Household Saving in France: Stochastic Income and Financial Deregulation

Author/Editor:

Joaquim Vieira Ferreira Levy ; Jonathan David Ostry

Publication Date:

November 1, 1994

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary:

The household saving ratio in France has undergone very sharp changes over the past two decades, falling dramatically in the first part of the 1980s before rising in more recent years. This paper emphasizes two factors in the evolution of private saving in France. The first relates to perceptions of household income growth and uncertainty, which are likely to have been affected by deteriorating labor market conditions, and which may therefore help to account for the recent increase in saving. The second factor relates to financial deregulation which may have lowered saving and increased its sensitivity to interest rate changes. It is argued that both factors have played some role in the evolution of French household saving.

Series:

Working Paper No. 1994/136

Subject:

Notes:

Also published in Staff Papers, Vol. 42, No. 2, June 1995.

English

Publication Date:

November 1, 1994

ISBN/ISSN:

9781451855746/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA1361994

Pages:

32

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