Netherlands: Consumer confidence remains elevated in January
The seasonally-adjusted consumer confidence index declined marginally to 24 points in January, from 25 points in December. As a result, the confidence index remained comfortably above the critical zero-point mark that separates optimism from pessimism among Dutch households.
The consumer confidence index has been in the positive territory for nearly three years, and January’s print is significantly above the long-term average over the last 20 years of minus 3 points.
The small drop in consumer confidence largely reflected a dip in consumers’ willingness to buy; the sub-indicator moderated from 12 points in December to 11 points in January, possibly linked to consumers’ less favorable view of their financial situations in the next 12 months. Meanwhile, consumers’ sentiment regarding the economic climate remained unchanged in January from the previous month at 45 points. Expectations about the future labor market improved again, driving the component to its all-time high of 53 points.