According to the managers interviewed in September 2012, the business climate deteriorates again in the retail trade and in the trade and repair of motor vehicles: the synthetic indicator loses 6 points, becoming clearly under its long-term average.
According to business leaders, past sales have come down, more significantly in retail trade than in trade and repair of motor vehicles. This slowing down would go on: expected sales and ordering intentions come down too.
General business outlook declines to a low level, sign that the retailers remain pessimistic about the economic situation in the trade sector.
Business climate synthetic indicator

Recent sales and ordering intentions

| Balances of opinion, in %, s.a. | |||||
| (1) Average since 1991 (2004 for recent and expected sales and ordering intentions). | |||||
| (2) Bi-monthly question (odd-numberred months). | |||||
| Source : monthly survey in the retail trade and in the trade and repair of motor vehicles - INSEE | |||||
| Ave. (1) | June 12 | July 12 | Aug. 12 | Sept. 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business climate | 100 | 95 | 89 | 92 | 86 |
| General business outlook | 29 | 39 | 47 | 44 | 50 |
| Recent sales | 5 | 19 | 20 | 8 | 24 |
| Expected sales | 1 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 16 |
| Ordering intentions | 8 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 23 |
| Stocks | 11 | 18 | 14 | 8 | 13 |
| Past selling prices (2) | 6 | 6 | 5 | ||
| Expected selling prices | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Cash position (2) | 14 | 24 | 25 | ||
| Workforce size: recent trend | 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Workforce size: future trend | 2 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 8 |
n° 231 - September 25, 2012
Monthly survey of retailing - September 2012
Next issue June 25, 2013 08:45 - June 2013
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