and 94.2 recorded in January.
The headline IFO business climate index was rebased and recalibrated in April after the IFO research Institute changed series from the base year of 2000 to the base year of 2005 as of May 2011 and then changed series to include services as of April 2018. The survey now includes 9,000 monthly survey responses from firms in the manufacturing, service sector, trade and construction.
The positive economic growth anticipates bullish movements for the EUR, while a low reading is seen as negative (or bearish).
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