24 February 2012
2012- n° 53In February 2012, households’ confidence was stable Monthly consumer confidence survey - February 2012
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 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.
Personal situation
Financial situation: more favourable prospects
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).
Savings: slightly increasing
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.
graphiqueGraph1_english – Consumer synthetic index
tableauTab_eng – CONSUMER OPINION: synthetic index and opinion balances
| 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 |
- (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).
Economic situation in France
General economic situation in France: less pessimistic expectations
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.
Future unemployment: almost stable expectations
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.
Inflation’s appreciation: increasing
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).
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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