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.
Exports | Imports | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Value (current prices) | Value (current prices) | ||||||||
Region | January-December | Share in % | Change in % | January-December | Share in % | Change in % | |||
2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019/2018 | 2019 | 2018 | 2019 | 2019/2018 | ||
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 SITC | January-December 2019 | January-December 2018 | January-December 2019 | January-December 2019/2018 | Q4 2019/Q4 2018 | Q1-4 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 SITC | January-December 2019 | January-December 2018 | January-December 2019 | January-December 2019/2018 | Q4 2019/Q4 2018 | Q1-4 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
Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.