BERLIN (Reuters) – Investor sentiment in Germany deteriorated for the fourth month in a row in September as investors expect raw material scarcity and chip shortages to slow the recovery in Europe’s largest economy, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The ZEW economic research institute said its survey of investors’ economic sentiment fell to 26.5 from 40.4 points in August. A Reuters poll had forecast a fall to 30.0.
“Market experts expect the economic situation to improve. Yet the scope and dynamics of the recovery have been significantly reduced,” ZEW President Achim Wambach said in a statement.
“Chip shortages in the automotive sector and scarcity of resources in construction have significantly impacted expectations in those sectors.”
A separate ZEW gauge of current conditions rose to 31.9 from 29.3 in August. That compared with a consensus forecast for 34.0 points.
(Reporting by Joseph Nasr and Rene Wagner; Editing by Paul Carrel)