Investor confidence falls in February 2012. The global investor confidence index (ICI) fell to 86.5, down 6.1 points from January's revised level of 92.6, according to State Street Global Markets, the investment research and trading arm of State Street Corporation (State Street Investor Confidence Index). The decline was most pronounced among North American investors, whose confidence fell 9.5 points to 80.5, its lowest reading in more than three years. The outlook of European investors, by contrast, improved, with the European ICI rising 4.0 points from January's revised reading of 91.2 to 95.2 I February. In Asia, investor confidence remained relatively static, ticking down 0.3 points from a revised January reading of 96.6 to end at 96.3. Investor confidence or risk appetite is assessed quantitatively by analyzing the actual buying and selling patterns of institutional investors. The report underlines a sharp difference between the regions in February. Latest developments in Europe and the adoption of measures to avoid a disastrous financial crisis have reinvigorated the confidence of European investors, explains State Street. (IL/transl.fl)