GDP growth rate remains 0.8 percent in Q4 2017

The growth rate is the same as in the first estimate, which was published on 14 February. Growth is mainly due to an increase in exports.

Second estimate

The second estimate is conducted 90 days after the end of the quarter. The first estimate, which is calculated 45 days after the end of the quarter, is based on the most recent data available at that moment. After the first estimate, more new information about the state of the Dutch economy keeps pouring in, e.g. data about the sectors construction business services, hotels and restaurants, government care and the financial sector. These data are subsequently incorporated into new calculations.

In absolute terms, adjustments in the second estimate relative to the first have averaged 0.1 percentage point over the past half decade, with the two extremes at - 0.3 and + 0.5 percentage point.

Growth Q1 2017 adjusted

With each new estimate, CBS also recalculates the seasonally adjusted series of previously published quarters. When the second estimate for Q4 is carried out, the first three quarters are also adjusted on the basis of the most recent data. As a result, the quarter-on-quarter growth in Q1 2017 has been adjusted from 0.6 to 0.7 percent.

Growth relative to Q4 2016

Year-on-year, the GDP growth rate in Q4 was 2.9 percent, the same as in the first estimate. However, the growth rates for Q1 and Q2 have been adjusted upwards by 0.1 percentage point.

GDP 3.2 percent up in 2017

According to the second estimate, GDP was 3.2 percent up in 2017. In the first estimate, it was up by 3.1 percent.

63 thousand new jobs

The second estimate shows that the number of employee and self-employed jobs increased by 63 thousand in Q4 2017 compared to Q3 2017. The first estimate suggested an increase of 57 thousand jobs.

In Q4 2017, the second estimate suggested a growth of 229 thousand employee and self-employed jobs compared to the same quarter in 2016, versus 217 thousand according to the first estimate.

Job figures are adjusted when additional information becomes available. Figures for the first three quarters of 2017 have also been adjusted on the basis of the most recent data.