Dutch Consumer Confidence Remains Stable At -21.0

(RTTNews) - Dutch consumers remained equally pessimistic in December compared to the previous month, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed on Friday.

The consumer confidence index stood at -21 in December, the same as in November. Moreover, the indicator in December was well below the 20-year average of -11 points.

Among its components, the economic climate index dropped to -35 from -34 in November, indicating that households are slightly more negative about the economy.

The indicator for willingness to buy improved somewhat to -11 in December from -12 in November. Nonetheless, consumers consider December to be a slightly less unfavorable time for major purchases.

The survey also revealed that about 46 percent of respondents expect unemployment to increase in the next 12 months, while 10 percent anticipate a decrease.