Manufacturing output prices almost 6 percent higher in May

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that output prices for products manufactured in the Netherlands were 5.8 percent higher in May 2026, year on year. In April the price increase was 4.8 percent. In May, oil prices were nearly 56 percent higher than a year earlier.

Oil price up

Output prices generally track the price of crude oil. In May 2026, the average price of a barrel of North Sea Brent crude stood at nearly 89 euros, up by almost 56 percent, year on year. In April 2026, a barrel of crude cost almost 87 euros, representing a rise of over 47 percent year on year. The rise in output prices is related to the rise in oil prices due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

Prices for petroleum derivatives were up by 46.7 percent in May year on year, compared to 48.2 percent in April. Output prices in the chemical sector also tend to track the price of crude oil (although there is often a lag). In May 2026, output prices for chemical products were 18.9 percent higher than they were in May 2025. In April, they were up by 11.1 percent, year on year.

Manufacturing output prices up on April

Output prices rose by 0.6 percent in May compared to April. On the export markets, prices rose by 0.4 percent, while on the domestic market they were up by 0.9 percent.