Economy

CPB research reveals that solar panel ownership in the Netherlands is still dominated by higher‑income households. Housing associations help lower‑income groups access solar energy, while private renters lag behind.

ABN AMRO's youth bank BUUT has introduced mobile payments for children from the age of 10, making it the first in the Netherlands to offer this service to under-16s. Parents retain full control over the feature, allowing them to monitor spending, set limits, and guide their children in managing money digitally. The system uses dedicated digital pouches for different spending categories to help teenagers track their expenses.

Mortgage applications dipped slightly in May, but activity remained high after a surge earlier in the year. First‑time buyers submitted fewer applications, while rising home values outpaced the growth in mortgage amounts. HDN says the figures suggest buyers are relying more on their own funds.

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.

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.

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.

An annual joint report by the Dutch Payments Association and De Nederlandsche Bank highlights an accelerating digital migration among older shoppers. For the first time in history, Dutch citizens aged 75 and older are conducting the majority of their informal peer-to-peer transfers electronically rather than with cash. This behavioral pivot mirrors a nationwide decline in physical currency, as the total market share of cash transactions across the country has dropped to just 17%.