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Exports, imports and net trade balance, December 2019, in current prices

Stronger exports than imports of goods in 2019

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2020-02-27 9.30

In the period January-December 2019 Swedish exports of goods increased by 5 percent and imports of goods increased by 1 percent in current prices compared with the same period last year. Exports of goods increased by 2 percent in volume (value in constant prices), while imports of goods decreased by 1 percent.

In the period January–December 2019, the value of Swedish exports amounted to SEK 1 518 billion, up by 5 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. At the same time, the value of imports of goods rose by 1 percent and amounted to SEK 1 501 billion. This resulted in a net trade surplus of SEK 17 billion. In the same period in 2018, there was a net trade deficit of SEK 40 billion. In volume terms, exports of goods increased by 2 percent, while imports of goods decreased by 1 percent.

In the fourth quarter, Sweden’s exports of goods remained unchanged in current prices compared with the same period a year earlier. At the same time, imports of goods decreased by 2 percent. In volume terms, exports of goods decreased by 2 percent, and imports of goods decreased by 4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, compared with the same period in 2018. The fourth quarter was the strongest in 2019 for imports of goods, in value and volume terms. Exports of goods were also stronger in the fourth quarter and are now at the same level as the two first quarters in 2019.

Detailed information about January–December 2019 (current prices)

Exports of goods to the United States up by 23 percent

Both Sweden’s exports of goods to and imports of goods from the EU28 increased by 2 percent, compared with the same period a year ago. Exports to the euro countries increased by 2 percent, and imports from there increased by 3 percent. Among the EU countries, exports to Germany rose by 2 percent, to the United Kingdom by 1 percent and to Denmark by 6 percent. Imports from Germany increased by 1 percent, while imports from the United Kingdom and Denmark decreased by 8 percent and 4 percent respectively.

Exports to other European countries rose by 6 percent, and imports from there increased by 1 percent. Exports to Norway rose by 7 percent, and imports from there increased by 8 percent. Exports to Russia increased by 10 percent, while imports from there decreased by 19 percent.

Both exports to and imports from Asia increased by 7 percent. Exports to China increased by 7 percent, and imports from there rose by 13 percent.

Exports to the United States increased by 23 percent, while imports from there fell by 1 percent.

Exports of pharmaceutical products up by 28 percent

Exports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 5 percent. Within this product area, exports of passenger cars increased by 11 percent. Exports of minerals increased by 4 percent. Exports of wood and paper products rose by 3 percent, while mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 10 percent. Exports of chemicals and rubber products increased by 16 percent. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceutical products increased by 28 percent. Within the other products area, textiles/clothing/footwear increased by 17 percent.

Imports of crude petroleum oils decreased 17 percent

Imports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 3 percent. Imports of minerals decreased by 5 percent, and imports of wood and paper products fell by 1 percent. Imports of chemicals and rubber products rose by 5 percent. Within this product area, imports of pharmaceutical products increased by 14 percent. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current fell by 10 percent. Within this product area, crude petroleum oils decreased by 17 percent. Imports of other products increased by 5 percent.

Detailed information about volume (value in constant prices) in the fourth quarter 2019

Export volume of road vehicles decreased 8 percent

Exports of goods decreased by 2 percent in volume in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared with the same quarter of 2018.

Exports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 7 percent in volume in the fourth quarter. Within this product area, exports of road vehicles decreased by 8 percent. Exports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 5 percent in volume and minerals decreased in export volume by 12 percent. Chemical and rubber products increased by 7 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceutical products increased by 13 percent. Exports of wood and paper products increased by 6 percent in volume. Within other products, exports of textiles/clothing/footwear increased by 15 percent and food/beverages/tobacco increased by 8 percent in volume.

Import volume of crude petroleum oils decreased 28 percent

Imports of goods decreased by 4 percent in volume in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared with the same quarter of 2018.

Imports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 1 percent in volume. The import volume of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 17 percent in the fourth quarter. Within this product area, imports of crude petroleum oils decreased by 28 percent. Imports of chemicals and rubber products increased by 1 percent in volume. Within this product area, pharmaceutical products increased by 18 percent. Imports of wood and paper products decreased by 8 percent and minerals decreased by 17 percent in volume. Within other products, imports of food/beverages/tobacco decreased by 2 percent in volume.

 ExportsImports
 Value (current prices)Value (current prices)
RegionJanuary-DecemberShare in %Change in %January-DecemberShare in %Change in %
 2019201820192019/20182019201820192019/2018
Total 1 518 041 1 441 786 100.0 5 1 500 876 1 482 330 100.0 1
Europe 1 104 288 1 070 871 72.7 3 1 257 208 1 238 488 83.8 2
EU-28 878 734 858 077 57.9 2 1 054 621 1 037 985 70.3 2
EMU-19 610 838 598 165 40.2 2 774 732 754 765 51.6 3
Other European countries 225 553 212 794 14.9 6 202 587 200 503 13.5 1
Africa 28 599 27 696 1.9 3 16 681 28 616 1.1 ‑42
North Africa 14 524 14 148 1.0 3 3 718 6 890 0.2 ‑46
West Africa 3 170 2 778 0.2 14 9 415 18 454 0.6 ‑49
Central, East and Southern Africa 10 905 10 769 0.7 1 3 549 3 272 0.2 8
America 164 837 137 661 10.9 20 57 212 58 405 3.8 ‑2
North America 133 500 110 015 8.8 21 43 299 43 762 2.9 ‑1
Central and South America 31 337 27 646 2.1 13 13 913 14 643 0.9 ‑5
Asia 191 887 180 163 12.6 7 164 286 152 900 10.9 7
Middle- and Near East 30 646 27 449 2.0 12 6 521 7 286 0.4 ‑10
Other countries in Asia 161 242 152 714 10.6 6 157 765 145 614 10.5 8
Oceania and Antarctica 19 623 19 334 1.3 1 4 209 3 594 0.3 17

 Exports
 Value (current prices)Volume (value in constant prices)
   Share in %Change in %Change in %
Commodity group according to SITCJanuary-December 2019January-December 2018January-December 2019January-December 2019/2018Q4 2019/Q4 2018Q1-4 2019/Q1-4 2018
Total 1 518 041 1 441 786 100.0 5 ‑2 2
Wood and paper products 149 553 144 516 9.9 3 6 3
Wood 31 321 30 979 2.1 1 7 5
Pulp and waste paper 25 924 25 038 1.7 4 14 15
Paper, paperproducts 85 616 82 062 5.6 4 4 ‑1
Minerals 152 604 147 046 10.1 4 ‑12 ‑2
Iron ore and concentrates 24 482 20 749 1.6 18 ‑15 ‑7
Iron and steel 70 196 66 100 4.6 6 ‑13 2
Non-ferrous metals 25 961 28 720 1.7 ‑10 ‑17 ‑8
Chemicals, rubber products 214 856 185 208 14.2 16 7 11
Organic/inorganic chemicals 20 440 19 458 1.3 5 4 0
Pharmaceuticals products 105 318 82 238 6.9 28 13 21
Plastics 35 600 34 272 2.3 4 3 4
Mineral fuels, electric current 103 621 115 013 6.8 ‑10 ‑5 ‑5
Petroleum products 85 803 97 904 5.7 ‑12 ‑10 ‑9
Machinery, transport equipment 690 721 658 778 45.5 5 ‑7 0
Manufactures of metals 40 160 38 634 2.6 4 ‑6 ‑1
Industrial machinery 223 758 215 199 14.7 4 ‑11 ‑1
Electronics, telecommunication 154 485 149 172 10.2 4 ‑5 ‑3
Road vehicles 224 578 214 722 14.8 5 ‑8 0
Passenger cars 113 014 101 927 7.4 11 ‑2 5
Lorries, trucks[1] 32 480 35 050 2.1 ‑7 ‑16 ‑11
Parts, accessories 64 642 63 388 4.3 2 ‑12 ‑1
Other transport equipment 12 293 8 542 0.8 44 52 33
Instruments, photo/optical products 35 447 32 510 2.3 9 3 3
Other products 206 686 191 225 13.6 8 8 4
Food, beverages, tobacco 97 462 91 798 6.4 6 8 2
Textiles, clothing, footwear 38 410 32 738 2.5 17 15 10
Furniture 20 522 18 743 1.4 9 4 8

 Imports
 Value (current prices)Volume (value in constant prices)
   Share in %Change in %Change in %
Commodity group according to SITCJanuary-December 2019January-December 2018January-December 2019January-December 2019/2018Q4 2019/Q4 2018Q1-4 2019/Q1-4 2018
Total 1 500 876 1 482 330 100.0 1 ‑4 ‑1
Wood and paper products 42 497 43 098 2.8 ‑1 ‑8 ‑4
Minerals 112 378 118 062 7.5 ‑5 ‑17 ‑7
Iron and steel 50 212 56 597 3.3 ‑11 ‑22 ‑12
Non-ferrous metals 21 949 22 371 1.5 ‑2 ‑11 ‑3
Metalliferrous ores, metal scrap 15 154 15 865 1.0 ‑4 ‑27 ‑5
Chemicals, rubber products 185 592 176 280 12.4 5 1 3
Organic/inorganic chemicals 38 447 37 471 2.6 3 ‑2 0
Pharmaceuticals products 47 303 41 387 3.2 14 18 15
Plastics 36 144 36 100 2.4 0 ‑4 ‑1
Crude rubber, rubber products 17 504 17 625 1.2 ‑1 ‑13 ‑5
Mineral fuels, electric current 157 710 175 495 10.5 ‑10 ‑17 ‑9
Crude petroleum oils 75 640 91 663 5.0 ‑17 ‑28 ‑16
Petroleum products 65 657 65 057 4.4 1 ‑3 ‑1
Machinery, transport equipment 662 767 646 247 44.2 3 ‑1 0
Manufactures of metals 49 585 45 938 3.3 8 ‑4 4
Industrial machinery 159 020 151 821 10.6 5 ‑3 0
Electronics, telecommunication 226 393 225 388 15.1 0 0 0
Road vehicles 173 876 170 251 11.6 2 2 ‑1
Passenger cars 81 446 75 814 5.4 7 21 5
Parts and accessories 61 219 64 048 4.1 ‑4 ‑15 ‑8
Other transport equipment 16 708 18 502 1.1 ‑10 ‑16 ‑17
Instruments, photo/optical equip 37 185 34 347 2.5 8 7 7
Other products 339 932 323 149 22.6 5 ‑2 2
Food, beverages, tobacco 164 121 158 246 10.9 4 ‑2 1
Textiles, clothing, footwear 82 155 74 748 5.5 10 2 4
Furniture 25 090 23 920 1.7 5 ‑4 0

Definitions and explanations

The volume changes (value changes in constant prices) are calculated quarterly. In the quarterly calculation of the volume changes of goods, exports and imports of goods, the current quarter, calculated as the full-year level, are first compared with the previous full year. For each commodity according to CN8, the value of the quarter is calculated in the previous year’s average price by dividing the value of the quarter in current prices with the price trend between the periods. In the next step, the index numbers are calculated in a chain index series with the base year 2015 (2015 = 100). The volume and value index for the current period compared with the previous full year is linked to the corresponding index for the previous full years back to 2015.

Publication

This report is published in more detail in the statistical report:

Foreign trade – Exports and imports of goods January–December 2019 (pdf)

Next publishing will be

2020-05-29 at 09:30.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

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