29.01.202606:28:56UTC+00Dutch Business Confidence Turns Positive

In January 2026, the manufacturing sector in the Netherlands experienced a boost in business confidence, marking a shift to a positive 0.8, a notable improvement from December's -1.1; this is the first positive outlook since March 2023. The expectations for business activity saw significant growth, with anticipated production numbers increasing to 12.7 from the previous 9.6. Sentiment regarding order books showed an uptick as well, with assessments turning slightly less negative at -5.4 compared to -6.0 earlier. Additionally, concerns over finished goods inventories lessened, improving to -4.8 from December's -6.9. On an industry level, businesses involved in miscellaneous other sectors and repair services exhibited the most positive outlook in January. This positivity was closely followed by sectors such as electrical engineering and machinery, and transportation equipment, where confidence either surged sharply or remained robust. The basic metals and metal products industries also saw enhanced sentiment, driven by a stronger activity outlook and better order positions. However, the textile, clothing, and leather sector remained the least confident.