Dutch consumers have never been so pessimistic about the economy as they are this April, with the consumer confidence index plunging nine points to -48, national statistics agency CBS said on Thursday.

The previous record low of -41 points was reached in February and March 2013 at the height of the financial crisis.

Consumers are not only the most pessimistic they have ever been about the economy in general, but have also never been so unwilling to make major purchases, the CBS said. That indicator fell from -26 to -34 between March and April.

The agency has been measuring consumer confidence since 1986.