Dutch economy slowly improving   

By The Holland Times Thursday 13 May 2010, 11:05

The Dutch economy showed slight growth in the first quarter of this year. Exports increased, but spending by businesses and consumers decreased, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Wednesday.

In the the first quarter of 2010, the economy grew by 0.1 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Previous quarter growth amounted to 0.2 percent. Positive growth has been recorded for three consecutive quarters, but CBS warns growth is less hearty this quarter than in the previous two.

International trade has been the biggest supporter of the economy, CBS finds. In the first quarter, the volume of exported goods grew 11 percent. Dutch exports also increased, by 8 percent. 

Investments by businesses and consumers decreased in the first quarter, with Dutch companies investing 14 percent less than in 2009. Investments in buildings and infrastructure were sharply lower.

Decreased investment in land, roads and engineering is partially explained by the cold winter. In the first quarter of 2010, less work in construction was recorded due to frost.

Households in first quarter spent less than the previous year. The 0.4 percent decline was noticeably smaller than the decline in second half of 2009. 

Employment has also decreased. In first quarter there were 145,000 fewer jobs available than in the same quarter of 2009, a decrease of nearly 2 percent.