Dutch manufacturers less positive
The long-term average over the past two decades is 1.0. Producer confidence reached an all-time high (10.9) in February 2018 and an all-time low (-23.5) in February 2009. Optimism has prevailed among Dutch manufacturers since October 2014.
| jaar | maand | balance (average of the component questions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | June | 4.6 |
| 2015 | July | 3.7 |
| 2015 | August | 3.5 |
| 2015 | September | 3.8 |
| 2015 | October | 2.4 |
| 2015 | November | 4.0 |
| 2015 | December | 3.0 |
| 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 | 6.0 |
| 2017 | February | 7.0 |
| 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 |
| 2018 | September | 5.7 |
| 2018 | October | 5.9 |
| 2018 | November | 7.2 |
| 2018 | December | 7.5 |
| 2019 | January | 5.8 |
| 2019 | February | 6.3 |
| 2019 | March | 6.1 |
| 2019 | April | 6.7 |
| 2019 | May | 4.7 |
Less positive about future output, orders and stocks
In May, Dutch manufacturers are less optimistic about their future output and their order positions. They also were less positive about their stocks of finished products than in the previous month.
All three component indicators of producer confidence are positive. Manufacturers who anticipate output growth over the next three months outnumber those expecting output decline. More manufacturers consider their order position to be strong rather than weak, given the time of year. Furthermore, there are more manufacturers who define their current stocks of finished products as too small rather than too large.
Producers of timber and building materials the most positive
In May, producers in the timber and building materials industry have the most optimistic outlook. However, confidence deteriorated in most sectors. Pessimism prevailed again in the transport equipment industry.
| May 2019 (average of the component questions) | April 2019 (average of the component questions) | |
|---|---|---|
| Timber and building materials | 12.0 | 10.7 |
| Metal | 9.2 | 9.1 |
| Textiles, clothes, leather | 8.6 | 16.4 |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 6.8 | 4.0 |
| Electrotechnical products and machinery | 6.7 | 11.4 |
| Paper and printing | 3.1 | 5.3 |
| Petroleum | 2.3 | 5.5 |
| Transport equipment | -6.3 | -3.9 |
Manufacturing output 1 percent down in March
In March 2019, the average daily output generated by the Dutch manufacturing industry was 1.0 percent down on the same month last year. In the previous month, output was more or less the same year-on-year. In March, the strongest year-on-year output growth was recorded in the rubber and plastic industry.
German manufacturers again slightly less positive
Germany is an important foreign market for the Dutch manufacturing industry. According to the IFO index, in manufacturing the business climate index fell slightly this month. This was due to less positive opinions on the current situation. However, business expectations were less negative. In March, the average daily output generated by the German manufacturing industry was over 2 percent lower than in the same month last year.
Sources
Related items
- Dossier - Business Cycle