According to the April 2015 State Street Global Investor Confidence Index (ICI) – which measures investor confidence by analysing buying and selling patterns – North American investor confidence has decreased since March.
North American ICI fell 6.9 points to 122.1, down from March’s revised reading of 129.1.
ICI developer Kenneth Froot said: “Softer labour market growth in the US and rising equity valuations were likely key factors driving the decline in North American investor sentiment in April.”
“With the Federal Reserve preparing markets for rate normalisation and the strong dollar placing headwinds on overseas earnings of US multinationals, it will be interesting to see whether or not sentiment can remain at an elevated level in North America.”
European ICI rose by 5.4 points to 109.7 in April, with Asian ICI increasing 2.3 points to 91.5.
State Street Global Markets senior vice president and head of global macro strategy, Michael Metcalfe, said quantitative easing in Europe underpinned investor confidence.
“Meanwhile in Asia, monetary easing by the People’s Bank of China helped boost the Asian ICI by 2.4 points, Mr Metcalfe said.
