Bitcoin price today: retreats to $104k despite Strategy buying, shutdown progress
Investing.com -- The Dutch manufacturing sector continued to expand in October, but at a slower pace than the previous month, according to the latest Nevi Netherlands Manufacturing PMI data released Monday.
The headline PMI fell to 51.8 in October from September’s 38-month high of 53.7, indicating a modest improvement in manufacturing conditions but with reduced momentum across all five PMI components.
New orders remained the main growth driver despite slowing from September’s recent peak. The sector benefited from renewed expansion in export orders, with increased interest from customers in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Manufacturing output continued its expansion that began in March, growing at a rate broadly in line with the series average. Companies increased their purchasing quantities at the strongest rate in over three years, partly in response to supply chain disruptions.
Suppliers’ delivery times lengthened again in October due to shortages, capacity pressures, and delays at ports and shipping routes caused by strikes. Pre-production inventories decreased slightly as firms worked to optimize stock levels.
On the pricing front, input costs rose only slightly, with higher food, energy, wage and raw material costs cited as the main drivers. Only the investment goods segment reported increased input costs. Despite this, firms raised their selling prices at a moderate rate across all manufacturing sub-sectors, with both input cost and charge inflation receding to one-year lows.
Employment fell for the first time since May amid reduced backlogs of work. Companies attributed lower headcounts to voluntary departures, restructuring, and cuts to temporary staff.
Albert Jan Swart, Manufacturing Sector Economist at ABN AMRO, noted a dichotomy in Dutch industry, with high-tech production improving while energy-intensive sectors face pressure. He highlighted that three chemical factories in Chemelot near Geleen are closing, following earlier factory closures in the Rotterdam region.
Manufacturer confidence about the year ahead remained positive but subdued compared to historical averages, with 42% of firms expressing optimism based on new client wins and plans to expand product offerings and capacity.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.