Euro zone investor morale improves significantly in July, Sentix survey shows

BERLIN, July 6 (Reuters) - The Sentix index measuring investor morale in the euro zone currency area improved significantly more than expected in July, with its third increase in a row bolstered by growing investor confidence and brighter expectations, particularly in Germany.

• The index shot up to -3.1 points in July from -13.4 the month before, the survey showed on Monday, beating a forecast of analysts polled by Reuters for -10.0 points

• Germany, Europe's largest economy, in particular was singled out for improved expectations, which Sentix attributed to a recently announced package of reforms

• "The slump in sentiment caused by the Iran conflict is slowly being overcome. The German government's latest reform efforts are having an impact," said Sentix

• Economic expectations for the 21 countries using the euro turned positive again for the first time since March, jumping 15.8 points to 9.3 points in July

• The current situation subindex is also on an upward trend, though at a slower pace, rising to -14.8 points from -20.0

• The survey of 974 investors, 195 of which were institutional investors, was taken from July 2-4

(Reporting by Miranda Murray, editing by Kirsti Knolle)