Export indicator

The export indicator for the manufacturing, wholesale trade and service sectors is the unweighted and arithmetic mean of four different component indicators. Three of them concern the average of developments and outlook on an export component. The outcomes of the component indicators were taken from the Netherlands Business Survey (COEN). In this survey, no distinction is made between exporters and non-exporters. The non-exporters indicate ‘not applicable’ in response to the export-related questions.

Opinion on foreign turnover:
The mean value of the seasonally adjusted balance (share of optimists minus share of pessimists as a percentage) of the development over the past three months and the outlook for the next three months. This figure is based on two questions:
- In the previous quarter, foreign turnover: increased, remained stable, decreased?
- In the upcoming quarter, foreign turnover will: increase, remain stable, decrease?

Opinion on international competitive position:
The mean of the seasonally adjusted balance (share of optimists minus share of pessimists as a percentage) of the development of the international compeititive position in EU and non-EU markets over the past three months. Survey questions:
- In the previous quarter, our international competitive position within the EU: improved, remained stable or deteriorated?
- In the previous quarter, our international competitive position in markets outside the EU has: improved, remained stable, deteriorated?

Opinion on order position:
The seasonally adjusted opinion on the development of the foreign order position, the number of months’ work in the order portfolio. Survey question:
- Taking into account the time of year, we rate our current foreign order book as: (too) large, stable, (too) small?

Outlook on foreign order intake:
The seasonally adjusted balance (share of optimists minus share of pessimists as a percentage) of the outlook on foreign order intake in the upcoming quarter. Based on the next survey question:
- In the upcoming quarter, foreign turnover will: increase, remain stable, decrease?