Swede Trade Surplus Narrows Sharply

Sweden’s trade surplus narrowed sharply to SEK 6.3 billion in January 2026, from SEK 12.2 billion in the same month of the previous year. Imports fell 7.4% year-on-year to SEK 155.4 billion, dragged down by lower purchases from both the EU, which dropped 1.3% to SEK 104 billion, and other countries, which plunged 17.8% to SEK 51.4 billion. Meanwhile, exports declined even more sharply, falling 10.2% to SEK 161.7 billion, weighed down by reduced sales to the EU, which fell 6.1% to SEK 90.2 billion, and other countries, which slumped 14.9% to SEK 71.5 billion. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the trade surplus decreased slightly to SEK 5.1 billion in January 2026 from SEK 5.4 billion in December.

Sweden’s trade surplus widened to SEK 7.4 billion in December 2025, sharply higher than SEK 2.3 billion in the same month a year earlier. Exports rose 0.6% year-on-year to SEK 162.4 billion, led by stronger shipments to EU countries (+2% to SEK 84.9 billion), though exports to non-EU markets slipped 1% to SEK 77.5 billion. Meanwhile, imports fell 2.6% to SEK 155 billion, driven by a 9.4% decline in purchases from non-EU countries to SEK 47.5 billion, while imports from the EU went up 0.7% to SEK 107.5 billion. For the full year 2025, Sweden’s cumulative trade surplus rose to SEK 74.1 billion from SEK 63.4 billion a year earlier, underscoring the country’s continued export strength. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the monthly trade surplus increased to SEK 9.5 billion in December from SEK 8.3 billion in November.

Sweden’s trade surplus surged to SEK 11.6 billion in November 2025, more than doubling the SEK 5.2 billion recorded a year earlier, marking the largest surplus since June. Exports fell 5.5% year-on-year to SEK 173.7 billion, weighed down by lower sales to both the EU (-8.4% to SEK 94.8 billion) and non-EU countries (-1.9% to SEK 78.9 billion). Meanwhile, imports dropped at a faster 9.3% to SEK 162.1 billion, due to decreased purchases from non-EU countries (-12% to SEK 48.2 billion), while imports from the EU declined 8.1% to SEK 113.9 billion. From January to November, the cumulative trade surplus rose to SEK 68.7 billion, up from SEK 61.1 billion in the same period last year. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the November surplus increased to SEK 8.9 billion from SEK 7.4 billion in October.