4 September 2015
2015- n° 216In August 2015, households’ confidence was stable Monthly consumer confidence survey - August 2015
In August 2015, households’ confidence was stable. The synthetic confidence index stood at 93, below its long-term average (100). It has been virtually stable at this level since February 2015.
In August 2015, households’ confidence was stable. The synthetic confidence index stood at 93, below its long-term average (100). It has been virtually stable at this level since February 2015.
Personal situation
Financial situation: stable
In August, households’ opinion of their financial situation, past as well as future one, was stable. The two corresponding balances stayed clearly below their long-term average.
Households were almost as numerous in August as in July to think it was a suitable time to make major purchases: the corresponding balance gained 1 point in August and remained above its long-term average.
Saving capacity: decreasing
In August, households’ opinion of their current saving capacity was virtually stable (–1 point), close to its long-term average. However, they were more pessimistic concerning their future saving capacity : the corresponding balance dropped by 3 points. It thus fell back below its long-term average.
A significantly lower proportion of households thought it was an opportune time to save: the corresponding balance fell by 10 points. Already below its long-term average, it deviated more clearly from it.
graphiquegraph1_english – Consumer confidence synthetic index
tableauTab_eng – CONSUMER OPINION: synthetic index and opinion balances
| 2015 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Av. (1) | May | June | July | August | |
| Synthetic index (2) | 100 | 93 | 94 | 93 | 93 |
| Financial sit., past 12 m. | –19 | –27 | –27 | –28 | –28 |
| Financial sit., next 12 m. | –4 | –13 | –12 | –12 | –12 |
| Current saving capacity | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Expected saving capacity | –10 | –7 | –8 | –8 | –11 |
| Savings intentions, next 12 m. | 18 | 2 | 8 | 6 | –4 |
| Major purchases intentions, next 12 m. | –14 | –14 | –12 | –13 | –12 |
| Standard of living, past 12 m. | –43 | –58 | –57 | –57 | –57 |
| Standard of living, next 12 m. | –23 | –33 | –35 | –35 | –35 |
| Unemployment, next 12 m. | 32 | 57 | 54 | 55 | 52 |
| Consumer prices, past 12 m. | –13 | –56 | –54 | –53 | –51 |
| Consumer prices, next 12 m. | –34 | –41 | –37 | –37 | –36 |
- (1) Average value between January 1987 and December 2014
- (2) This indicator is normalised in such a way that its average equals 100 and standard error equals 10 over the estimation period (1987-2014).
- Source: INSEE, monthly consumer confidence survey
Economic situation in France
Standard of living in France: opinion stable, at its highest level since October 2007
In August, households’ opinion of the past standard of living in France was stable for the third consecutive month; the corresponding balance thus remained at its highest level since October 2007. Similarly, their appreciation on the future standard of living has been stable for three months. These two balances remained nevertheless far below their long-term averages.
Unemployment: fears declining
In August, fears of households regarding unemployment eased somewhat: the corresponding balance of opinion decreased by 3 points. It stayed however substantially above its long-term average.
Future inflation: virtually stable
In August, households were slightly more numerous to think that prices increased over the last twelve months (+2 points). Nevertheless, the corresponding balance remained clearly below its long-term average.
The share of households expecting a rise in prices was almost stable in August (+1 point). The corresponding balance remained therefore close to its long-term average.
graphiquegraph2_english – Balances on personal financial situation and standard of living
graphiquechomage_en – Households' unemployment expectations
graphiqueprix_en – Households' perception of prices
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