german investor confidence climbed slightly in october but remained at a low level a key survey said tuesday as europes top economy braces for a recession triggered by soaring energy costs the zew institutes economic expectations index unexpectedly inched up to minus 592 points from minus 619 points in september analysts had predicted a fourth straight month of decline for october as recordhigh inflation and skyrocketing energy prices in the wake of the ukraine war weigh on the german economy but zew president achim wambach said despite respondents slightly improved expectations for the coming six months the overall picture remained bleak he noted that the survey in which a negative number means that most investors are pessimistic also recorded a steep drop in investor confidence about germanys current economic situation that reading fell by 117 points in october to minus 722 points the current economic situation is once again assessed as significantly worse than in the previous month wambach said in a statement the probability that real gross domestic product will decline in the course of the next six months has also increased considerably overall the economic outlook has deteriorated again he said the german government last week said the country was forecast to descend into recession next year and shrink by 04 percent because of the fallout from russias war in ukraine like other european nations germany is bracing for an energy crisis this winter after russia shut down the crucial nord stream 1 gas pipeline leaving the industrial powerhouse scrambling to diversify supplies germany is already being hit harder than most other advanced economies given its strong reliance on gas in energy generation large energyintensive industry sector and reliance on exports said economist franziska palmas from capital economics we continue to expect germany to experience the deepest recession among eurozone countries in the coming months she added the german government has pledged a 200billioneuro 198 billion energy fund to cushion the impact on households and businesses