Manufacturing output over 3 percent up in August

Strongest production growth in transport equipment industry

Output generated by the transport equipment industry was almost 14 percent up in August relative to the same month in 2017. The industries producing machinery and metal products recorded above-average output growth as well.

Manufacturing output shows positive trend

A more accurate picture of short-term output developments is obtained when figures are adjusted for seasonal effects and the working-day pattern. After adjustments, a decrease is seen in manufacturing output in August of 1.3 percent on the previous month.

Adjusted for seasonal variation, manufacturing output shows an irregular pattern with many ups and downs, but since mid-2014, the overall trend has been upward.

Producer confidence hardly changes

In September 2018, producer confidence among Dutch manufacturers hardly changed. However, manufacturers were less positive about their future output than in the previous month. The overall trend has been downward since the start of this year, but the confidence indicator remains well above its long-term average over the past two decades.

Germany is an important foreign market for the Dutch manufacturing industry. In September, confidence of German manufacturers (i.e. the IFO index) decreased, but the index remains significantly above its long-term average. The average daily output generated by the German manufacturing industry was almost 1 percent lower in August 2018 year-on-year.

The figures in this publication are provisional and can be adjusted.