Manufacturing prices continue to rise

In March, factory gate prices in Dutch manufacturing were nearly 8 percent up on March 2009. The price increase was somewhat more substantial than in February, when prices were 6 percent higher than in February 2009. March was the fourth month in a row in which prices were up on one year previously. However, the price level was still lower than in mid-2008, when prices reached record levels.

With nearly 55 percent, output prices in the petroleum industry by far showed the most substantial increase in March. Prices in the petroleum sector are directly affected by the crude oil price. The euro price of a barrel of North Sea Brent oil was 62 percent up on one year previously. Prices of chemical products were also much higher. The chemical industry charged nearly 16 percent more for its products than one year previously. Prices dropped in various other branches. With 4 percent, the most substantial price drop was recorded in the wood industry.

For the sixth consecutive month, factory gate prices were higher than in the preceding month. In March, prices were 1.6 percent up on February. With 1.9 percent, prices on the foreign market rose more rapidly than prices on the domestic market (1.1 percent).

Factory gate prices