Netherlands: Business confidence jumps to record high at the start of the new year
Confidence in the Dutch manufacturing sector reached a record high in January, coming in at 10.3. The indicator remained firmly anchored above the crucial zero-point mark, which separates optimism from pessimism among Dutch manufacturers. It was also significantly above the long-term average of 0.7 over the past two decades.
The jump in manufacturers’ business sentiment was driven by increased optimism about future output in the quarter ahead. Companies’ view on order books, however, worsened, while their views on stocks of finished products remained virtually unchanged. All subcomponents and subsectors remained in positive territory for the 14th consecutive month. In January, manufacturers in the transport equipment subsector were the most optimistic.