Manufacturers were more negative about their stocks of finished products, in particular. However, they were more positive about their expected output for the next three months. Their assessment of the order positions remained virtually the same.

Producer confidence in July was below the 20-year average of minus 1.3. It reached an all-time high of 10.4 in October 2021 and an all-time low of minus 31.5 in April 2020.

One component indicator was positive: manufacturers who anticipated an increase in output over the next three months outnumbered those expecting a decrease.

Two component indicators were negative. 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 78 per cent at the start of the second quarter this year compared with 79.6 per cent in the first, a CBS release said. That is the lowest rate in four years.

In May 2024, the calendar-adjusted output of the Dutch manufacturing sector was 3 per cent lower year on year (YoY). YoY output also contracted in the preceding ten months. After adjustments for seasonal and calendar effects, manufacturing output fell by 0.4 per cent in May month on month (MoM).

Output prices for Dutch-manufactured products were 0.5 per cent higher YoY on an average and fell by 0.1 per cent MoM in June this year. In May, the price change was 0.3 per cent YoY.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)