SECTOR ACCOUNTS : LITTLE CHANGE IN SAVING AND INVESTMENT RATES.

• Position: Brief article

The household saving rate increased slightly and investment rates remained stable in the EU in the third quarter of 2008, according to data published, on 30 January, by Eurostat and the European Central Bank (ECB) on quarterly European institutional sector accounts(1).

In the third quarter of 2008, the seasonally adjusted gross saving rate of households (gross saving divided by gross disposable income) was 14.4% in the eurozone, compared with 14% in the second quarter of 2008. In the EU, the household saving rate was 10.7% in the third quarter of 2008, compared with 10.6% in the second quarter of 2008.

The investment rate of non-financial corporations (gross fixed capital formation divided by gross value added) was 23.5% in the eurozone in the third quarter of 2008, compared with 23.3% in the second quarter of 2008. In the EU, the investment rate was 23.6% in the third quarter of 2008. It was also 23.6% in the...