MANNHEIM Germany (Reuters) - German analyst and investor morale dropped in July for a seventh straight month to its lowest level since December 2012, a leading survey showed on Tuesday, suggesting the third quarter got off to a shaky start for Europe's biggest economy.
Mannheim-based think tank ZEW's monthly survey of economic sentiment fell to 27.1 in July, missing the consensus forecast in a Reuters poll for a reading of 28.0.
A separate gauge of current conditions decreased to 61.8 from 67.7 in June, undershooting the consensus forecast for a reading of 67.0.
The index was based on a survey of 238 analysts and investors conducted between June 30 and July 14, ZEW said.
(Reporting by Paul Carrel and Andreas Framke; Writing by xxx)