The national accounts in 2014 - GDP grew slightly, household purchasing power picked up

In 2014 the French economy grew weakly: gross domestic product in constant euros increased by 0.2%, after +0.7% in 2013. Household consumption picked up slightly. In contrast, there was a sharper decline in investment. Imports grew faster than exports, so that foreign trade made a negative contribution to growth. The increase in the purchasing power of the gross disposable income of households was mainly due to the buoyancy of social benefits in cash and earned incomes as well as a slowdown in taxation. Purchasing power per consumption unit rose again after declining for three years. The household savings ratio recovered, while the margin rate of non-financial corporations reached a low point.