The private sector profitability increased during the second quarter of the year. Both the operating margin and the profit share of value added increased compared to the corresponding quarter last year. Gross investment in tangible assets increased and investments in inventories decreased, all measured in current prices.
The total assets in Swedish funds increased almost 13 percent in the second quarter of 2026, the biggest relative increase since the second quarter of 2009. In absolute terms this was the first time when the increase were more than SEK 1,000 Billion in a single quarter. The net flow to funds of over SEK 100 Billion in the quarter were the highest in 12 years.
Preliminary figures show that construction of roughly 15 350 dwellings was started in new buildings during the first half of 2026. This is 8 percent up than in the same period last year.
In July 2026, there were 5 507 000 employed people, not seasonally adjusted. Temporary employees increased by 92 000 people to 898 000. The number of hours worked per week averaged 104.4 million. The number of unemployed people was 468 000, corresponding to an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent. Seasonally adjusted and smoothed data show an increase in both the number of employed people and in the employment rate. The seasonally adjusted and smoothed unemployment rate stood at 8.7 percent.
Sweden’s population increased by 5,000 people during the first half of 2026. By the end of June 2026, the population was 10 610 500.