News
Code yellow in North Brabant and Limburg due to thunderstorms
Following the tropical heat of the weekend, the KNMI has issued a yellow alert for renewed extreme weather conditions in North Brabant.
Sci/tech
Brussels will announce new tech measures on Wednesday
Brussels will unveil new rules for chips, cloud computing, and AI to reduce the European Union's dependence on countries like the United States. This initiative, known as the technological sovereignty package, aims to boost local production and includes laws to accelerate the development of data centers and enhance the supply security for chips.
Community
The village of Moerdijk might be able to continue to exist
A part of the village of Moerdijk in North Brabant is to be removed by the municipality to make way for the expansion of the existing port and industrial estate in that location.
Business
AEX closes slightly lower
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.
Environment/sustainability
This spring ranks among five warmest ever
This spring has ranked as one of the top five warmest since records began in 1901, with an average temperature of 11 degrees outstripping the usual 9.9 degrees. According to the KNMI weather institute, March, April, and May were consistently warm, dry, and bright, averaging 730 hours of sunshine nationwide—a 29 per cent increase over the last 30 years. Rainfall was also down significantly at 105 millimetres compared to the historical average of 148 millimetres, though regional variations saw Beek in Limburg experience the wettest and gloomiest conditions, while De Kooy enjoyed the most sunshine.
Mobility
New public transport pass to be sold in stores
The new Dutch public transport pass is now available in 550 Primera high-street shops, making it easier for less digitally savvy passengers to buy them and top up using cash. The pass is part of the new "OVpay" system, which allows travellers to pay for buses, trams, and trains using the new card, a bank card, or a mobile phone. The change comes ahead of the complete phase-out of the old OV-chipkaart at the end of next year, with the in-store launch expanding access beyond the previous online-only and ticket-counter options.
Business
Industrial selling prices continue to rise
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.
Business
Drop in new-build homes compared to last year
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.
