Investments almost 11 percent down in April

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Paviours on the job
© Hollandse Hoogte / Flip Franssen
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the volume of investments in tangible fixed assets was 10.6 percent down in April 2020 relative to the same month last year. This is the largest contraction since July 2013. The decline is mainly due to lower investments in buildings, passenger cars, delivery vans, lorries and semi-trailers, and machinery.

Investment data have not been adjusted for calendar effects. April 2020 has one working day less than April 2019. According to the CBS Investment Radar, conditions for investments in the Netherlands are more unfavourable in June than they were in April.

Investments in tangible fixed assets (volume)
YearMonthchange (year-on-year % change)
2016May8.1
2016June12.7
2016July9.7
2016August12.7
2016September11.2
2016October3.9
2016November3.8
2016December-3.1
2017January4
2017February-0.5
2017March8.1
2017April-3.9
2017May13.2
2017June-4.3
2017July6.7
2017August3.2
2017September10.2
2017October6.2
2017November6.8
2017December4.6
2018January13.5
2018February2.4
2018March5.5
2018April10.4
2018May2.6
2018June7
2018July4.4
2018August5.8
2018September-7
2018October7.4
2018November5.3
2018December-4.8
2019January6.3
2019February8.5
2019March2.5
2019April8.3
2019May10
2019June-0.2
2019July4.9
2019August1
2019September7.9
2019October4.3
2019November3.2
2019December8.5
2020January 1.4
2020February0.4
2020March0.6
2020April-10.6

Investment climate more unfavourable in June than in April

Every month, CBS publishes updates on the investment climate in the CBS Investment Radar. Relevant circumstances for the investment climate include the situation on the sales and financial markets. Although the radar indicators show a strong correlation with investments in fixed assets, improved circumstances are not necessarily translated into increased growth in investments.

According to the CBS Investment Radar, the investment climate in the Netherlands is more unfavourable in June than it was in April. This is mainly due to the fact that the industrial capacity utilisation rate was lower. In addition, manufacturers were more negative about their order position, year-on-year export decline was larger and consumer confidence deteriorated.


The figures in this publication are provisional and may be revised upwards or downwards.