Manufacturers less pessimistic

The mood among Dutch manufacturers improved in December. Producer confidence rose from -4.8 in November to -1.3 in December. Manufacturers were notably less negative about future output. In the two preceding months, producer confidence had diminished.

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

Manufacturers were much less gloomy about their future output. Their opinions on their stocks of finished products also improved, but opinions on order positions deteriorated somewhat.

The number of manufacturers indicating that the value of their orders received has increased in the last three months almost equalled the number that reported a decline. With 101.5, the order position index (orders expressed in terms of months of work) was marginally higher than in November.

The number of Dutch manufacturers expecting selling prices to rise increased considerably. Manufacturers were as pessimistic as in the preceding month about future employment in their branch.

Producer confidence in manufacturing industry

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle