German investor confidence unexpectedly rose to a two-year high in April, suggesting Europe’s largest economy can weather the resurgent debt crisis in the euro region’s periphery. The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim said its index of investor and analyst expectations, which aims to predict economic developments six months in advance, increased to 23.4 from 22.3 in March. That’s the fifth straight gain and the highest reading since June 2010. Economists forecast a drop to 19, according to the median of 39 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. The German economy may avoid a recession as ... (full story)