Dutch investment decline slows as January sees 1.4% drop in fixed assets
Investments in the Netherlands fell by 1.4% in January 2026 compared to last year, marking a slight improvement from December’s sharper decline. Businesses cut spending on buildings and cars, but aircraft investments rose. Fewer working days may have played a role in the dip.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Investment Decline (Jan 2026) | 1.4% lower than January 2025 (Dec 2025: -2.3%) |
| Sectors with Lower Investment | Buildings, passenger cars, infrastructure |
| Sectors with Higher Investment | Aircraft |
| Working Days Adjustment | January 2026 had one fewer working day than January 2025 |
| Investment Conditions (Feb) | Less unfavorable; driven by export growth and higher industrial capacity |
| Data Status | Provisional (may be revised) |
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) monitors economic trends, including investment volumes, to provide policymakers and businesses with data-driven insights. This report helps assess economic health and guides decisions on fiscal or regulatory measures to stimulate growth.
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Investments shrink by over 1 percent in January
In January 2026, the volume of investments in tangible fixed assets was 1.4 percent lower than a year earlier, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). A month earlier, the contraction amounted to 2.3 percent. There was particularly less investment in buildings, passenger cars, and infrastructure. Investment in aircraft was higher than in January 2025. The figures are not adjusted for working days. January 2026 had one fewer working day than January 2025. In February, conditions for investment were less unfavorable than in January.
Conditions for investment less unfavorable in February
Statistics Netherlands publishes monthly data on several conditions for investment in the visualization "Investment conditions." Investments are linked, among other things, to the situation in sales markets and the financial markets. The indicators in the visualization correlate fairly well with investment in fixed assets, but an improvement in conditions does not necessarily mean greater growth or a smaller contraction in investment. In February, conditions for investment were less unfavorable than in January, mainly because the year-on-year increase in goods exports was larger and industrial capacity utilization rose.
The figures in this report are provisional and may be adjusted.
Sources
- StatLine - Gross investment in tangible fixed assets
Relevant links
- Visualization - Investment conditions
- Dossier - Economic cycle