Investments plummeting in May

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© Hollandse Hoogte / Peter Hilz
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the volume of investments in tangible fixed assets was 18.8 percent down in May 2020 relative to the same month last year. This was the largest contraction since the beginning of the time series in 2004. The decline is mainly due to lower investments in buildings, transport equipment such as passenger cars, lorries and semi-trailers and machinery.

Investment data have not been adjusted for calendar effects. May 2020 has three working days less than May 2019. According to the CBS Investment Radar, conditions for investments in the Netherlands are more unfavourable in July than they were in May.

Investments in tangible fixed assets (volume)
YearMonthchange (year-on-year % change)
2016June12.7
2016July9.7
2016August12.7
2016September11.2
2016October3.9
2016November3.8
2016December-3.1
2017January3.9
2017February-0.5
2017March8.1
2017April-3.9
2017May13.2
2017June-4.3
2017July6.7
2017August3.2
2017September10.1
2017October6.3
2017November6.9
2017December4.7
2018January14.1
2018February2.5
2018March6.2
2018April11.1
2018May3.2
2018June7.5
2018July4.6
2018August6.2
2018September-6.8
2018October7.6
2018November5.5
2018December-5
2019January5.9
2019February6.5
2019March0
2019April7.1
2019May9.6
2019June-0.7
2019July4.3
2019August0.2
2019September7.1
2019October4
2019November3
2019December7.6
2020January 2.6
2020February3.1
2020March2.2
2020April-11.6
2020May-18.8

Investment climate more unfavourable in July than in May

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 July than it was in May. This is mainly due to the fact that the year-on-year export decline was larger. In addition, manufacturers were more negative about their order position.


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