21.08.202604:39:46UTC+00Dutch Consumer Confidence Less Negative in August

Consumer confidence in the Netherlands rose to -34 in August 2026 from -35 in July, reaching its highest level since March but remaining well below the 20-year long-term average of -12. The slight improvement was mainly driven by a less negative view of the economic climate, which improved to -57 from -59, as households became somewhat less pessimistic about both the economic situation over the past 12 months and the outlook for the coming year. The willingness to buy was unchanged at -19. Consumers were marginally more downbeat about their personal finances: the assessment of their financial situation over the past 12 months slipped to -16 from -15, while expectations for the next 12 months declined to -3 from -2. Even so, perceptions of whether it is a good time to make major purchases improved, with this component rising to -37 from -40. Despite these modest gains, overall confidence remains far below its long-term average and well under the record high of +36 reached in January 2000.