WASHINGTON, Oct 2, 2008 (AFP) - The credit crunch gripping global markets, high energy prices, inflation and fears of recession have stoked business owners' pessimism to a record high, a survey showed Thursday.

TOKYO, Oct 1, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese business confidence turned negative for the first time in five years as executives fretted about escalating turmoil on global financial markets, a key central bank survey showed Wednesday.

The malaise in Japanese corporate boardrooms deepened for a fourth straight quarter amid growing fears of a recession in Asia's largest economy.

TOKYO, Oct 1, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese business confidence fell to the lowest level in five years in September as Asia's largest economy skirts recession, a key central bank survey showed Wednesday.

WASHINGTON, Sept 30, 2008 (AFP) - Battered US consumer confidence edged higher in September for the third consecutive month, led by hopes for better economic times in the coming months, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.

The business research firm said its consumer confidence index rose to 59.8 from 58.5 in August, revised higher from a prior estimate of 56.9.

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.

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 braced for fallout from the international financial crisis.

FRANKFURT, Sept 24, 2008 (AFP) - Germany, France and Italy, the leading eurozone economies, appear on the brink of recession after business confidence surveys hit multi-year lows amid the global financial crisis, analysts said.

FRANKFURT, Sept 24, 2008 (AFP) - Leading eurozone economies are on the brink of recession as business confidence surveys released Wednesday hit three- to five-year lows amid a global financial crisis, analysts said.

GENEVA, Sept 21, 2008 (AFP) - Investor confidence is an elusive, fragile thing but as the traumatic roller coaster ride in the markets this week makes clear, without it, the whole financial system risks turning to dust.

MADRID, September 3, 2008 (AFP) - Consumer confidence in Spain rallied in August for the first time since February, a thin ray of light after a series of gloomy readings on its once-buoyant economy, government figures showed Wednesday.

BRUSSELS, August 29, 2008 (AFP) - Confidence in the economy of the 15 countries sharing the euro fell in August to the lowest level in over five years, although consumers' outlook improved slightly, according to an EU survey on Friday.

WASHINGTON, August 26, 2008 (AFP) - US consumer confidence perked up in August from depressed levels but does not clearly indicate an economic rebound is at hand, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.

The business research firm said its consumer confidence index rose to 56.9 from 51.9 in July, a still-weak reading on the index based on a 1985 reading of 100.

FRANKFURT, August 26, 2008 (AFP) - Germany's economic prospects were pounded twice on Tuesday, as new surveys raised fears of recession in Europe's biggest economy with signs of a much colder business climate and falling consumer confidence.

FRANKFURT, August 26, 2008 (AFP) - German business sentiment plunged further in August, a key index showed on Tuesday, as weakening economic prospects undermined Europe's biggest economy.

The monthly business climate index calculated by Munich-based economic research institute Ifo fell to 94.8 points from 97.5 points in July.

FRANKFURT, August 26, 2008 (AFP) - German consumer confidence is at a five-year low as economic worries and inflation sour the mood of shoppers in Europe's biggest economy, a leading survey showed on Tuesday.

A confidence index compiled by the GfK institute fell to 1.5 points from a revised 1.9 points in August.

German investors do not expect a recession in Europe`s biggest economy, a key indicator suggested ...

MADRID, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - Spain received yet more bad news on its once-buoyant economy on Monday as the number of registered unemployed rose in July for the fourth straight month and consumer confidence hit a record low.

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - US consumer confidence showed slender gains in July but still reflected a 'grim' assessment of economic conditions, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.

The business research firm said its monthly index of consumer confidence edged up to 51.9 percent from a revised 51.0 in June, but cautioned against reading too much into the gain.

PARIS, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - French families, in the midst of the annual holiday ritual, are the gloomiest for 21 years about what their wages will buy, living standards and jobs, official data showed on Tuesday.

The great exodus from the cities to the beaches, mountains and countryside is a high point in French family life and family budgets.

PARIS, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - French consumers turned even gloomier in July when various measures of how they feel about living standards hit the lowest level since 1987, official data showed on Tuesday.

FRANKFURT, July 28, 2008 (AFP) - German consumer confidence has plunged to a five-year low as oil-fuelled inflation 'demolished' hard-won gains in employment and wages in the biggest European economy, a leading survey showed on Monday.

FRANKFURT, July 28, 2008 (AFP) - German consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level since June 2003, a leading survey showed on Monday, as the effects of increased employment and wages were 'demolished' by inflation.

BRUSSELS, July 24, 2008 (AFP) - The 15-nation eurozone economy is teetering on the brink of recession, economists warned on Thursday in the wake of a string of weak data.

Facing record oil prices and a strong euro, business activity in the eurozone fell in July to the lowest level since just after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, according to a widely watched survey.

FRANKFURT, July 24, 2008 (AFP) - Germany and France are gripped by grim business prospects, marking deepening gloom in the eurozone, data showed on Thursday, crimping room for the ECB to raise rates against inflation.

German business sentiment fell to near a three-year low point in July, with a key index posting the sharpest drop since the September 11 attacks in the United States.

PARIS, July 24, 2008 (AFP) - French industrialists are the gloomiest about business prospects for three years, a survey by the statistics institute INSEE showed on Thursday, pointing to a sharper economic slowdown in coming months.

FRANKFURT, July 24, 2008 (AFP) - German business sentiment plunged to a 34-month low point in July, a key index showed on Thursday, underscoring that high oil prices and a strong euro are throttling Europe's biggest economy.

The monthly business climate index calculated by Munich-based economic research institute Ifo fell to 97.5 points from 101.3 points in June.

FRANKFURT, July 24, 2008 (AFP) - German business sentiment plunged again in July, a key confidence index showed on Thursday, providing more evidence that high oil prices and a strong euro were throttling Europe's biggest economy.

The monthly business climate index calculated by Munich-based economic research institute Ifo fell to 97.5 points from 101.3 points in June.

FRANKFURT, July 24, 2008 (AFP) - A key German business confidence index dropped sharply again in July, more evidence that high oil prices and a strong euro were contributing to a slowdown of Europe's biggest economy.

The monthly business climate index calculated by Munich-based economic research institute Ifo fell to 97.5 points from 101.3 points in June.

JOHANNESBURG, July 21, 2008 (AFP) - South Africa's residential property market is at a five-year low point on a number of measures, in a difficult economic climate, a First National Bank survey showed on Monday.

JOHANNESBURG, July 16, 2008 (AFP) - Consumer confidence in South Africa continues to fall, dropping 9.4 points in the past six months amid rising food and petrol prices and low property values, a survey showed on Wednesday.

FRANKFURT, July 15, 2008 (AFP) - German investor confidence hit a record low in July, a key survey showed Tuesday, but most analysts declined to forecast a recession even as high oil prices and a strong euro weighed on the economy.

FRANKFURT, July 15, 2008 (AFP) - German investor confidence hit a record low point in July, a key survey showed on Tuesday, but analysts skirted any recession forecast as high oil prices and the euro weigh on the economy.

FRANKFURT, July 15, 2008 (AFP) - German investor confidence plunged to a record low point in July, falling below economists' forecasts as high oil prices and a rising euro hit Europe's biggest economy, a widely watched survey showed on Tuesday.

FRANKFURT, July 15, 2008 (AFP) - German investor confidence plunged in July to an indexed minus 63.9 points, far below the level forecast by economists, a widely watched survey showed on Tuesday.

TOKYO, July 1, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese business confidence has slumped to the lowest level in almost five years on worries about soaring raw material costs, a weaker economy and a stronger yen, the central bank said Tuesday.

TOKYO, July 1, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese business confidence slumped to a new four-year low amid worries about soaring raw material costs, a global economic slowdown and a stronger yen, the central bank said Tuesday.

TOKYO, June 29, 2008 (AFP) - A key survey of Japan Inc. is expected to show a plunge in confidence among top executives due to runaway raw material costs, slower economic growth and a stronger yen, analysts said.