Berlin — The mood among German investors has sunk to its lowest in nearly six years, a survey has showed, weighed down by a festering trade dispute with the US and concerns about Italy’s commitment to the eurozone. The ZEW research institute’s indicator fell to -16.1 in June from -8.2 in May, it said on Tuesday. This was its lowest level since September 2012 and missed a consensus forecast of -14.0 in a Reuters survey. World leaders and global economic institutions are warning that protectionist policies espoused by US President Donald Trump — including the imposition of punitive import tariffs on steel and aluminium — are casting a dark cloud over the world economy. But as Europe’s biggest exporter to the US — a trade relationship that keeps more than 1-million Germans in employment — Berlin is desperate to avoid a trade war with Washington. "The latest escalation in the trade dispute with the US and fears about policies by the new Italian government that could destabilise the fina...
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