Euro investment confidence up

European investor confidence increased for the first time in seven months in January, rebounding from a record low on interest-rate cuts and government measures to stimulate the economy.

An index measuring euro-region sentiment rose to minus 34.4 from minus 42.3 in December, the steepest increase since August 2005, when the announcement of early German elections boosted morale, the Limburg, Germany-based Sentix research institute said in a statement yesterday.

The December reading was the lowest since the measure was first compiled in 2002.