German, French business confidence surges

An unexpectedly strong surge in German business confidence and a clear improvement in France, March 2008, have underlined the strength of continental European economies in the face of intensifying global financial storms.

European Central Bank: Press Release, 26.3.08: Speech by Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the ECB, Brussels, 26 March 2008 http://www.ecb.int/press/key/date/2008/html/sp080326.en.html

European Commission: Press Release: IP/08/466: Quarterly report on the euro area: headwinds gather strength http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/466&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Deutsche Welle, 26.3.08: Germans Confident in Economy Despite Weak Dollar http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3216971,00.html

IFO Institute: Business Climate Index http://www.cesifo-group.de/portal/page/portal/ifoHome/a-winfo/d1index/10indexgsk

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