Smaller contraction of investment in July

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© Hollandse Hoogte / Hans van Rhoon
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the volume of investments in tangible fixed assets was 4.5 percent down in July 2020 relative to the same month last year. The contraction is smaller than in the previous three months and mainly due to lower investments in buildings and machinery.

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

Investments in tangible fixed assets (volume)
YearMonthchange (year-on-year % change)
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-11.3
2020May-19.1
2020June-5.7
2020July-4.5

Investment climate less unfavourable in September

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 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 less unfavourable in September than it was in July. This is mainly due to the fact that the year-on-year export decline was smaller and the industrial capacity utilisation rate was lower. In addition, manufacturers were less negative about their order positions.

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