Netherlands: Business confidence picks up in January
Business confidence rose to 3.6 in January from December’s 3.3. January’s result marked the best reading since August last year. As such, the index lies above the 0-threshold, pointing to optimism among businesses.
The reading reflected manufacturers’ increased optimism regarding their order position and lower pessimism regarding their current stocks. Producer confidence in the electrotechnical and machinery and transport equipment industries remained the highest, despite decreasing slightly in January. Additionally, the timber and building materials sector saw a significant rebound in confidence last month. Meanwhile, producers in the petroleum and paper and printing industries were again the most pessimistic, despite January’s improvements.