Economy

Rising mortgage rates, fuelled by the conflict in the Middle East, have led to a cooling of the Dutch housing market, with the average mortgage amount stalling for the first time in three years. Data from De Hypotheker shows that while existing homeowners are staying active by porting their lower interest rates to new properties, first-time buyers are increasingly being squeezed out. The market is also becoming highly fragmented; activity has plummeted in areas like Utrecht, while provinces such as Zeeland and Groningen have seen a surprising surge in interest, highlighting a shift towards a more stabilised yet regionally divided property market.

Diesel prices at Dutch forecourts have surged to record highs, with the recommended price for a litre of diesel jumping by more than 10 cents on Friday to reach €2.793. This sharp increase follows a spike in global oil prices and wholesale diesel costs, which hit $200 a barrel for the first time since 2022 due to the escalating conflict in Iran. With US President Donald Trump warning of a further crackdown on Iran and fuel tankers being forced to take longer, more expensive routes, experts suggest that high demand and supply disruptions will continue to keep pump prices at unprecedented levels for the foreseeable future.

Following a harsh winter that saw Dutch gas stocks plummet to a ten-year low of 4.5%, grid operator Gasunie has confirmed that replenishment efforts cautiously began this week. Despite concerns that high market prices driven by Middle Eastern conflict might deter energy firms, the first storage refills took place on Thursday. Gasunie is now monitoring progress closely to ensure stocks reach the mandatory 87% target by November, noting that the government can appoint an official filling agent to intervene if the pace of the recovery proves too slow.

CLA wages in the Netherlands rose 4.5% in the first quarter of 2026, CBS reports. Wage growth is slowing, but real wages remain positive for the tenth quarter in a row, with private‑sector employees seeing the strongest increases.

More than 6.8 million people have already filed their tax returns, slightly ahead of last year’s pace. Most returns are submitted online, with the deadline set for 1 May. The Tax and Customs Administration has also outlined when filers can expect a response.

Prices for building land across the Netherlands continued to rise strongly in 2025, driven by limited availability. Statistics Netherlands reports large differences between housing types and regions. Some provinces saw sharp increases, while others experienced only modest growth.

Unilever has reached a multi-billion pound agreement to sell its food division to the American company McCormick. While the move aims to integrate global research and production, it has raised questions about the future of 1,000 employees in the Netherlands. Trade unions are currently seeking further details on how the merger will affect specific roles within the Rotterdam headquarters.

ING expects inflation in the Netherlands to rise further in the coming months. This follows what the bank describes as a relatively mild increase...