French consumer confidence hits five-month low

Consumer confidence in France fell to its lowest level in five months in November with households turning more negative about their living standards and personal finances.

The INSEE consumer confidence index declined to 89.9 this month from a revised 93.4 in October, falling further below the long-term historic average of 100.

This was the lowest reading since June, with the indicator continuing to pull back after hitting a two-and-a-half-year high of 94.8 in September.

The outlooks for future personal finances and future savings capacity both declined over the month, with both remaining well below their historic averages.

As such, households' opinions on their future standard of living registered a sharp decrease, with the sub-index for this measure dropping to its lowest since October 2023. There was also a marked increase in fears relating to unemployment, with the net balance at its highest level since May 2021.