Almost three-quarters of Dutch companies expect to increase their investments.
Rotterdam, 17 February 2026 – The confidence of Dutch entrepreneurs has risen for the first time since Q4 2024. This is evident from the Global Business Optimism Insights Q1 2026 Report from Altares Dun & Bradstreet. The report provides insight into business sentiment across 32 countries worldwide, based on five indices: Business Optimism, Financial Confidence, Investment Confidence, Supply Chain Continuity, and ESG.
Entrepreneur confidence: cautious recovery after a dip
Dutch companies are more optimistic than a quarter ago (+4.9%), but business confidence remains moderate. The figures are still nearly 8% lower than in the first quarter of 2025. Notably, small enterprises are driving the recovery, mainly due to an increase in domestic orders, greater flexibility, and targeted government policies. Medium-sized companies, by contrast, are lagging behind. They are facing disappointing revenue expectations, persistent cost pressures, and weak European demand in the business-to-business market.
Barry de Goeij, Leader Data Science & Trade at Altares Dun & Bradstreet, explains: “The increase in optimism shows that the market is stabilizing somewhat. Inflation fell from 2.8% in December to 2.4% in January, indicating easing price pressures and greater economic stability. GDP also remains fairly stable and is showing slight growth. In addition, the ECB’s clear interest rate policy and the formation of a new government in the Netherlands are providing entrepreneurs with more certainty. This is boosting business confidence, although we expect sentiment in the Netherlands to remain cautious for the time being.”
In 87.5% of the economies surveyed, optimism increased in the first quarter of 2026 (compared with 31.3% in Q4 2025). Globally, the Business Optimism Index stands at 108.5, significantly higher than the Dutch index score (101.5). Notable increases were recorded in the United States (+0.2%), France (+17.4%), the United Kingdom (+14.3%), and Taiwan (+12.4%). Optimism declined in India (-6.1%) and Indonesia (-2.2%).
Companies primarily expect to invest using their own funds.
Entrepreneurs are also showing greater confidence in the broader financial situation. In the Netherlands, the Financial Confidence Index rose by 4.2% compared to the previous quarter, although the level is still 7.6% lower than a year ago. Moreover, the increase in the Netherlands lags behind the global average of +6.2%.
Investment confidence is also increasing (+4.1%), with companies primarily expecting to finance investments through their own funds. According to De Goeij, this on the one hand reflects the stable financial position of Dutch companies, but on the other hand also indicates reluctance to seek external financing. High domestic savings and the continued current account surplus (9.1% of GDP in 2024) provide companies with sufficient room to finance investments themselves.
Despite the recovery, investment confidence is nearly 14% lower than a year ago. While 73.4% of Dutch companies expect to increase their investments, only 54.7% anticipate securing external long-term financing.
Supply chain: companies expect shorter delivery times and lower costs
The supply chain in the Netherlands has remained stable (-0.1% compared to the previous quarter), but the recovery is lagging behind that of other countries. On a year-on-year basis, a sharp decline of nearly 15% is visible.
Nearly 88% of the economies surveyed reported increased optimism, mainly driven by industrial recovery and strategic initiatives in countries such as Taiwan (+33.2%), Egypt (+28.2%), and France (+25.5%). In India, confidence declined by 10.3% due to ongoing trade and tariff uncertainty.
Globally, companies expect improvements in delivery times in 2026 (+3.6 percentage points), lower supplier costs (+2.5 p.p.), and a broader diversification of suppliers (+3.6 p.p.).
ESG Index: Nederland blijft koploper, groei vlakt af
The Global Business Optimism Insights report also includes an ESG Index, which reflects companies’ ESG-related activities during the fourth quarter of 2025. The Netherlands remains a frontrunner in the field of ESG, primarily driven by regulation and societal expectations.
The global ESG Index declined slightly by 0.49% compared to the third quarter of 2025. Compared with the same period a year earlier, the decrease amounts to 0.32%. Despite this slight setback, our ESG position remains strong with a score of 122.0, well above the global average of 115.4.
