Manufacturing output 13 percent down
In April, the average daily output of Dutch manufacturing industry was 13 percent down on April 2008. For the fifth month running, manufacturing output has declined by 12 to 13 percent.
Manufacturing output dropped across all branches in April. With an output loss of 2 percent, food, drinks and tobacco proportionally achieved the best results. With a 29 percent output loss, manufacturers of transport equipment suffered most.
Seasonally adjusted figures provide a more reliable picture of short-term production developments. Monthly figures not adjusted for seasonal effects are often somewhat erratic. Therefore, the two-monthly average compared to the previous two-monthly average is a more accurate indicator. After correction for seasonal effects and the number of working days, manufacturing output declined by 0.2 percent over the period March - April compared with January - February.
