Dutch consumers less optimistic

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© CBS / Nikki van Toorn
According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the mood among Dutch consumers has deteriorated in August. The consumer confidence indicator stands at 0, down from 2 in July. Opinions on the economic climate have deteriorated, while willingness to buy has improved marginally.
At 0, the consumer confidence indicator in August stands above its long-term average over the past two decades (-4). The indicator reached an all-time high in January 2000 (36) and an all-time low in March 2013 (-41).

Consumer confidence, seasonally adjusted
YearMonthbalance (average of the component questions)
2015September11
2015October12
2015November14
2015December13
2016January11
2016February6
2016March2
2016April6
2016May7
2016June11
2016July9
2016August9
2016September12
2016October17
2016November20
2016December21
2017January21
2017February22
2017March24
2017April26
2017May23
2017June23
2017July25
2017August26
2017September23
2017October23
2017November22
2017December25
2018January24
2018February23
2018March24
2018April25
2018May23
2018June23
2018July23
2018August21
2018September19
2018October15
2018November13
2018December9
2019January1
2019February-2
2019March -4
2019April-3
2019May-3
2019June0
2019July2
2019August0

More negative about economic climate

The component indicator on Economic climate has deteriorated: from 6 in July to -1 in August. In August, consumers are less positive about the economic climate in the past twelve months and their outlook for the coming twelve months is considerably more negative.

Consumers’ willingness to buy improved from -1 in July to 0 in August. Opinions on their financial situation in the past twelve months have improved slightly and they also find the time more favourable to make large purchases. Opinions on their financial situation in the coming twelve months, on the other hand, are slightly less positive than in July.

Less positive about future unemployment

Consumers’ expectations on future unemployment have deteriorated. Nearly 23 percent of the respondents expect unemployment to rise in the coming twelve months, whereas 33 percent anticipate a drop. The balance stands at 11, versus 23 in the previous month. In the past two months, the percentage expecting unemployment to rise increased and the percentage anticipating a drop fell.

Expectations on unemployment
YearMonthbalance (balance % positive and % negative answers)
2015September3
2015October-13
2015November-9
2015December-13
2016January-26
2016February-13
2016March-36
2016April-16
2016May-19
2016June2
2016July-3
2016August2
2016September7
2016October2
2016November13
2016December23
2017January36
2017February43
2017March38
2017April42
2017May34
2017June37
2017July36
2017August45
2017September41
2017October49
2017November45
2017December50
2018January53
2018February51
2018March52
2018April52
2018May45
2018June49
2018July46
2018August46
2018September46
2018October36
2018November38
2018December28
2019January25
2019February25
2019March25
2019April21
2019May28
2019June29
2019July23
2019August11