France’s household confidence index remained stable in August at 85, the same as in July and June, the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) said on Tuesday.
The balance of opinion among households on their financial situation outlook dropped by 4 points in August from July.
The share of households expressing optimism about the standard of living in France over the next 12 months has also decreased. The corresponding balance has lost 5 points after gaining 3 in July, the INSEE said.
Regarding the outlook for unemployment, the corresponding balance was on the rise again. The fear of unemployment also drove up the French public’s intention to boost their savings.
The share of households that expect price hikes to accelerate over the next 12 months has rebounded strongly, with the corresponding index increasing by 13 points.
The year-on-year consumer price index in France was 4.3 percent in July, continuing a slow but steady downward trend in inflation starting from June, when the figure stood at 4.5 percent, according to the INSEE.
The institute compiled the household confidence index in August after interviewing about 2,000 households by telephone between July 25 and Aug. 19.
