Netherlands: Business sentiment rises in July
Manufacturing confidence improved at the start of the third quarter, with the sentiment index rising to 3.9 in July from 3.3 in June, which had marked a near three-year low. The index, moreover, remained above the neutral zero-point mark separating optimism from pessimism as well as above the long-term average of 1.0 over the past 20 years.
The uptick was driven by an improved outlook on both future output and stocks of finished goods; however, manufacturers’ view on order books became less positive.