Producer confidence went up from minus 4.8 in March to minus 3.6 in April. Manufacturers were mainly more positive about expected output and less negative about order positions.

Producer confidence in April was below the 20-year average of minus 1.3. It reached an all-time high (10.4) in October 2021 and an all-time low (minus 31.5) in April 2020, a CBS release said.

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However, producer confidence in the textiles, clothing and leather sector reduced in April compared to March.

Manufacturers were more positive in April about expected output for the next three months. They were also less negative about their order positions and current stocks of finished products.

Manufacturers who anticipated an increase in output over the next three months outnumbered those expecting a decrease.

More manufacturers see their order position as weak rather than strong for the time of year, and more manufacturers describe their current stock of finished products as large rather than small.

The industrial capacity utilisation rate increased for the first time in two years. It stood at 79.6 per cent at the start of the second quarter (Q2) this year compared with 78.4 per cent in Q1.

In February, the calendar-adjusted output of the Dutch manufacturing industry was 2.3 per cent lower year on year (YoY). YoY output also contracted in the previous seven months.

After adjustments for seasonal and calendar effects, manufacturing output rose by 1.4 per cent month on month in February.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)