29 April 2014
2014- n° 100In April 2014, households’ confidence decreased (-3 points) Monthly consumer confidence survey - April 2014
In April 2014, households’ confidence decreased. The synthetic confidence index lost 3 points compared to its March level. It thus got back to its February level.
In April 2014, households’ confidence decreased. The synthetic confidence index lost 3 points compared to its March level. It thus got back to its February level.
Personal situation
Past and future financial situation: decreasing
In April, households’ opinion of their past financial situation decreased by 3 points, after two months of increase. Their appreciation of their future financial situation dropped by 11 points, reaching its lowest level since December 2011. It is the sharpest drop of this balance since 1993.
The share of households to consider it was a suitable time to make major purchases declined as well (–3 points).
These three balances remained clearly below their long term average.
Savings: expectations decreasing
In April, households’ opinion of their current saving capacity rose slightly once again (+2 points). Conversely, their opinion of their future saving capacity decreased (–4 points), after a significant growth in March (+9 points). These two balances remained above their long term average.
The share of households to consider it was an opportune time to save was almost stable: the corresponding balance lost 1 point. It remained above its long term average.
graphiqueGraph1_english – Consumer synthetic index
tableauTab_eng – CONSUMER OPINION: synthetic index and opinion balances
| 2014 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Av. (1) | Jan. | Feb. | March | April | |
| Synthetic index (2) | 100 | 86 | 85 | 88 | 85 |
| Financial sit., past 12 m. | –19 | –35 | –33 | –29 | –32 |
| Financial sit., next 12 m. | –4 | –17 | –19 | –17 | –28 |
| Current saving capacity | 8 | 14 | 10 | 16 | 18 |
| Expected saving capacity | –10 | –2 | –7 | 2 | –2 |
| Savings intentions, next 12 m. | 18 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
| Major purchases intentions, next 12 m. | –14 | –28 | –29 | –26 | –29 |
| General economic sit., past 12 m. | –43 | –71 | –73 | –69 | –70 |
| General economic sit., next 12 m. | –23 | –45 | –50 | –47 | –45 |
| Unemployment, next 12 m. | 32 | 53 | 55 | 53 | 55 |
| Consumer prices, past 12 m. | –13 | –13 | –20 | –25 | –24 |
| Consumer prices, next 12 m. | –34 | –16 | –24 | –29 | –30 |
- (1) Average value between January 1987 and December 2013
- (2) This indicator is normalised in such a way that its average equals 100 and standard error equals 10 over the estimation period (1987-2013).
Economic situation in France
General economic situation in France: expectations rising again
Households’ opinion of the future general economic situation in France increased: the corresponding balance gained 2 points, after rising by 3 points in March in March. Their appreciation of the past general economic situation was almost stable (–1 point). These two balances remained distinctly below their long term average.
Future unemployment: fears rising
In April, households were more concerned regarding future unemployment. The corresponding balance increased by 2 points and got back to its February level. It still stood widely above its long term average.
Inflation’s appreciation: almost stable
In April, the share of households to think prices went up was almost stable (+1 point). Thus the corresponding balance was below its long term average for the third month in a row.
Similarly, households’ expectations concerning future inflation were almost stable. The corresponding balance lost 1 point and remained slightly above its long term average.
graphiqueGraph2_english – Balances on personal financial situation and general economic situation
graphiquechomage_en – Households' unemployment expectations
graphiqueprix_en – Households' perception of prices
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