The number of ongoing employments increased by 1.1 percent compared to April the previous year. During the same period, hours worked increased by 3.2 percent, amounting to 682 million hours. The proportion of sickness absence was 1.7 percent. The total gross pay was 208 000 million SEK.
The volume of retail trade decreased by 0.2 percent in May 2026 compared with April 2026. Retail sales in durables remained unchanged (0.0 percent) while retail sales in consumables (excluding Systembolaget, the state-owned chain of liquor stores) decreased by 0.5 percent. These figures are calendar and seasonally adjusted and calculated in constant prices.
In May 2026, Swedish exports of goods amounted to SEK 180.8 billion, and imports of goods amounted to SEK 177.9 billion. As a result, the net trade balance was SEK 2.9 billion.
In April, exports of goods increased by 8 percent in value and by 5 percent in volume compared with the same period last year. At the same time, imports of goods increased by 17 percent in value and by 8 percent in volume.
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).