Nearly half of all industrial sectors in the Netherlands produced less than they did a year earlier. However, when adjusted for seasonal effects and the working-day pattern, the manufacturing output showed a 0.4 per cent increase in April relative to March.

Dutch manufacturers exhibited a less negative outlook in May compared to April. They were particularly more optimistic about expected output, indicating potential future improvements in the industry, as per CBS.

Germany, a crucial market for Dutch manufacturing, also faced similar challenges. In May, German business owners remained as pessimistic as they were in April. The calendar-adjusted output of the German manufacturing industry dropped by 3.5 per cent year-on-year in April. However, on a month-to-month basis, Germany's manufacturing output rose by 0.3 per cent relative to March, according to data from Destatis.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)