In February 2011, households’ confidence about the economic situation was stable: the synthetic confidence index gained one point compared with January. It remained clearly below its long-term average.
In February, households appreciation of their past financial situation decreased by 2 points. On the other hand, the one of their future financial situation rose by 2 points, though remaining below its long–term average. Households were also more numerous than in January to consider it opportune to make major purchases (+5 points).
Households’ opinion about their current saving capacity remained stable in February, their opinion about their savings capacity in the next 12 months slightly increased (+2 points).
Households considered it more opportune than in January to save: the corresponding balance of opinion increased by 3 points and went so beyond its long –term average.
Consumer synthetic index

| Balance of responses, seasonally adjusted | |||||
| (1) Average value between February 1987 and January 2011 | |||||
| (2) This indicator is normalised in such a way that its average equals 100 and standard error equals 10 over the estimation period (1987-2011). | |||||
| 2011 | 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average (1) | Nov. | Dec. | Jan. | Feb. | |
| Synthetic index (2) | 100 | 81 | 80 | 81 | 82 |
| Financial sit., past 12 m. | –18 | –29 | –31 | –30 | –32 |
| Financial sit., next 12 m. | –3 | –28 | –29 | –28 | –26 |
| Current saving capacity | 12 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 |
| Expected saving capacity | –10 | –13 | –13 | –14 | –12 |
| Savings intentions, next 12 m. | 20 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 24 |
| Major purchases intentions, next 12 m. | –14 | –26 | –26 | –29 | –24 |
| General economic sit., past 12 m. | –41 | –75 | –74 | –73 | –75 |
| General economic sit., next 12 m. | –23 | –63 | –60 | –57 | –53 |
| Unemployment, next 12 m. | 34 | 69 | 69 | 65 | 64 |
| Consumer prices, past 12 m. | –17 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
| Consumer prices, next 12 m. | –34 | –10 | –11 | –14 | –12 |
In February, households’ opinion about the past general economic situation in France decreased anew (–2 points). On the other hand, the expected general economic situation was still improving: +4 points in February, that is +10 points since its lowest level reached in November. These balances of opinion remained clearly below their long-term averages.
In February, households were almost as numerous as in January to forecast an increase in unemployment. The level of this balance lost 1 point, remaining much higher than its long-term average.
In February, households were more numerous than in January to perceive an increasing inflation (+2 points). Their opinion about future inflation is also increasing (+2 points).
Balances on personal financial situation and general economic situation

Households' unemployment expectations

Households' perception of prices

n° 53 - February 24, 2012
Monthly consumer confidence survey - February 2012
Next issue June 27, 2013 08:45 - June 2013
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