6 January 2015
2015- n° 1In December 2014, households’ confidence rose again by 2 points Monthly consumer confidence survey - December 2014
In December 2014, households’ confidence increased for the second month in a row. The synthetic confidence index gained 2 points anew, reaching its highest level since June 2012. It, though, remained clearly below its long-term average.
In December 2014, households’ confidence increased for the second month in a row. The synthetic confidence index gained 2 points anew, reaching its highest level since June 2012. It, though, remained clearly below its long-term average.
Personal situation
Financial situation: sharply rising
In December, households’ opinion of their past financial situation substantially improved (+6 points), reaching its highest level since February 2013. Their appreciation on their future financial situation rose by 2 points, after 3 points the previous month, and reached its highest level since November 2010.
Despite this more favourable perception of their financial situation, slightly fewer households considered it was a suitable time to make major purchases (–2 points).
These three balances remained below their long-term average.
Saving capacity: improving
In December, households’ opinion of their current saving capacity improved (+4 points). Their opinion of their future saving capacity was almost stable (+1 point). Consequently, these two balances remained above their long-term average.
Households were also widely more numerous to consider it was an opportune time to save: the corresponding balance gained 9 points in December and thus rose above its long-term average.
graphiquegraph1_english – Consumer confidence synthetic index
tableauTab_eng – CONSUMER OPINION: synthetic index and opinion balances
| 2014 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Av. (1) | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |
| Synthetic index (2) | 100 | 87 | 86 | 88 | 90 |
| Financial sit., past 12 m. | –19 | –30 | –31 | –33 | –27 |
| Financial sit., next 12 m. | –4 | –20 | –20 | –17 | –15 |
| Current saving capacity | 8 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 17 |
| Expected saving capacity | –10 | –2 | –3 | –3 | –2 |
| Savings intentions, next 12 m. | 18 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 27 |
| Major purchases intentions, next 12 m. | –14 | –27 | –25 | –21 | –23 |
| Standard of living, past 12 m. | –43 | –71 | –74 | –67 | –68 |
| Standard of living, next 12 m. | –23 | –50 | –51 | –48 | –44 |
| Unemployment, next 12 m. | 32 | 67 | 64 | 65 | 68 |
| Consumer prices, past 12 m. | –13 | –41 | –38 | –36 | –45 |
| Consumer prices, next 12 m. | –34 | –33 | –30 | –37 | –41 |
- (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: ramping up
In December, households’ opinion of the past standard of living in France was almost stable (-1 point), after a sharp rebound in November (+7 points). Their appreciation on the future standard of living kept recovering (+4 points, after +3 points). These two balances remained however far below their long-term average.
Unemployment: fears rising
The share of households thinking that unemployment will rise went up: the corresponding balance rose by 3 points. Thus it remained clearly above its long-term average.
Inflation: dropping significantly
For the second month in a row, households were substantially less numerous to expect a rise in prices: the corresponding balance decreased by 4 points after a 7 points fall in November. It reached its lowest level since February 2010, far below its long-term average.
Likewise, the share of households thinking that prices increased dropped by 9 points, and reached its lowest level since 1999. The corresponding balance remained thus clearly below 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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