Households income and corporate profits

The indicators presented in this release are derived from quarterly national accounts by institutional sector (QSA), which allow a timely analysis of the evolution of the main variables of the income accounts of Consumer Households and Non-financial Corporations. Time series for total Households (including Producers Households and Non Profit Institutions Serving Households (NPISHs)) are provided in Annex, as well. The indicators are presented in seasonally adjusted form.

In the fourth quarter of 2015 the gross Consumer Households saving rate (defined as gross saving divided by gross disposable income, with the latter being adjusted for the change in the net equity of households in pension funds reserves) was 8.1%, compared with 8.4% in the fourth quarter of 2014 and 8.9% in the previous quarter.

Gross disposable income of Consumer Households decreased by 0.6% with respect to the previous quarter whereas final consumption expenditure increased by 0.4%. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2014, gross disposable income of Consumer Households increased by 1.1% and final consumption expenditure by 1.5%. Gross disposable income of Consumer Households in real terms declined by 0.7% compared with the previous quarter and increased by 0.9% compared with the fourth quarter of 2014.

In the fourth quarter of 2015, the gross investment rate of Consumer Households (defined as gross fixed capital formation divided by gross disposable income) was 6.2%, unchanged with respect to the fourth quarter of 2014 and 0.1 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter. Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) of Consumer Households increased by 1.1% compared with the previous quarter.

Date of next release: 30 June 2016