Sweden Business Confidence Hits 6-Month Low

2026-03-25 08:12 By Joshua Ferrer 1 min. read

Sweden’s business confidence barometer fell to 102.3 in March 2026 from a downwardly revised 104 in the previous month.

This marked the lowest reading since September last year, though still pointing to a broadly neutral business climate.

Firms’ assessment of demand (-24 vs -25 in February) remained steady but slightly weaker than normal overall, with trade standing out as more stable.

Employment (-7 vs -6) declined across all sectors, although hiring plans (4 vs 5) suggest a modest pickup in staffing over the next three months.

Price expectations (13 vs 12) remained broadly in line with normal levels, but the trade sector showed softer pricing power, led by grocery retailers where price cuts are expected, partly reflecting the upcoming VAT reduction on food.

Meanwhile, investment plans were mixed, with manufacturing seen holding steady this year while services showed a more optimistic outlook.



News Stream
Sweden Business Confidence Hits 6-Month Low
Sweden’s business confidence barometer fell to 102.3 in March 2026 from a downwardly revised 104 in the previous month. This marked the lowest reading since September last year, though still pointing to a broadly neutral business climate. Firms’ assessment of demand (-24 vs -25 in February) remained steady but slightly weaker than normal overall, with trade standing out as more stable. Employment (-7 vs -6) declined across all sectors, although hiring plans (4 vs 5) suggest a modest pickup in staffing over the next three months. Price expectations (13 vs 12) remained broadly in line with normal levels, but the trade sector showed softer pricing power, led by grocery retailers where price cuts are expected, partly reflecting the upcoming VAT reduction on food. Meanwhile, investment plans were mixed, with manufacturing seen holding steady this year while services showed a more optimistic outlook.
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Sweden Business Mood Stays Firm Despite Downturn
Sweden’s business confidence barometer fell for the second consecutive month to 104.7 in February 2026 from a slightly downwardly revised 106.3 in the previous month, but remained above the 100 level, indicating stronger-than-normal sentiment. Still, the decline was mainly driven by softer confidence in the manufacturing sector. Companies’ assessment of overall demand was largely unchanged from January (at -25) and remained weaker than usual, though trade stood out, with sales conditions seen at normal levels. Employment fell more than typically seen over the past three months (-6 vs -7 in January), yet firms expect hiring to pick up moderately in the quarter ahead (5 vs 6), particularly in construction. Meanwhile, most businesses anticipate raising selling prices in the next three months (12 vs 14), except for retailers, which have sharply scaled back their pricing expectations.
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