Exports up by 1.5 percent in May

15/07/2019 15:00

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As reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the total volume of goods exports grew by 1.5 percent in May year-on-year. Growth was higher than in the previous month. In May 2019, exports of chemical products and machinery increased in particular. On the other hand, exports of electro-technical equipment was down. The volume of imports was 3 percent higher than in May 2018.

Overall growth in both imports and exports is affected negatively by a large company which relocated part of its business activities to another country as of October 2018.

The CBS Exports Radar indicates that circumstances for exports in July are less favourable than in May.

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year	Month	%-change (year-on-year %-change)
2015	June	4.9
2015	July	5.3
2015	August	6.6
2015	September	3.5
2015	October	5.6
2015	November	4.4
2015	December	4
2016	January	4.2
2016	February	3.5
2016	March	3.6
2016	April	5.4
2016	May	6.3
2016	June	2.3
2016	July	2.9
2016	August	3
2016	September	5.8
2016	October	3.3
2016	November	6.4
2016	December	5.3
2017	January	1.7
2017	February	6.7
2017	March	8.3
2017	April	0.7
2017	May	4.6
2017	June	10.8
2017	July	7
2017	August	7.2
2017	September	7.8
2017	October	6.9
2017	November	7
2017	December	6.1
2018	January	4.7
2018	February	4.6
2018	March	3.2
2018	April	6.8
2018	May	4.6
2018	June	0.3
2018	July	2.8
2018	August	2.7
2018	September	3.2
2018	October	3.2
2018	November	1
2018	December	0.5
2019	January	0.9
2019	February	1
2019	March	1.7
2019	April	0.8
2019	May	1.5

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year	Month	%-change (year-on-year %-change)
2015	June	4.9
2015	July	5.3
2015	August	6.6
2015	September	3.5
2015	October	5.6
2015	November	4.4
2015	December	4
2016	January	4.2
2016	February	3.5
2016	March	3.6
2016	April	5.4
2016	May	6.3
2016	June	2.3
2016	July	2.9
2016	August	3
2016	September	5.8
2016	October	3.3
2016	November	6.4
2016	December	5.3
2017	January	1.7
2017	February	6.7
2017	March	8.3
2017	April	0.7
2017	May	4.6
2017	June	10.8
2017	July	7
2017	August	7.2
2017	September	7.8
2017	October	6.9
2017	November	7
2017	December	6.1
2018	January	4.7
2018	February	4.6
2018	March	3.2
2018	April	6.8
2018	May	4.6
2018	June	0.3
2018	July	2.8
2018	August	2.7
2018	September	3.2
2018	October	3.2
2018	November	1
2018	December	0.5
2019	January	0.9
2019	February	1
2019	March	1.7
2019	April	0.8
2019	May	1.5

Conditions for exports in July less favourable than in May

Every month, CBS also publishes updates on the circumstances for exports in the Exports Radar. Conditions are strongly affected by recent developments on the main export markets for Dutch products and by the competitive position of the Netherlands. Although the Radar indicators show a strong correlation with export activity, improved circumstances are not necessarily translated into increased export growth.

According to the CBS Exports Radar, circumstances for Dutch exports in July are less favourable than in May. This is mainly due to the fact that the development of the real effective exchange rates deteriorated. In addition, opinions of manufacturers in the eurozone about their foreign orders were more negative. The development of the German manufacturing output also deteriorated and producer confidence in Germany was more negative.

Goods exports account for approximately three-quarters of total exports. As for data on exports of services, these are not published monthly. Data on total exports are published quarterly and annually. Figures published in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.

Sources

StatLine - Imports/exports; change of ownership

Conditions for exports in July less favourable than in May

Sources

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