French Consumer Confidence Picks up in February

PARIS, Feb. 27 -- French consumers were more confident of the country's economic performance in February than a month earlier as the consumer confidence index improved by 1 point, French national statistics bureau Insee said on Friday.

The consumers' sentiment about the economic situation was posted at 82 points this month, though "it remained clearly below its long-term average."

Households' sentiment to their future personal financial situation gained 2 points to stand at minus 26 points.

The consumers therefore showed more optimism over saving capacity in the coming months as saving opportunities indicator improved by two points to minus 12 points from January, Insee data showed.

France, Europe's second largest economy, is eager to quicken growth to digest the growing demand of job seekers. Its expected growth rate was 0.5 percent this year compared with 1.7 percent reported for 2011.