The CONSUMER CONFIDENCE indicator fell to an all time low -29 (-23 a year ago) pushed down by households' feeling that their past financial situation worsened -23 compared with -19 the previous month and deteriorated (-18 in December last year). As regards future improvements of their financial situation, the indicator dived -9, its lowest level since last December at -3. Similarly, consumers past standard of living was felt to have deteriorated -61 (-59 in November) compared with -55 a year ago. However, and as regards the likely hood for general improvement, the indicator slightly picked up -31 compared with -36 last month but remained lower than in December last year at -27. The possibility to make significant purchases also dived to its lowest level -23 since January and even more so compared with December -11 last year.

Source: Insee                 

Nevertheless, and as regards consumers current personal financial situation, the indicator at 14 reached levels similar to June, up two points compared with last December at 12. Future savings capacity at -12 was felt to have decreased from the previous month -13 (-10 last December) while the opportunity to save at 30 similarly to May was up from December last year at 23. Consumers expressed pessimism as regards future price increases as the indicator dipped to -23 compared with -8 in November, at levels however higher than last December -34. As regards unemployment, households stayed prudent but saw no improvement as the indicator fell to 5 compared with the previous month 11 and a more optimistic 27 last December.

Consumer Confidence dived -28 from the previous month -23 as fears and concerns about unemployment reached an all time high: the likelyhood that unemployment will improve retrograded to 13 from the previous month 12, a level similar to January. By contrast, prior to and following the June Presidential elections, consumers had expressed confidence in unemployment declining quickly. Regarding personal finances, and possible improvements, the indicator plunged to -8, its lowest level since January

The Consumer Confidence indicator fell to a new low in September -21 from -15 the previous month dragged down by pessimism as regards potential improvement for each personal finances and unemployment. Although internal consumer demand has remained sustained in the past months, future purchases were considered unlikely (to -8 from -3)

Source: Eurostat

As regards their savings capacity, consumers stayed on a negative trend (to -6 from -4) In the Euro area, the indicator performed similarly as most member states’ indicators dipped to negative levels with the exception of Nordic countries and Germany. Hungary’s indicator recorded the lowest consumer confidence level -46.8 from -45.2 the previous month and Finland the highest 20.1 FRANCE’s indicator fell to -5.1 compared with -2.9 the previous month.

The Economic Sentiment indicator in each the Euro area and the EU 27 similarly fell impacted by most member states indicators’ dip. Hungary’s 88.1 recorded the lowest Economic Sentiment indicator while Poland’s 134.4 accounted for the highest. France’s fell to 110.6 from 112.1

The Industrial Sentiment Indicator did not fare better: in the Euro area and the EU 27 the indicator fell respectively to 2.7 (from 4.8) and to 3.4 (from 4.7) Only Slovakia and Romania recorded an indicator upward trend climbing to 11.9 (from 10.3) and to 3.8 (from 2.9) France’s indicator dived to 0.9 from 2.2