Dutch Consumer Sentiment Drops to Lowest in Four Years

(Bloomberg) -- Dutch consumer confidence has fallen sharply in the past year, and extended that decline in February. There are specific local issues -- higher energy bills and increased VAT -- but it comes at a time of almost consistently negative news across the euro area. That said, a sentiment measure for the currency zone due later on Wednesday may have increased slightly this month, with forecasts for an improvement to minus 7.7 from minus 7.9.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ruben Munsterman in Amsterdam at rmunsterman1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Fergal O'Brien at fobrien@bloomberg.net, Zoe Schneeweiss

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