28.08.202504:40:41UTC+00Dutch Business Morale Improves to 5-Month High

In August 2025, the Netherlands experienced a rise in business confidence, with the index reaching -2.2, compared to -4.9 in July. This represents the highest figure observed since March, nearing the long-term average of -1.3 over the past two decades. The increase in confidence is largely attributed to greater optimism among industrial producers regarding future production prospects, which improved to 6.1 from 4 in the prior month. Moreover, there was a reduction in pessimism concerning finished product stocks, moving to -3.8 from -7.3, and order books, improving to -9.1 from -11.4. Despite these positive changes, overall producer confidence remained negative across most sectors. The exception was in industries such as machinery repair, installation, and the furniture industry, which displayed a positive outlook in August. Conversely, producers in the paper and graphics sector expressed the most negativity.