Business

The Amsterdam AEX index dipped slightly by 0.2 per cent to close at 1,034.93 points on the final trading day of May, despite booking an overall monthly gain of more than 2 per cent. Construction firm BAM stole the spotlight in the MidCap index, surging 16.6 per cent after broker Oddo BHF upgraded the stock to a "buy" based on improved profitability in its UK operations. Elsewhere, ABN AMRO led the main index gains following the completion of its €250 million share buyback scheme, while Heineken dropped 2.3 per cent. Meanwhile, broader markets saw slight dips in London and Paris, and oil prices slid up to 1.9 per cent on hopes of a swift end to conflict in the Middle East.

According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Dutch factory gate prices jumped 4.9 per cent year-on-year in April, up from a 1.4 per cent increase in March, driven by soaring oil prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. This sharp turnaround follows four months of falling prices, with North Sea Brent crude now costing 47 per cent more than it did last year. The surge has hit energy-intensive sectors hardest—sending petroleum product prices up 48.8 per cent and chemical prices up 11.6 per cent—and raises concerns that inflation will rise as manufacturers pass these higher costs on to consumers.

According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), just over 13,700 new-build homes were finished in the first quarter of the year, marking a drop of roughly 1,800 compared with the same period last year. This slowdown is even more notable when compared to the end of 2025, when completions peaked at nearly 22,800. While overall housing stock grew by 13,400 homes due to a boost from property conversions, the pipeline looks mixed: building permits for new homes saw a healthy year-on-year rise to 23,500, yet actually dipped slightly compared to the previous quarter.

The European Commission is increasing scrutiny on online platforms such as Temu over alleged breaches of EU digital, consumer protection, and data privacy rules, including concerns linked to unsafe products, manipulative online practices, and the use of personal data.

KPN and German technology company Schwarz Digits will introduce a European sovereign cloud in the Netherlands next year. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on American cloud giants and give Dutch organizations more control over their data.

More than half of Dutch employees who switch jobs end up working in a different sector, according to new analysis by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). The degree of cross‑sector mobility varies sharply between industries, with waste & energy and culture & recreation showing the highest outflow.

Employers in the Netherlands are still struggling with staff shortages, with many unable to meet workforce plans. The situation is affecting service quality and delivery across sectors. AWVN is urging the government to act and has proposed several measures to ease pressure on the labour market.

Huawei says it may produce advanced chips without relying on ASML’s EUV machines, despite ongoing export restrictions. The company aims to reach 1.4-nanometre production by 2031, potentially narrowing the gap with global leaders. Details of the approach remain unclear.