French Consumer Confidence Rises to 89 but Remains Subdued

French household sentiment improved modestly in July, with the INSEE consumer-confidence index rising to 89 from 88 a month earlier and exceeding the consensus forecast of 88. The one-point gain marks the first uptick since April but leaves the gauge well below its long-term average level of 100, calculated over the 1987-2024 period. The statistical office said households reported slightly better perceptions of their personal financial situation and an even stronger inclination to save, with the share of respondents judging it a good time to put money aside returning to a record high first reached in February. Expectations of unemployment continued to ease, although they remain elevated by historical standards, while the balance of opinion on future price increases climbed to its highest level since April 2023.