In 2007, the rate of inflation was 1,5 %. It is actually increasing to 2.3 % by year.
In 2007, the growth rate was 1,9 %. It is expected at 1.8 % for 2008
by economists.
The unemployment rate decrease and was situated in 7,8 % % at the end of
2007. But from January 2008, the unemployment is stabilised to this
level and perhaps grow a few.
It remained good in 2007, with a growth of building activity of 2.6 % in volume.
The number of housing put in construction site is 436 000 units.
We also observe a progress elevated in 3 sectors: offices (+ 9.3 %), administration buildings (+ 13 %) and commercial buildings (+ 8,1 %).
35 000 new permanent salaried post were created in 2007, in spite of problems of recruitment. In 10 years, the building created more than 225 000 employments.
Several questions live for 2008:
The year 2007 was good for the shopfitters in France.
In 2008, the construction of commercial buildings or renewing should fall, notably because of the hesitances on the project of reform of the commercial buildings.
At present, the activity of shopfitters is satisfactory but the orders in portfolio are in short term, many shopkeepers wait fot the last moment to place order.
The competition on the selling prices is moderated, but the general level of sales prices is with tendency to be lowered.
The purchase price of raw materials continues on the other hand to increase (panels, metal, glass…) with difficulty repercutable on the customer. It’s a problem for shopfitters who are expected a decrease of their gross margin.