Manufacturers more negative in October
Producer confidence in October was below the 20-year average of -1.3. It reached an all-time high (10.4) in October 2021 and an all-time low (-31.5) in April 2020.
year | month | balance (average of the component questions) |
---|---|---|
2020 | November | -6.4 |
2020 | December | -3.2 |
2021 | January | -1.8 |
2021 | February | -2.6 |
2021 | March | 0.6 |
2021 | April | 3.6 |
2021 | May | 5.6 |
2021 | June | 7.8 |
2021 | July | 9.2 |
2021 | August | 7.1 |
2021 | September | 9.1 |
2021 | October | 10.4 |
2021 | November | 10.1 |
2021 | December | 7.3 |
2022 | January | 6.5 |
2022 | February | 5.8 |
2022 | March | 5.7 |
2022 | April | 7.2 |
2022 | May | 5.8 |
2022 | June | 4.2 |
2022 | July | 5.3 |
2022 | August | 2.4 |
2022 | September | 1.2 |
2022 | October | 0.9 |
2022 | November | 1.1 |
2022 | December | 1 |
2023 | January | 1.1 |
2023 | February | 0.9 |
2023 | March | 0.9 |
2023 | April | -0.3 |
2023 | May | -1.7 |
2023 | June | -2.7 |
2023 | July | -2.7 |
2023 | August | -4.6 |
2023 | September | -3.9 |
2023 | Oktober | -3.7 |
2023 | November | -2.6 |
2023 | December | -5.7 |
2024 | January | -4.4 |
2024 | February | -4.2 |
2024 | March | -4.8 |
2024 | April | -3.6 |
2024 | May | -2.8 |
2024 | June | -2.4 |
2024 | July | -2.7 |
2024 | August | -1.9 |
2024 | September | -1.7 |
2024 | October | -3.2 |
Less positive about expected output
Manufacturers were less positive about expected output for the next three months. Their assessment of the order positions and of current stocks of finished products was more negative.
One component indicator was positive: manufacturers who anticipated an increase in output over the next three months outnumbered those expecting a decrease.
Two component indicators were negative. Manufacturers were more likely to indicate that their order position was weak rather than strong for the time of year, and more manufacturers described their current stock of finished products as large rather than small.
October (balance % positive answers and % negative answers) | September (balance % positive answers and % negative answers) | |
---|---|---|
Producer confidence | -3.2 | -1.7 |
Expected output | 9.1 | 11.9 |
Assessment of stocks of finished products | -5.6 | -4.9 |
Assessment of order-book levels | -13.7 | -12 |
Producer confidence down in over half of industrial sectors
Confidence deteriorated in more than half of the main industrial sectors. Manufacturers in the electrotechnical and machinery sectors were the most positive of all sectors, but less positive than in September.
October (average of the component questions) | September (average of the component questions) | |
---|---|---|
Electrotechnical products and machinery | 4.4 | 6.3 |
Textiles, clothes, leather | -1 | 3.2 |
Timber and building materials | -1.9 | -4 |
Food, beverages, tobacco | -3.8 | -4.8 |
Petroleum and chemicals | -3.9 | -0.9 |
Paper and printing | -5.8 | -1.8 |
Transport equipment | -6.2 | -8.3 |
Metal | -11.1 | -7.7 |
Capacity utilisation rate decreases
The industrial capacity utilisation rate stood at 77.1 percent at the start of Q4 2024, compared with 78.0 percent in the previous quarter. That has been the lowest rate since October 2020.
Capacity utilisation rate (%) | ||
---|---|---|
2021 | Quarter 1 | 80 |
2021 | Quarter 2 | 81.7 |
2021 | Quarter 3 | 84.1 |
2021 | Quarter 4 | 83.8 |
2022 | Quarter 1 | 83.6 |
2022 | Quarter 2 | 84.2 |
2022 | Quarter 3 | 84.2 |
2022 | Quarter 4 | 82.7 |
2023 | Quarter 1 | 82.6 |
2023 | Quarter 2 | 82.5 |
2023 | Quarter 3 | 81.6 |
2023 | Quarter 4 | 81 |
2024 | Quarter 1 | 78.4 |
2024 | Quarter 2 | 79.6 |
2024 | Quarter 3 | 78 |
2024 | Quarter 4 | 77.1 |
Manufacturing output down by 0.5 percent in August
In August 2024, the calendar-adjusted output of the Dutch manufacturing sector was 0.5 percent lower than it was in August 2023. The contraction was smaller than in the preceding seven months. After adjustments for seasonal and calendar effects, manufacturing output rose by 2.1 percent relative to July.
Sources
Related items
- Dossier - Business cycle