Netherlands: Consumer sentiment falls further into pessimistic territory in May
Sentiment among consumers deteriorated further in May, with the consumer confidence index falling from minus 22 in April to minus 31. The global pandemic and domestic containment measures continued to weigh heavily on the mood of Dutch consumers. Moreover, the figure remained significantly below the long-term average of minus 5 and marked the lowest point since September 2013.
The print reflected notably more pessimistic views on the economic climate over the past 12 months, while views on the economy in the year ahead remained largely unchanged at a historically low level. Willingness to buy remained stable at a very pessimistic level, and views on households’ financial situation in the past year and the year ahead were virtually unchanged.