Manufacturing output over 1 percent down in April

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© Hollandse Hoogte / Maarten Hartman
The average daily output generated by the Dutch manufacturing industry was 1.2 percent down in April 2019 compared to the same month last year. In the previous month, output was more or less the same year-on-year. In April, output in the transport equipment industry showed the strongest year-on-year growth.

Average daily output manufacturing (volume)
jaarmaandchange (year-on-year % change)
2015May1.8
2015June3.1
2015July0.3
2015August-1.1
2015September-0.6
2015October2.5
2015November1.9
2015December2.9
2016January3.5
2016February0.7
2016March2.3
2016April4.4
2016May2.7
2016June3.2
2016July3.3
2016August2.4
2016September2.3
2016October0
2016November3.4
2016December6.7
2017January0.4
2017February4.9
2017March3
2017April0.5
2017May5
2017June2.4
2017July2.7
2017August3.7
2017September4.8
2017October5.1
2017November5.3
2017December4.4
2018January7.5
2018February3.2
2018March3.8
2018April4.7
2018May2.9
2018June3.3
2018July0.9
2018August4
2018September1.7
2018October2.4
2018November1.3
2018December-4.3
2019January0.2
2019February0.4
2019March-0.4
2019April-1.2

Strongest production growth in transport equipment industry

Of the eight largest industries within manufacturing, the transport equipment industry recorded the largest output growth at nearly 11 percent. Production in the rubber and plastic products, food products and chemical products industries also grew. The machinery industry saw the largest production decrease. 

Average daily output manufacturing (volume) by sector, April 2019
 change (year-on-year % change)
Transport equipment10.7
Rubber and plastic products5.5
Food products4.4
Chemical products3.5
Electrotechnical products-2.7
Metal products-4
Repair and installation of machinery-7.3
Machinery-12.4
Manufacturing (total)-1.2
Altogether, the industries referred to in the above graph account for approximately 75 percent of the total manufacturing output

Stable 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 between March and April 2019 of 0.6 percent.

Adjusted for seasonal and working-day effects, manufacturing output is seen to fluctuate significantly. From mid-2014 until the beginning of 2018, the overall trend was upward. Subsequently, the trend has been relatively stable.

Seasonally adjusted average daily output manufacturing (volume)
jaarmaandindex (2015=100)
2015May99.5
2015June100.6
2015July99.9
2015August98.8
2015September99.3
2015October101.4
2015November101.5
2015December100.4
2016January101.9
2016February101.1
2016March102.1
2016April103.4
2016May102.1
2016June103.3
2016July102.9
2016August101.7
2016September102.3
2016October102.5
2016November105
2016December106.3
2017January103.1
2017February105.5
2017March105.2
2017April104.6
2017May106.6
2017June106.1
2017July106.1
2017August105.6
2017September107.3
2017October107.7
2017November109.7
2017December110.4
2018January110.5
2018February109.4
2018March109.4
2018April109.4
2018May109.6
2018June109.3
2018July107.6
2018August109.3
2018September109.1
2018October109.6
2018November110.2
2018December107
2019January110.1
2019February109.5
2019March109
2019April108.3

Dutch manufacturers less positive

In May 2019, producer confidence among Dutch manufacturers deteriorated to the lowest level since 2017. Manufacturers were mainly less positive about future output and their order positions.

Germany is an important foreign market for the Dutch manufacturing industry. In May, confidence among German manufacturers (i.e. the IFO index) fell slightly. This was due to less positive opinions on the current situation. However, business expectations were less negative. 
The figures published in this news release are provisional and subject to revisions.

Sources

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