According to the business leaders questioned in February 2012, the industrial economic situation is stable compared to January : the synthetic indicator stays at its January’s level.
The turning point indicator remains in the unfavorable area .
Business leaders consider that their past activity slowed down. Stocks of finished products are stable. Total and export orders stop degrading but stay comparatively low.
Looking at the personal production outlook, which carries out a light progression, activity in manufacturing industry would remain weak in the next months. The general production outlook, which represents business leaders’ opinion on French industry as a whole, improves slightly but stays below its long-term average.
Industrial economic climate - Synthetic Index

Turning-point indicator

Business leaders' opinion (manufacturing industry)

| Balance of opinion, s.a, in % | |||||
| * : The average of the balances opinion since 1976. | |||||
| Source : Monthly business survey - INSEE | |||||
| Manufacturing industry | Average* | Nov. 11 | Dec. 11 | Jan. 12 | Feb. 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic index | 100 | 96 | 94 | 92 | 92 |
| Recent changes in output | 5 | 4 | –5 | –6 | –9 |
| Finished-goods inventory level | 13 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Demand and total order levels | –17 | –17 | –26 | –28 | –26 |
| Demand and export order levels | –12 | –25 | –20 | –26 | –33 |
| Personal production expectations | 5 | –5 | –1 | –5 | –2 |
| General production expectations | –8 | –35 | –36 | –36 | –27 |
n° 44 - February 20, 2012
Monthly business survey (goods-producing industries) - February 2012
Next issue June 25, 2013 08:45 - June 2013
Since July 2009, display of the Informations Rapides has changed.