Business optimism in Germany fell for the fifth month in a row, a closely watched survey showed Monday, in another sign that Europe’s debt crisis is weighing on the continent’s largest economy.
The Ifo index dipped to 101.4 in September from 102.3 in August. The index, based on a survey of 7,000 businesses, is what economists call a leading indicator – providing clues to where the economy is headed. Forty-three percent of Germany’s exports go to its euro partners, and the troubles in the currency zone are worrying businesses and consumers.
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