Manufacturing turnover down in January

The Dutch manufacturing industry booked 5 percent less turnover in January this year than in January 2001. According to Statistics Netherlands the 3.5 percent decrease in selling prices of manufactured products is partly to blame for the lower turnover. Domestic turnover fell by 5 percent while exports fell by 4 percent.

The fall in turnover is smaller than in November and December last year, when it was 10 percent lower than twelve months previously. In the whole last quarter of last year turnover fell by 8 percent. Earlier this year Statistics Netherlands announced the producers’ confidence increased in December and January.

Less turnover in nearly all branches
Nearly all branches in the manufacturing industry realised less turnover in January 2002 than in the same month last year. The largest decrease was reported in the petrochemical industry where selling prices were substantially lower than twelve months previously. In the metal, electrical engineering and transport equipment industries, too, turnover was down. The development in selling prices had hardly any effect at all in this sector. In the textile, clothing and leather industry turnover was down in spite of a slight increase in prices.

Only in the food industry was turnover higher in January 2002. In this sector
the increase was almost completely caused by higher selling prices.

(source: Statistics Netherlands)

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