6 September 2013
2013- n° 204In August 2013, households’ confidence increased again (+2 points) Monthly consumer confidence survey - August 2013
In August 2013, households’ confidence kept increasing. The synthetic confidence index gained 2 points compared with July, after a 3 points increase in July with respect to June.
In August 2013, households’ confidence kept increasing. The synthetic confidence index gained 2 points compared with July, after a 3 points increase in July with respect to June.
Personal situation
Financial situation : slightly increasing
In August, households’ appreciation of their financial situation slightly increased, both their past situation (+1 point) and future situation (+2 points. However, the balance of opinion on whether August was a suitable time to make major purchases slightly decreased (-1 point). These three balances remained clearly below their long term averages.
Savings: decreasing
In August, households’ opinion about their current saving capacity was stable, as was their opinion about their savings capacity in the next 12 months, these two balances remaining considerably above their long term average.
In August, the part of households to consider it opportune to save sharply decreased (+1 point). This balance remained however distinctly above its long term average.
graphiqueGraph1_english – Consumer synthetic index
tableauTab_eng – CONSUMER OPINION: synthetic index and opinion balances
| 2013 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average (1) | May | June | July | August | |
| Synthetic index (2) | 100 | 79 | 79 | 82 | 84 |
| Financial sit., past 12 m. | –19 | –37 | –35 | –34 | –33 |
| Financial sit., next 12 m. | –4 | –27 | –27 | –25 | –23 |
| Current saving capacity | 8 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| Expected saving capacity | –10 | –2 | –6 | –1 | –1 |
| Savings intentions, next 12 m. | 18 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 24 |
| Major purchases intentions, next 12 m. | –14 | –32 | –34 | –28 | –29 |
| General economic sit., past 12 m. | –43 | –78 | –79 | –76 | –72 |
| General economic sit., next 12 m. | –23 | –63 | –66 | –58 | –51 |
| Unemployment, next 12 m. | 32 | 78 | 80 | 63 | 62 |
| Consumer prices, past 12 m. | –13 | –18 | –13 | –9 | –2 |
| Consumer prices, next 12 m. | –34 | –17 | –18 | –16 | –21 |
- (1) Average value between January 1987 and December 2012
- (2) This indicator is normalised in such a way that its average equals 100 and standard error equals 10 over the estimation period (1987-2012).
Economic situation in France
General economic situation in France: increasing again
In August, households’ opinion about the past general economic situation in France increased (+4 points). Their opinion on the expected general economic situation noticeably rose (+7 points): after reaching its lowest value in June, it had already bounced in July. Nevertheless, these balances remained clearly below their long term averages.
Future unemployment: July’s decrease confirmed
In August, households anticipations of future employment were almost stable. The corresponding balance lost 1 point, after a 17 points decrease in July, and reached its lowest level since June 2012. However, it remained above its long term average.
Inflation’s appreciation: increasing again
In August, households were more numerous than in July to estimate that past inflation increased. The corresponding balance increased by 7 points. However, households’ opinion about future inflation decreased (-5 point). Both balances remained above their long term average.
graphiqueGraph2_english – Balances on personnal financial situation and general economic situation
graphiquechomage_en – Households' unemployment expectations
graphiqueprix_en – Households' perception of prices
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