Manufactures optimistic by the end of the year

The mood among manufacturers improved considerably in December. The producer confidence indicator stood at 2.5 versus 0.3 in November. Manufacturers were particularly satisfied with their order position.

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

Their opinions on their order position improved significantly. For the first time in over two years, optimists outnumbered pessimists. Manufacturers’ opinions on their stocks of finished products also improved. Expectations on future output were less optimistic than in November. In December, manufacturers expecting output to increase were outnumbered by those expecting output to decline.

Dutch manufacturers reported a firm increase in the value of orders received in December. The order position index (orders received expressed in months of work) rose from 102.0 to 102.6. Manufacturers’ expectations on future employment did not change much in December relative to November.

Producer confidence in manufacturing industry

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.