Households spent 2.0 percent more in the third quarter than in the same quarter last year after corrections for price changes and changes in the system of medical insurance.
This increase is larger than in the years 2001 to 2005, but smaller than in the first half of this year. This was mainly because of spending on durable consumer goods.
The increase in spending on this category of goods remains high, but is less exuberant than in the first six months. The volume of government consumption remains unchanged.
Fixed capital consumption picks up strongly Fixed capital consumption was 6.1 percent higher in the third quarter of 2006 than twelve months previously. Companies invested more in machines in particular, the main investment category in business, but more was also spent on company cars and computers. Investment in dwellings and infrastructure was also clearly up.
Employment continues to rise There were 84 thousand more employee jobs in the third quarter of 2006 than twelve months previously. This increase of 1.1 percent equals that in the first half of the year.
In terms of full-time equivalents, the growth is slightly lower at 0.9 percent. This is because the number of part-time jobs is growing faster than the number of full-time jobs.
After correction for seasonal effects the number of jobs in the third quarter was 0.3 percent higher than in the second quarter of 2006. This, too, indicates that the increase in employment continues unabated.
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