Unemployment rises further

Adjusted for seasonal variation, 659 thousand people in the Netherlands were unemployed in May 2013, an increase by 9 thousand from April. Unemployment has risen almost continuously since mid-2011. The increase in April and May was smaller than in the preceding months, however. In May this year, 8.3 percent of the Dutch Labour Force were unemployed.

Seasonally adjusted unemployment

Seasonally adjusted unemployment

The mood among consumers about future unemployment deteriorated in June, after two months of improvement. More than 83 percent expected unemployment to rise over the next twelve months, whereas nearly 4 percent anticipated a decrease. The balance of positive and negative answers stood at -79, as against -74 in May.

Consumers’ expectations about unemployment over the next 12 months

Consumers’ expectations about unemployment over the next 12 months

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.

For more information on economic indicators, see the Economic Monitor.