(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in France are concerned about the effects of the financial crisis in the United States, according to a poll by Ifop published in Le Journal du Dimanche. 81 per cent of respondents are worried about the French economy.

In addition, 73 per cent of respondents think this financial crisis will have an impact in their daily lives.

Since last year, defaults on so-called subprime mortgages—credit given to high-risk borrowers—have caused volatility in domestic and financial markets and raised concerns that the U.S. economy could fall into a recession.

Earlier this year, the U.S. government took control of mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Other financial institutions—including Bear Stearns, Merril Lynch, Lehman Brothers, American International Group (AIG), IndyMac Bancorp and Washington Mutual—have been sold, placed under bankruptcy protection, or received emergency loans from the Federal Reserve. On Sept. 15, the stock market plummeted in North America, Europe and Asia.

On Sept. 26, French finance minister Christine Lagarde discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "The French banking system is solid and everything makes one think that French banks (...) are in a good position to resist the financial crisis. There is no reason to think that any French bank is in a difficult position."

Polling Data

Thinking about the financial crisis in the United States, Asia and Europe, are you concerned about the French economy?

Do you think this financial crisis will have an impact in your daily life?

Source: Ifop / Le Journal du Dimanche
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 956 French adults, conducted on Sept. 18 and Sept. 19, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

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