Investments 5.3 percent down in January

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© Kees van de Veen
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the volume of investments in tangible fixed assets fell by 5.3 percent year-on-year in January 2021. This is in contrast with December, when the level of investments remained unchanged. The decline in January mainly concerned passenger cars, aircraft, buildings and infrastructure.

Investment data have not been adjusted for calendar effects. January 2021 has two working days less than January 2020. According to the CBS Investment Radar, the circumstances for investments in the Netherlands are less unfavourable in March than they were in January.

Investments in tangible fixed assets (volume)
YearMonthchange (year-on-year % change)
2017February-0.5
2017March8.1
2017April-3.9
2017May13.2
2017June-4.3
2017July6.7
2017August3.2
2017September10.1
2017October6.3
2017November6.9
2017December4.7
2018January14.1
2018February2.5
2018March6.2
2018April11.1
2018May3.2
2018June7.5
2018July4.6
2018August6.2
2018September-6.8
2018October7.6
2018November5.5
2018December-5
2019January5.9
2019February6.5
2019March0
2019April7.1
2019May9.6
2019June-0.7
2019July4.3
2019August0.2
2019September7.1
2019October4
2019November3
2019December7.6
2020January 2.6
2020February3.1
2020March2.2
2020April-10.3
2020May-18.2
2020June-4.6
2020July-2.5
2020August-7.6
2020September-2.8
2020October-5.1
2020November-3.3
2020December0
'21January-5.3

Investment climate in March less unfavourable than in January

Every month, CBS publishes updates on the investment climate in the CBS Investment Radar. Relevant circumstances for the investment climate include, for example, the situation on the sales markets and the financial markets. Although the radar indicators show a strong correlation with the investments in fixed assets, improved circumstances do not necessarily translate into an increased growth rate or less investment decline.

According to the CBS Investment Radar, the investment climate in the Netherlands in March is less unfavourable than it was in January, share prices rose more sharply year-on-year, the industrial capacity utilisation rate was up, manufacturers were less pessimistic about their order positions and there was more growth in exports.

The figures in this publication are provisional and may be revised upwards or downwards.