By Jon Sindreu
LONDON--Consumer spending in France likely recovered in April
after a March dip, economists say, signaling the economy will
continue to get stronger into the second quarter of the year.
Official figures showed last week that French gross domestic
product expanded at a healthy 0.6% in the three months to March,
after recording no growth during the final quarter of 2014.
Analysts are expecting a slight pickup in consumer spending in
April, which would signal households are starting to regain
confidence in the economy.
"A drop in car sales will likely be countered by a small
increase in other manufactured consumer goods," economists at
Morgan Stanley said in a weekly note Friday. "Looking ahead,
prospects for this year are rosy," they added.
Meanwhile, uncertainty over negotiations between Greece and its
European creditors continues to dampen the mood among investors.
Athens is hard-pressed to reach an agreement with lenders before
June 5: and the Greek government admitted this week that it would
be unable to meet a EUR300 million payment to the International
Monetary Fund on this date without further financial
assistance.
Date GMT Indicator Period Forecast Previous
May 27 0800 GERMANY GfK Consumer climate Jun 10.0 (19) 10.1
May 27 1500 BELGIUM Business climate May -6.0 (7) -6.2
May 28 0800 GERMANY Import prices Apr +0.5%MM (8) +1.0%MM
May 28 0800 GERMANY Import prices Apr -0.7%YY (9) -1.4%YY
May 28 0900 SPAIN GDP final Q1 +0.9%QQ (12) +0.9%QQp/+0.7%QQ
May 28 0900 SPAIN GDP final Q1 +2.6%YY (9) +2.6%YYp/+2.0%YY
May 28 1000 ITALY Consumer confidence May 108.2 (7) 108.2
May 28 1100 EUROZONE Economic sentiment May 103.6 (18) 103.7
May 28 1100 EUROZONE Industrial confidence May -3.0 (14) -3.2
May 28 1100 EUROZONE Consumer confidence May -5.5 (12) -5.5p/-4.6
May 29 0800 GERMANY Retail sales Apr +1.0%MM (11) -1.4%MM
May 29 0845 FRANCE Household consumption Apr +0.2%MM (8) -0.6%MM
May 29 0845 FRANCE Household consumption Apr +2.5%YY (4) +2.1%YY
May 29 0900 SPAIN HCPI Ma -0.6%YY (6) -0.7%YY
May 29 1000 ITALY GDP final 1Q +0.3%QQ (16) +0.3%QQp/0.0%QQ
May 29 1000 ITALY GDP final 1Q 0.0%YY (12) 0.0%YYp/-0.5%YY
May 29 1000 EUROZONE M3 money supply Apr +4.8% (18) +4.6%
May 29 1000 EUROZONE M3 3M average Apr +4.5%YY (5) +4.1%YY
May 29 1100 ITALY CPI preliminary May 0.0%MM (3) +0.2%MM
May 29 1100 ITALY CPI preliminary May +0.1%YY (5) -0.1%YY
(Figures in parentheses refer to number of economists surveyed.
p = preliminary)
Write to Jon Sindreu at jon.sindreu@wsj.com