Manufacturing prices decrease again

Selling prices of Dutch manufacturing industry were 2.6 percent lower in March 2014 than in March 2013. In February, prices of manufactured products were 2.8 percent down. Prices of manufactured products have been below the level of one year previously for more than twelve months now. Prices for petroleum derivatives dropped the most.

Selling prices

Prices of petroleum derivatives were 7.9 percent lower than in March 2013. Price developments in this sector are strongly affected by crude oil prices. The price in euros of a barrel of North Sea Brent oil was nearly 8 percent lower in March 2014 than twelve months previously. If prices for petroleum derivatives are not taken into account, selling prices of manufactured products were 1.6 percent below the level of March 2013. Prices of chemical products (4.3 percent), basic metal products (3.5 percent) and food, drinks and tobacco products (0.4 percent) were also down from the same month last year.

Selling prices of manufactured products were 0.8 percent lower in March than in February 2014. Prices on the domestic market fell by 0.6 percent and prices on the foreign market by 0.9 percent.

Index selling prices