Swede Trade Surplus Narrows Sharply

Sweden recorded a trade surplus of SEK 1.8 billion in February 2026, narrowing sharply from SEK 12.1 billion in the same month of the previous year. This also marked the smallest monthly surplus since October last year, as exports fell while imports rose. Year-on-year, exports declined by 5.1% to SEK 163.8 billion, due to weaker shipments to both EU countries (-1.6% to SEK 93.5 billion) and non-EU markets (-9.2% to SEK 71.8 billion). Meanwhile, imports increased by 0.9% to SEK 162 billion, driven by a 5.5% rise in purchases from EU countries to SEK 113.9 billion, though imports from non-EU markets decreased by 8.4% to SEK 48.1 billion. Considering the first two months of the year, the cumulative trade surplus narrowed to SEK 8.1 billion from SEK 24.3 billion in the corresponding period a year ago. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the trade surplus fell to SEK 0.9 billion in February from SEK 2.5 billion in January.

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.