Producer confidence

What is the survey about?

Purpose

The producer confidence indicator reflects the extent to which the mood among Dutch manufacturers is positive or negative. It also gives an indication of the direction in which manufacturing output is expected to develop. The indicator is based on three component indicators from the monthly business sentiment survey. The questions concern anticipated activities during the next three months, manufacturers’ opinions on their order books and their stocks of finished products.

Population

Manufacturing industry

Statistical unit

Business establishments

Start of the survey

January 1985

Frequency

Monthly

Publication strategy

The results are published in a StatLine table on the website of Statistics Netherlands (CBS). In addition to an indicator for the entire sector manufacturing industry, there are also separate mood indicators for various subsectors within manufacturing industry.

How is the survey conducted?

Type of survey

The data used to calculate the Producer confidence indicator from Conjunctuurenquête Nederland (COEN), i.e. the former Conjunctuurtest (CT). The balances of the indicators ‘production next three months’, ‘anticipated order position’ and ‘opinion on stocks of finished products’ are adjusted for seasonal variation and bias and subsequently the mean of these adjusted indicators is taken to calculate producer confidence.

Observation method

There is no particular observation method for Producer confidence. The results available from the Conjunctuurenquête Nederland (COEN), i.e. the former Conjunctuurtest (CT) are the basis.

Respondents

Business establishments

Sample size

The size of the source statistics for Dutch manufacturing industry: the sample size includes approximately 2,100 business establishments. Usually, the total response exceeds 1,700.

Control and correction methods

The response provided by business establishments is evaluated on the basis of plausibility, completeness and consistency. In the case of non-response, the results are estimated.

Data accuracy

During the survey, data are collected with respect to anticipated turnover, price and employment developments. Expectations received earlier are systematically analysed and compared to actual developments collected on the basis of other surveys.

Sequential comparability

The method followed to process sample data aims to safeguard sequential comparability of the results.

Quality strategy

Source statistics data are evaluated with respect to completeness, internal consistency and plausibility.