Producer confidence down again
However, the confidence indicator remains well above its long-term average over the past two decades (0.8). Producer confidence reached an all-time high (10.9) in February 2018 and an all-time low (-23.5) in February 2009. Since October 2014, optimism has prevailed among Dutch manufacturers.
| jaar | maand | balance (average of the component questions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | September | -0.2 |
| 2014 | October | 2 |
| 2014 | November | 2.4 |
| 2014 | December | 3.4 |
| 2015 | January | 2.8 |
| 2015 | February | 2 |
| 2015 | March | 1.4 |
| 2015 | April | 3.3 |
| 2015 | May | 4.1 |
| 2015 | June | 4.6 |
| 2015 | July | 3.7 |
| 2015 | August | 3.5 |
| 2015 | September | 3.8 |
| 2015 | October | 2.4 |
| 2015 | November | 4 |
| 2015 | December | 3 |
| 2016 | January | 3.2 |
| 2016 | February | 3.1 |
| 2016 | March | 3.9 |
| 2016 | April | 4.7 |
| 2016 | May | 4.4 |
| 2016 | June | 5.4 |
| 2016 | July | 5.1 |
| 2016 | August | 1.2 |
| 2016 | September | 3.4 |
| 2016 | October | 4.3 |
| 2016 | November | 3.4 |
| 2016 | December | 4.7 |
| 2017 | January | 6 |
| 2017 | February | 7 |
| 2017 | March | 7.8 |
| 2017 | April | 8.3 |
| 2017 | May | 6.1 |
| 2017 | June | 7.2 |
| 2017 | July | 6.6 |
| 2017 | August | 5.4 |
| 2017 | September | 8.5 |
| 2017 | October | 8.2 |
| 2017 | November | 9.1 |
| 2017 | December | 8.9 |
| 2018 | January | 10.3 |
| 2018 | February | 10.9 |
| 2018 | March | 9.5 |
| 2018 | April | 8.2 |
| 2018 | May | 9.8 |
| 2018 | June | 7.7 |
| 2018 | July | 6.3 |
| 2018 | August | 5.9 |
Less positive about order books and future output
n August, Dutch manufacturers were slightly less positive about their order books and their future output than one month previously. However, they were slightly more positive about their stocks of finished products.
All component indicators of producer confidence are positive. Manufacturers anticipating output growth over the next three months outnumber those expecting output decline. More manufacturers consider the number of received orders to be large rather than small, given the time of year. There are also more manufacturers who define their stocks of finished products as too small rather than too large.
Producers in the wood and building materials industry most positive
For more than one year now, optimism has prevailed across all subsectors of the manufacturing industry. In August, producers in the wood and building materials industry were again most positive, though they were less positive than in July.
| August 2018 (average of the component indicators) | July 2018 (average of the component indicators) | |
|---|---|---|
| Wood and construction | 16.1 | 21.1 |
| Paper and printing | 10.6 | 8.1 |
| Textiles, clothes, leather | 10.4 | 9.6 |
| Transport equipment | 7.9 | 8.8 |
| Petroleum | 7.5 | 8.7 |
| Electrotechnical products and machinery | 6.7 | 5 |
| Metal | 6.3 | 5 |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 4.8 | 2.5 |
Manufacturing output over 3 percent up in June
The average daily output generated by the Dutch manufacturing industry was 3.4 percent up in June compared to the same month last year. The growth rate was higher than in May (3.2 percent). For nearly three years now, manufacturing output has continually been above the level of the same period year-on-year. The strongest growth in June 2018 was seen in the electronics industry.German manufacturers more positive
Germany is an important foreign market for the Dutch manufacturing industry. In August, confidence of German manufacturers (i.e. the IFO index) increased for the first time in seven months. The index remains significantly above its long-term average. The average daily output generated by the German manufacturing industry was over 3 percent higher in June 2018 than one year previously.Sources
Related items
- Dossier - Business Cycle