News

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

Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) expects more sunshine in the coming days. So, UV radiation levels can already reach level 3. Since skin is not yet used to the sun after the winter months, it can burn quickly, according to experts.

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.

rain services around Den Bosch will restart on Saturday after a track subsidence near Vught halted several routes. ProRail says pile‑driving work caused the issue and that crews worked on Friday evening to restore the line. The update offers clarity for travellers affected by the disruption.

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.

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.