FRANKFURT, Sept 24, 2008 (AFP) - German business confidence dropped for the fourth straight month in September, a key index showed on Wednesday, as the biggest European economy was gripped by the international financial crisis.

The monthly business climate index calculated by Munich-based economic research institute Ifo fell to 92.9 points from 94.8 points in August.

Economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast a modest drop to 94 points.