Dutch consumer remains optimistic

May’s consumer confidence index hardly changed compared to April. Willingness to buy and consumers’ opinions on the economic climate remained the same.

Consumers are positive about the current and future economic situation in the Netherlands, but the underlying opinions changed. They felt more positive about the economic situation in the past twelve months, but were slightly more negative about the economic situation in the twelve months to come.

Consumers’ willingness to buy did not change in May. This indicator is based on the question whether it is the right time to buy expensive items and on consumers’ opinions about the financial situation of their own household. These indicators only changed marginally.

The consumer confidence index has shown an upward trend since the autumn of 2005. The distinctly upward trend over the period autumn 2005– autumn 2006 was chiefly the result of the more positive opinion held by Dutch consumers about the economic climate. In the past six months the upward trend levelled off. This more cautious upward trend is mainly caused by an increase in willingness to buy.

Consumer confidence, seasonally adjusted