German Investor Sentiment Rises Sharply in December

German analyst and investor sentiment rose sharply in December on the back of encouraging U.S. economic data, entering positive territory for the first time since May, a leading survey showed on Tuesday.

The Mannheim-based ZEW think tank said its monthly poll of economic sentiment jumped to 6.9 points from -15.7 in November, coming in well above the consensus forecast in a Reuters poll of 41 analysts for a reading of -12.0.

A separate gauge of current conditions rose to 5.7 from 5.4 in November, above a consensus for 5.0.

The index was based on a survey of 278 analysts and investors conducted between Nov. 26 and Dec. 10, ZEW said.