The Producer Price Index rose by 1.3 percent in May compared with April 2026. Prices increased by 0.7 percent in the export market and increased by 1.8 percent in the domestic market. In the import market, prices decreased by 0.7 percent. The annual rate according to the Producer Price Index was 6.6 percent in May (4.7 percent in April).
People in employment aged 15 to 74 numbered 5 275 000 in April 2026. The number of employed increased by 30 000 people compared with April 2025. In the 20 to 65 age range, 279 000 people were unemployed. This equals a share of 5.4 percent expressed as a percentage of the labour force and a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared with the same period of the previous year.
In 2025, just under 20,000 hectares of productive forest land were newly designated under formal protection, corresponding to 0.8 per mille of Sweden’s total area of productive forest land. The increase in 2025 was half as large as that recorded in 2024. Areas compensated under the Forestry Act increased by 4,000 hectares outside formally protected areas, corresponding to 0.2 per mille of the country’s total area of productive forest land.
The average interest rates for housing loans across all maturities declined in May compared with the previous month. The average floating interest rate for housing loans decreased from 2.81 percent in April to 2.78 percent in May. The average fixed interest rate for housing loans with maturities over five years declined by 0.38 percentage points to 2.96 percent in May. The annual growth rate for housing loans increased marginally to 3.2 percent in May.
According to preliminary data, Sweden’s total intramural expenditure on research and development (R&D) amounted to SEK 233.7 billion in 2025 and the number of persons employed in R&D activities amounted to 108 852 full-time equivalents. R&D intensity, i.e. R&D expenditure as a share of GDP, is estimated at 3.51 percent.