German IFO Business Climate Index plunges to 90.8 in March, a big miss.

German IFO Business Climate Index came in at 90.8 in March.
IFO Current Economic Assessment fell to 97.1 this month.
March German IFO Expectations Index arrived at 85.1.

Dhwani Mehta FXStreet

The headline German IFO Business Climate Index slumped to 90.8 in March versus last month's 98.5 and the consensus estimates of 94.2.

Meanwhile, the Current Economic Assessment dropped to 97.1 points in the reported month as compared to last month's 98.6 and 96.5 anticipated.

The IFO Expectations Index – indicating firms’ projections for the next six months, worsened to 85.1 in March from the previous month’s 98.4 reading and much better than the market expectations of 92.0.

Market reaction

EUR/USD is paring back gains on the mixed German IFO survey.

At the time of writing, the pair is up 0.15% on the day, trading at 1.1011.

About German IFO

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.

Author

Dhwani Mehta

FXStreet

Residing in Mumbai (India), Dhwani is a Senior Analyst and Manager of the Asian session at FXStreet. She has over 10 years of experience in analyzing and covering the global financial markets, with specialization in Forex and commodities markets.

EUR/USD falls to near 1.1600 due to persistent bearish bias

EUR/USD depreciates after registering modest gains in the previous session, trading around 1.1610 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The technical analysis of the daily chart suggests a persistent bearish bias as the EUR/USD pair remains within the descending channel pattern.

GBP/USD underperforms as UK faces stagflation risks amid Middle East war

The Pound Sterling trades lower against its major currency peers, is down 0.22% around 1.3340 against the US Dollar, during the Asian trade on Thursday. The British currency faces selling pressures amid fears that the United Kingdom economy could face stagflation risks due to higher energy prices, a situation in which inflation accelerates with economic growth and employment conditions remaining stagnant.

Gold buyers stay hopeful amid Middle East war, China growth woes

Gold is building on the previous rebound in Thursday’s Asian trades, testing offers once again at the $5,200 threshold. Deeper escalation of the Middle East war and dovish US Federal Reserve monetary policy outlook continue to support Gold.

Top Crypto Gainers: Decred, Zcash, and Dogecoin lead recovery as Bitcoin crosses $72,000

Bitcoin trades above $72,500 at press time on Thursday, holding its 6% gain from the previous day, contributing to a broader market recovery. The total cryptocurrency market capitalization stands at over $2.43 trillion as the broader market sentiment improves significantly.

First Venezuela, now Iran: The US-China energy war escalates

At first glance, the latest escalation involving the United States with both Iran and Venezuela looks like another chapter in a long-running geopolitical story. But viewed through a broader strategic lens, something else may be unfolding: Energy.

Bittensor extends recovery despite retail demand slump

Bittensor, a leading Artificial Intelligence token, is aging up above $190 at the time of writing on Wednesday. Steady price increases characterise the broader crypto market, with Bitcoin holding above $71,000 and Ethereum above $2,000.