The previous record for the second month of the year was 2,4 billion placed on this flagship product in February 2009, the year during which the marketing of the Livret A was opened to all banking establishments.
Before 2009, only La Banque Postale and the savings bank network distributed this product.
"Normally, the second month of the year is average for the Livret A.
During the past ten years, it has recorded three outflows in February, "responded in a note Philippe Crevel, Managing Director of the Cercle de l'Epargne, a consultancy firm on savings and its taxation.
"In a context of health restrictions, households are still in 'forced savings' mode from which the Livret A benefits in the first place. The curfew in effect in February with the closure of bars, restaurants and many leisure places weighs heavily. by definition on consumption. In addition, with the economic and social situation remaining uncertain, the French prefer security and liquidity, "adds Mr. Crevel.
This booklet thus shows a cumulative net inflow of more than nine billion euros already over the first two months of the year, against around five billion over the same period in 2020.
Considered a safe-haven investment, the Livret A, which nevertheless guarantees a historically low interest rate of 0,5% per year, was a historic success in 2020, with inflows almost twice as high as normal, at more than of 26 billion euros, in the context of economic and health uncertainties linked to Covid-19.
For its part, the Sustainable and Solidarity Development Booklet (LDDS) also experienced a dynamic month of February, with 910 million euros collected, almost three times more than during the same month in 2020.
The Livret A mainly finances social housing, while the LDDS is dedicated to the social and solidarity economy as well as to energy savings in housing.
Thus, the inflows recorded by the Livret A and the LDDS together amounted in February to almost 3,8 billion euros, again a record level for this month. And over the January-February period, this collection amounts to nearly 11 billion.
At the end of January, nearly 460 billion euros were invested in total on the two, an increase of about 10% over one year.
For Philippe Crevel, "the Livret A and the LDDS should continue to record significant collections in the coming months due to the maintenance of health restrictions. An outflow can only occur in the event of a return to normal, expected at the end in the second quarter and more certainly in the second half. It is nevertheless unlikely that the French will quickly reduce their 'Covid' savings ".