German consumer confidence holding up: GfK

German consumer confidence is holding up with rising employment and wages offsetting concerns about the debt crisis, and household spending is set to remain steady this Christmas, new data showed on Monday.The GfK think-tank's closely-watched consumer confidence index is forecast to rise to 5.6 points in December from 5.4 points in November, the institute said in a statement.

German consumer confidence is holding up despite concerns that the German economy, the biggest in Europe, will be hit by repercussions from the debt crisis, a poll found on Tuesday.Market research company GfK said its household confidence index was forecast to edge slightly higher to 5.8 points in July from 5.7 points for June, a statement said."The consumer climate is defying the intensification of the crisis, but sentiment is mixed," GfK said.

High oil prices are denting consumer confidence in Germany, data showed Tuesday, but household spending will remain robust enough to keep Europe's biggest economy from falling into recession.In its regular monthly survey of consumer confidence, market research company GfK found that, after rising steadily since September, confidence has now stalled.GfK said in a statement that its confidence index was set to slip fractionally to 5.9 points in April from 6.0 points in March.

German consumer sentiment has been hit by the trans-Atlantic debt crisis and fears of a new recession, falling to its lowest level since late last year, the GfK research institute said on Thursday.GfK said its index of household confidence for September came in at 5.2 points, the lowest figure since November 2010.That was the sixth consecutive decrease and was in line with an average analyst forecasts compiled by Dow Jones Newswires and recent other data all showing the Germany economy, Europe's biggest, beginning to slow.

German consumer sentiment has been hit by the trans-Atlantic debt crisis and fears of a new recession, falling to its lowest level since late last year, the GfK research institute said Thursday.GfK released its latest index of household confidence, forecasting 5.2 points in September, the lowest figure since November 2010, a statement said.That was the sixth consecutive decrease, and was in line with an average analyst forecast compiled by Dow Jones Newswires.GfK also revised an estimate for August down to 5.3 points from the initial figure of 5.4.

Better than expected economic growth has boosted consumer sentiment in Germany, and the GfK research institute reported Thursday significant increases in expectations for the economy in general and personal income in particular.GfK's overall indicator edged up to 4.1 points in its latest reading from 4.0 a month earlier, a figure that was itself revised higher."The extremely good news on the economic development and continued positive reports on the labour market have led to robust consumer sentiment in August," a statement said.

German consumer sentiment pursued an upward trend in January, the GfK market research group said Tuesday, with shoppers' propensity to buy improving significantly in the biggest European economy.Gfk said its household confidence index would rise to 5.7 points in February from a revised 5.5 points this month.It had initially forecast a dip to 5.4 points in January, which would have been the first decline after six increases.

German consumer sentiment should rise slightly in March owing to wage increase expectations according to a GfK survey released on Tuesday.GfK estimates that its household confidence index will reach six points next month, from a revised 5.8 points in February, a statement said."The domestic economy, and in particular consumption, is playing an increasingly important role in macroeconomic development and acting as a second, strong supporting pillar" alongside exports, it added.