Exports up by over 3 percent in February

10/04/2020 15:00

More recent figures are available on this topic. View the latest figures here.

As reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the total volume of goods exports grew by 3.3 percent in February year-on-year. Growth was slightly lower than in the previous month (3.9 percent). In February 2020, exports of machinery and petroleum products increased in particular. The volume of imports was 0.9 percent lower than in February 2019. This is the first contraction of goods imports in nearly four years. In February, imports of minerals, petroleum products, metal products and machinery were down in particular.

The CBS Exports Radar indicates that circumstances for exports in April 2020 are less favourable than in February 2020.

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year	Month	%-change (year-on-year %-change)
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	2.2
2019	February	-0.5
2019	March	1.1
2019	April	1.5
2019	May	-0.3
2019	June	0.6
2019	July	0
2019	August	3.5
2019	September	1.4
2019	October	5.6
2019	November	2.2
2019	December	4.6
2020	January	3.9
2020	February	3.3

Exports of goods (volume, adjusted for working days)
Year	Month	%-change (year-on-year %-change)
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	2.2
2019	February	-0.5
2019	March	1.1
2019	April	1.5
2019	May	-0.3
2019	June	0.6
2019	July	0
2019	August	3.5
2019	September	1.4
2019	October	5.6
2019	November	2.2
2019	December	4.6
2020	January	3.9
2020	February	3.3

Conditions for exports in April less favourable than in February

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 exports in April are less favourable than in February. This is mainly because producer confidence in Germany and the eurozone was down. Furthermore, the development of the real effective exchange rate was less favourable on an annual basis.

Developments related to the coronavirus outbreak are still barely visible in February’s import and export figures.

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 April less favourable than in February

Sources

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