Around 60 per cent of industrial sectors expanded production in April. Among the eight largest industrial branches, the machinery industry posted the strongest growth, while the chemical industry recorded the sharpest decline in output, CBS said in a press release.
On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, manufacturing output increased 1.4 per cent in April after adjusting for seasonal effects and working-day variations. CBS noted that seasonally adjusted industrial production can fluctuate considerably from month to month, but output has generally improved in recent months.
Dutch manufacturing output increased 4.7 per cent YoY in April 2026 and rose 1.4 per cent from March after seasonal adjustment, according to CBS.
Around 60 per cent of industrial sectors recorded higher production, led by machinery manufacturing.
However, producer confidence weakened to -2 in May from -0.7 in April, reflecting lower expectations for future output.
The statistical agency highlighted that Dutch manufacturing experienced a sharp downturn during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, followed by a recovery that peaked in May 2022. While production has been trending upwards recently, CBS said it remains too early to determine whether the current improvement will be sustained.
Despite the rise in output, producer sentiment weakened in May. Producer confidence fell from -0.7 in April to -2.0 in May, reflecting growing caution among manufacturers, particularly regarding expected production levels over the next three months.
Producer confidence remained below the long-term average of -1.3. The indicator reached a record high of 10.5 in October 2021 and a record low of -31.5 in April 2020.
Confidence declined across most industrial sectors. The sharpest deterioration was recorded in the electronics and machinery industry, where sentiment fell by 3.6 points. In contrast, confidence improved most strongly in the textile, clothing and leather industry, rising by 5 points.
Among major sectors, manufacturers in the category of other industries, which includes furniture production and machinery repair and installation, were the most optimistic with a confidence reading of 2.7. Metal industry manufacturers were the most pessimistic, with confidence at -4.1.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
