German business confidence falls amid trade tensions

BERLIN (AP) - A closely watched survey is showing a bigger-than-expected drop in German business confidence amid worries about international trade tensions.

The Ifo institute Tuesday said its monthly barometer of managers' sentiment in Europe's biggest economy declined to 102.1 points for April from 103.3 last month. Economists had expected a more modest dip to 102.8.

Ifo found that managers' view of both their current situation and the outlook for the next six months has darkened.

Germany is concerned about the implications of trade disputes between the U.S., China and others. The European Union is seeking a continued exemption from new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

The Ifo index has been expanded starting this month to include the service sector. It is based on monthly responses from some 9,000 companies.