Confidence among manufacturers in the Netherlands stayed pessimistic for the second straight month in September, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed on Thursday.
The producer sentiment index came in at -2.2 in September, the same as in the previous month.
Further, the confidence in September was below the average of the past 20 years of 1.4.
Manufacturers' assessment of their order book deteriorated, but they were less negative about expected activity in the next three months and inventories of finished products, the agency said.
Producers in the wood and building materials industry were again the most negative, while manufacturers in the electrical and machinery industries were again the most positive.
Earlier this month, the statistical office revealed that the country's industrial production fell 8.3 percent in July compared to last year.
