The balance of Europe may be bogged down by recession and sovereign debt problems. Moody’s downgraded the sovereign debt ratings of Spain, Portugal, and Italy and warned on the AAA ratings of France and the UK. There was no threat to Germany’s standing. Its economy is too strong and debt too small in relationship to GDP
Germany’s optimism soared in February, a sign that its residents see the gulf between it and its neighbors
According to official reseach agency ZEW
The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany has increased by 27.0 points to a level of 5.4 points in February 2012. Consequently, the indicator reaches positive territory for the first time since May 2011. A higher value was last seen in April 2011.
And
“From the perspective of the financial market experts there is a good chance that the German economy will experience a slight uplift in the second half of 2012. Since consumers do not have to fear for their jobs due to the low unemployment rate, domestic demand will continue to support economic growth. Still, the solution of the crisis in the Eurozone remains an important task,” says ZEW President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Franz.