In April 2011, households’ confidence is stable

In April 2011, household’s confidence about the economic situation is stable : the synthetic confidence index is at the same level as in March.

Personnal situation

Financial situation : slightly improving perspectives

In April, households appreciation of their past financial situation loses 2 points. On the contrary, their expectations gain 2 points, but remains below its long term average. Households’ opinion on the timeliness to make major purchases is stable.

Savings : better timeliness for savings

Households’ opinion about their current saving capacity is almost stable in April (-1 point); so does households’ appreciation of their savings capacity in the next 12 months.

The opinion on the timeliness for savings markedly improves with respect to February (+6 points). The corresponding balance is thus notably above its long term average.

Consumer synthetic index

CONSUMER OPINION: synthetic index and opinion balances
		2011
Balance of responses, seasonally ajusted
(1) Average value between January 1987 and December 2010
(2) This indicator is normalised in such a way that its average equals 100 and standard error equals 10 over the estimation period (1987-2010).
	Average (1)	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	Apr.
Synthetic index (2)	100	85	85	83	83
Financial sit., past 12 m.	–17	–25	–26	–27	–29
Financial sit., next 12 m.	–2	–21	–19	–23	–21
Current saving capacity	11	15	13	14	13
Expected saving capacity	–9	–11	–13	–14	–15
Savings intentions, next 12 m.	20	22	23	23	29
Major purchases intentions, next 12 m.	–13	–23	–22	–23	–23
General economic sit., past 12 m.	–40	–70	–68	–68	–70
General economic sit., next 12 m.	–21	–49	–50	–53	–55
Unemployment, next 12 m.	33	46	49	39	40
Consumer prices, past 12 m.	–19	10	17	23	35
Consumer prices, next 12 m.	–35	–14	–6	10	1

Economic situation in France

General economic situation in France : decreasing

Households opinion about the past and expected general economic situation in France deteriorates with respect to March : both balances lose 2 points. These balances remain notably below their long term average.

Future unemployment: slightly higher expectations

After a sharp decrease in March, households are slightly more numerous in April to forecast an increase in unemployment (+1 point). This balance of opinion stays at the level it had in summer 2008.

Inflation’s appreciation: past inflation decreases, expactations increase

In April, households appreciation of past inflation keeps on increasing (+12 points). Nevertheless, the expected inflation balance of opinion falls off (-9 points). These two balances remain much higher than their long term average.

Balances on personnal financial situation and general economic situation