Dutch consumer confidence strengthened to the highest level in more than a year in April, survey results from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday.
The unemployment rate remained unchanged in March after falling in February, the statistical office said in a separate communiqu?.
The consumer confidence index rose to -37 in April from -39 in March. This was the highest reading since February 2022, when the score was -30. Nonetheless, the score remained negative. Consumers were pessimistic about the economy as they were in March as their assessment about the past situation and outlook for the coming twelve months hardly changed.
The willingness to buy rose to -30 from -33 in March. Opinion on the past financial situation and expectations for the next twelve months were less negative.
Another report from the statistical office showed that the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.5 percent in March. There were 357,000 unemployed in March compared to 356,000 in the previous month. The unemployment rate among young people aged between 15 and 25 increased to 8.0 percent in March.
