Berlin  - German investor confidence is expected to record its fourth consecutive rise this month, according to data from a key indicator set for release Tuesday.

The uptick in investors' outlook comes amid hopes that signs of an economic recovery could emerge as the year unfolds.

Drawn up by the Mannheim-based Centre for European Economic Research, the ZEW index is forecast by analysts to edge up to minus 26 points after the index posted a bigger-than-forecast rise to minus 31 points in January from -45.2 in December.

The predicted increase in the index, which measures confidence among analysts and institutional investors six months down the track, comes in the wake of concerted moves from governments and central banks around the world to try to halt the global economic downturn.

As a result, some economists believe that the first signs of an economic recovery in Germany and Europe could start to emerge during the second half of 2009, paving the way for a pickup in 2010. This is despite fresh evidence of the continuing turmoil in the global banking and corporate sectors as well as the rapid contraction in world economic growth, which took hold during the final months of 2008. Based on a survey of about 290 analysts, the ZEW indicator often sets the scene for other major European economic sentiment surveys released later in the month, including Germany's closely watched Ifo business confidence survey. (dpa)