Investment down by almost 3 percent in February

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© ANP / Hans van Rhoon
In February 2024, the investment volume for tangible fixed assets was down by 2.8 percent year on year, as reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). This was mainly due to lower investment in buildings and machinery. However, more was invested in passenger cars.

These figures on investment have not been adjusted for calendar effects. February 2024 had one working day more than February 2023. In the CBS Investment Radar for April, conditions for investment in the Netherlands are just as unfavourable as they were in February’s radar.

Investments in tangible fixed assets (volume)
YearMonthchange (year-on-year % change)
2020March3.3
2020April-8.8
2020May-16.6
2020June-2.3
2020July-1.1
2020August-18
2020September-1.6
2020October-4.5
2020November-2.2
2020December0.5
2021January-4.1
2021February-6.9
2021March9
2021April10.2
2021May10.7
2021June9.3
2021July2.9
2021August-0.9
2021September-0.1
2021October-2.3
2021November1.8
2021December3.5
2022January-6.9
2022February4.1
2022March-4.6
2022April-0.8
2022May7.8
2022June3.1
2022July-0.7
2022August3.3
2022September3.7
2022October3.8
2022November3.3
2022December-2.1
2023January9.2
2023February5.4
2023March4.4
2023April-1.4
2023May6.5
2023June6.3
2023July1.8
2023August6.9
2023September-2.6
2023October-0.2
2023November-4.1
2023December-6.8
2024January-4.4
2024February-2.8

Investment climate equally unfavourable in April

Every month, CBS publishes an update on the investment climate in the CBS Investment Radar. Factors that are relevant to the investment climate include the situation in sales markets and the financial markets. Although the radar indicators correlate fairly well with fixed investment, improved conditions do not necessarily result in greater growth or a smaller contraction in investment.

According to the CBS Investment Radar, the investment climate in the Netherlands was just as unfavourable as in February’s radar. The year-on-year increase in share prices was larger and consumer confidence less negative. On the other hand, the year-on-year contraction in exports was larger than in the previous month and manufacturers were more negative about their order positions.