Economy

European gas prices fell sharply after news of a ceasefire between Iran and the United States. Markets responded to renewed hopes that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen, easing pressure on global energy supplies.

The UWV regularly makes errors when manually assessing eligibility for unemployment benefits, according to Minister Hans Vijlbrief. Internal checks show mistakes in more than one in 10 files, with possible financial consequences for recipients. Not every error means benefits were wrongly paid, the minister said.

Gas reserves in the Netherlands are rising again after reaching a ten‑year low. Energy companies have resumed filling storage sites, even though high prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East make the process expensive. Gasunie says supplies remain stable thanks to imports from Norway and LNG shipments.

More hairdressers are moving towards self‑employment, according to new KVK figures. While the number of independent hairdressers continues to rise, the total number of salons has declined. Union representatives say pay, flexibility and work–life balance all influence this shift.

The Dutch mortgage market is no longer driven only by price growth and urgency. It is increasingly shaped by who already owns a home, who can rely on family help, and who can handle higher monthly costs

Fuel prices climbed again on Saturday, with diesel rising slightly after a sharp increase the day before. Euro95 stayed at the same level, although both fuels remain near record highs. Tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt shipping routes and energy sites, pushing prices upward.

US lawmakers have introduced the MATCH Act, a bipartisan bill designed to force allies like the Netherlands to align their export rules with strict American standards. The legislation specifically targets Dutch chipmaker ASML, aiming to block the sale and maintenance of even older "workhorse" DUV (deep ultraviolet) machines to China. By threatening to restrict the supply of vital US-made components, the bill seeks to close perceived loopholes and ensure that international partners move in lockstep with Washington to limit China’s semiconductor and AI capabilities.

The Dutch manufacturing sector faces the risk of disappearing unless it rapidly adopts robotisation and automation to counter an ageing workforce and rising labour costs. According to research institute TNO, the industry’s productivity has stalled, leaving it vulnerable to international competitors like South Korea and Germany, which use significantly more robots. TNO warns that without a national agenda to increase robot density, the Netherlands could see widespread factory closures and job losses within the next decade, shifting the country from a global producer to a dependent consumer.