28 July 2017
2017- n° 207In May 2017, services output recovered strongly (+2.2%) Index of services production - May 2017
In May 2017, output bounced back strongly in services (+2.2%) after a fall in April (−0.8%).
The commentary shows variations of subsections by decreasing contribution to the overall variation. The contribution of a subsection depends on the extent of the change and on its weight.
In May 2017, output bounced back strongly in services (+2.2%) after a fall in April (−0.8%).
Services output increased over the last three months
Over the last three months, services production rose by 1.1% compared to the previous three months.
It grew sharply in business support (+1.7%), particularly in administrative and business service activities (+2.2%). It rose strongly in information and communication (+2.9%). It increased more moderately in transportation and storage (+0.9%) and in accomodation and food service activities (+0.6%).
By contrast, it went down in real estate activities (−2.1%) and in household services (−1.7%).
Output grew very markedly over a year
In services, output of the last three months rose over a year by 4.9%, with an increase in all sectors.
Output went up strongly in business support (+6.1%), be it in administrative and business service activities (+7.0%) or in specialised, scientific and technical activities (+5.3%). It grew sharply in information and communication (+5.7%), transportation and storage (+4.0%), accomodation and food service activities (+4.0%) and household services (+3.2%). It grew more moderately in real estate activities (+1.7%).
graphiqueGraph1 – Index of services production

- Sources: DGFiP, INSEE
tableauTable1 – Variation in the services production
Change in % | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nace classification | Weight (1) | May/ Apr. | Apr./ Mar. | q-o-q (2) | y-o-y (3) |
Index of services production | 10000 | 2.2 | −0.8 | 1.1 | 4.9 |
H Transportation and storage | 1601 | 3.7 | −0.1 | 0.9 | 4.0 |
I Accomodation and food service activities | 926 | −1.6 | −0.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
J Information and communication | 1745 | 1.5 | −0.8 | 2.9 | 5.7 |
L Real estate activities | 1064 | 0.5 | −0.7 | −2.1 | 1.7 |
M+N Business support | 4020 | 4.0 | −1.3 | 1.7 | 6.1 |
M Specialised, scientific and technical activities | 2210 | 4.0 | −2.0 | 1.3 | 5.3 |
N Administrative and business service activities | 1810 | 4.0 | −0.6 | 2.2 | 7.0 |
R+S Household services | 644 | −2.5 | 0.5 | −1.7 | 3.2 |
- (1)Weight (10 000 = H…S excepting K, O, P, Q)
- (2) Quarter-on-quarter: last three months / previous three months
- (3) Year-on-year: last three months / same three months of previous year
- Significant rebound in business support
- Sources: DGFiP, INSEE
In May 2017, output in business support activities picked up sharply (+4.0% after −1.3% in April).
It bounced back significantly in specialised, scientific and technical activities (+4.0% after −2.0%), particularly in architecture and engineering activities (+5.8%), scientific research and development (+6.4%) and legal and accounting activities (+2.1%). It increased again in activities of head offices and management consultancy (+1.6%).
Output also recovered in administrative and business support activities (+4.0% after −0.6%), notably in other administrative and business support activities (+7.7%) and rental and leasing activities (3.2%). It rose again in employment activities (+3.4%).
Increase in transportation and storage
In May, output in transportation and storage grew sharply (+3.7%) after a near stability in April. It bounced back mainly in warehousing and support for transportation (+4.4% after −0.5%), land transport (+3.1% after −3.2%) and postal and courier activities (+6.5% after −1.9%).
Rally in information and communication
In May, output in information and communication picked up (+1.5%) after a decrease in April (−0.8%). It went up primarily in computer programming, consultancy and related activities (+1.9%), telecommunications (+1.3%) and information services (+2.9%).
Downturn in household services
Output in household services fell back in May (−2.5% after +0.5%) weighted down by the arts, entertainment and recreation sector (−5.2% after +2.7%).
Further decline in accomodation and food service activities
Output shrank further in accomodation and food services in May (−1.6% after −0.4% in April). The decrease was more marked in accomodation (−2.6%) than in food and beverage service activities (−1.4%).
Revisions
The month-on-month variation rate of the index of services production in April 2017 has been revised upwards by 0.1 points. Initially published at −0.9%, it has been stated at −0.8%.
tableauTable2 – Variation in the services production
Changes in % | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weight (1) | May 17 | May/ Apr. | Apr./ Mar. | q-o-q (2) | |
Index of services production | 10000 | 122.3 | 2.2 | −0.8 | 1.1 |
H transportation and storage | 1601 | 115.5 | 3.7 | −0.1 | 0.9 |
49 Land transport… | 686 | 116.5 | 3.1 | −3.2 | 0.0 |
50 Water transport | 63 | 225.0 | 1.3 | 28.2 | 7.7 |
51 Air transport | 129 | 99.3 | 3.9 | −0.7 | −3.9 |
52 Warehousing and support for transportation | 563 | 116.6 | 4.4 | −0.5 | 2.6 |
53 Postal and courier activities | 161 | 78.0 | 6.5 | −1.9 | −2.7 |
I Accomodation and food service activities | 926 | 115.8 | −1.6 | −0.4 | 0.6 |
55 Accomodation | 211 | 107.8 | −2.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
56 Food and beverage service activities | 715 | 118.2 | −1.4 | −0.6 | 0.6 |
J Information-communication | 1745 | 132.7 | 1.5 | −0.8 | 2.9 |
58 Publishing activities | 220 | 100.7 | 0.6 | −2.6 | 1.5 |
59 Motion picture, sound recording, music publishing | 124 | 119.9 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
60 Programming and broadcasting activities | 68 | 128.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
61 Telecommunications | 558 | 136.4 | 1.3 | −0.8 | 2.5 |
62 Computer programming... | 683 | 140.0 | 1.9 | −0.9 | 3.7 |
63 Information services | 92 | 153.7 | 2.9 | −0.7 | 3.9 |
L Real estate activities | 1064 | 106.2 | 0.5 | −0.7 | −2.1 |
M Specialised, scientific and technical activities | 2210 | 122.7 | 4.0 | −2.0 | 1.3 |
69 Legal and accounting activities | 496 | 118.0 | 2.1 | −4.0 | 0.2 |
70 Activities of head offices and management consultancy | 665 | 125.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
71 Architecture and engineering activities | 465 | 120.2 | 5.8 | −7.8 | −3.0 |
72 Scientific research and development | 313 | 111.8 | 6.4 | −0.4 | 5.8 |
73 Advertising and market research | 171 | 121.2 | 6.0 | 1.5 | 3.1 |
74 Other professional, scientific and technical activities | 71 | 197.4 | 13.5 | −2.6 | 7.0 |
75 Veterinary activities | 29 | 128.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.1 |
N Administrative and business service activities | 1810 | 132.0 | 4.0 | −0.6 | 2.2 |
77 Rental and leasing activities | 545 | 127.3 | 3.2 | −1.5 | 1.1 |
78 Employment activities | 512 | 140.6 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 3.9 |
79 Travel agency, tour operator | 45 | 111.2 | 7.6 | −5.4 | −3.3 |
80 Security and investigation | 109 | 124.6 | 2.3 | −2.6 | 0.2 |
81 Services to building and landscape anctivities | 248 | 124.2 | 2.1 | −0.9 | 0.8 |
82 Other administrative and business support activities | 351 | 137.5 | 7.7 | −1.0 | 3.5 |
R Arts, entertainment and recreation | 306 | 125.0 | −5.2 | 2.7 | −2.2 |
S Other personal services | 338 | 110.6 | 0.4 | −1.8 | −1.2 |
- (1) Weight (10 000 = H…S excepting K, O, P, Q)
- (2) Quarter-on-quarter: last three months / previous three months
- Sources: DGFiP, INSEE
tableauTable3 – Revision of variations
Apr. / Mar. | Mar. / Feb. | Feb. / Jan. | Q4 2016 / Q3 2016 | 2016 / 2015 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Services production | 0.16 | 0.04 | −0.01 | 0.03 | −0.01 |
Raw series | −0.09 | 0.07 | 0.02 | −0.02 | 0.00 |
SA-WDA parameters | 0.25 | −0.03 | −0.03 | 0.05 | −0.01 |
- How to read: in the services industries, the SA-WDA variation in output between March 2017 and April 2017 is revised by +0.16 points: −0.09 points due to the revisions of raw data and +0.25 points due to the update of SA-WDA parameters
- Sources: DGFiP, INSEE