BAROMETER. Road transport prices in France jumped 8% month-on-month in April 2026, reaching unprecedented levels. This development is explained by the surge in fuel prices, which is driving the transport market into a logic of radical transformation.
The impact of the conflict in the Middle East on the global economy in general and on the French economy in particular is beginning to manifest itself very concretely. Beyond the immediate consequences on fuel prices, linked to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the crisis is causing a clear downward correction in growth prospects.
Stagnation of the French economy
The French economy experienced a month of April 2026 marked by stagnation in activity and persistent inflation, confirming fears of a lasting slowdown. According to INSEE, GDP stalled in the first quarter, with zero growth (0.0%), after a timid rebound of +0.2% at the end of 2025. But above all, the business climate index lost 3 points to settle at 94. You have to look back to the Covid period to see lower scores, which reflects the concern of the economic community. Companies surveyed by the Banque de France anticipate a slowdown in industry and a stabilisation in services and construction, in a context of increased uncertainty linked to geopolitical tensions, largely determined by the situation in the Middle East.
Household consumption, the traditional driver of...
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