PARIS, Dec 3 (Reuters) - President Nicolas Sarkozy will announce assistance worth billions of euros for the auto and housing sectors on Thursday in a stimulus package intended to help France's economy through the global downturn.
Sarkozy will announce his plans at 1100 GMT at a Renault (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) factory in Douai in northern France.
Recent data has painted a dire picture for France as the global financial crisis spilled over into the broader economy and started to hurt business investment and jobs.
Headline unemployment has risen past the politically sensitive 2 million mark, consumption has slumped and the economy is expected to tip into recession next year.
