Dutch manufacturers more pessimistic in April amid weaker outlook: CBS

In addition, they were more negative about current stocks of finished products, as well as order positions, CBS said in a press release.

Confidence was negative in almost all industrial sectors. Manufacturers in the textiles, clothes and leather industries were the most negative of any major sector. The only manufacturers with positive producer confidence where those in the category ‘other manufacturing and repair’, which includes furniture as well as the repair and installation of machinery.

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

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.

The industrial capacity utilisation rate stood at 77.5 per cent at the start of Q2 2025. This is slightly higher than Q1 (77.2 per cent), but still relatively low, added CBS.

In February, the calendar-adjusted output of the Dutch manufacturing sector was 1 per cent higher than it was in February 2024. This marks the second consecutive rise in production after a year and a half of decreasing production. Manufacturing output rose by 1.2 per cent relative to January, after adjusting for seasonal- and calendar effects.

Producer confidence in April 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.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)