Bankruptcies up 23 percent compared to last year

In the Netherlands in September, 553 businesses and institutions (excluding one-man businesses) were declared bankrupt, nearly 40 more than in August. The number of bankruptcies was also slightly higher than in September 2011, when 527 businesses and institutions were declared bankrupt, according to CBS.

However, note that the number of businesses declared bankrupt in a particular month is closely related to the number of days courts are in session, so it may vary considerably from month to month. The three-month moving average is therefore a more reliable indicator.

This average stood at 596 in September, down from 611 in August. September is the second month in a row in which the three-month moving average fell. Nevertheless, over the first nine months of 2012, nearly 5.539 businesses and institutions have gone bankrupt, a 23 percent increase over the same period in 2011.