Factory gate prices ten percent down

In February, factory gate prices of Dutch manufactured products were nearly 10 percent down on February 2008. This is slightly smaller than the fall in January, when prices were just over 9 percent down on one year previously. In July 2008, manufactured products cost just over 12 percent more than in July 2007. Subsequently prices increases slowed down, and from November 2008, manufactured products were even cheaper than one year previously.

In February, prices of petroleum derivatives were 38 percent lower than in the same month last year. Price developments in this sector are seriously affected by the price of crude oil. The euro price of a barrel of North Sea Brent oil fell by nearly half compared to February 2008.

Factory gate prices in the chemical industry were over 20 percent lower. This is the third month in a row in which prices in this branch were down on the same month one year previously. Food prices were nearly 6 percent lower. However, prices of engineering products were nearly 13 percent up on February 2008.

Factory gate prices in February were equal to those in January. From August 2008, prices fell for six months in a row compared with the previous month. In November and December, exceptionally large price drops of approximately 5 percent were observed.

Factory gate prices

Factory gate prices