Mood among manufacturers improved further

In November, Dutch manufacturers were less pessimistic than in October. The producer confidence index rose from -7.8 to -5.6. The indicator has obviously recovered since reaching an all-time low in February (-22.9), but the mood remains negative.

Producer confidence consists of three component indicators: expected output in the next three months, producers’ opinions on their stocks of finished products and their opinions on their order books.

For the first time in more than a year, the number of manufacturers expecting production to increase in the next three months exceeded those anticipating a decrease. Manufacturers were also more optimistic about their stocks of finished products than in October. Their opinions on their order position hardly changed and remained extremely negative.

In November, manufactures were slightly more positive about the value of orders received in the past three months than in October, but they were invariably negative about future employment in their branch.

Producer confidence in manufacturing industry