Exports and imports of goods, January–June 2020, in current prices and in constant prices
Sharp decline in both exports and imports of goods in the second quarter
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2020-08-27 9.30
In the second quarter 2020, Swedish exports of goods decreased by 15 percent in value, and by 12 percent in volume, compared with the same period last year. Imports of goods decreased by 17 percent in value, and by 12 percent in volume.
Summary
- In the period January–June 2020, the value (in current prices) of Swedish exports of goods amounted to SEK 718 billion, a decrease of 7 percent compared with the same period a year ago. At the same time, the value of imports of goods decreased by 10 percent and amounted to SEK 676 billion.
- In the period January–June 2020, exports of goods decreased by 4 percent, and imports of goods decreased by 7 percent in volume (in constant prices).
- Net trade shows, in the period January–June 2020, a surplus of SEK 42 billion. In the same period in 2019, there was a net trade surplus of SEK 18 billion.
- In the second quarter of 2020, Swedish exports of goods decreased by 15 percent in value, and by 12 percent in volume, compared with the same period last year. Imports of goods decreased by 17 percent in value, and by 12 percent in volume.
- Compared with the previous quarter, Swedish exports of goods decreased by 16 percent in value and by 15 percent in volume. Imports of goods decreased by 12 percent in value and by 10 percent in volume.
Detailed information about January–June 2020 (current prices)
Imports of goods from Germany decreased by 10 percent
Sweden’s exports of goods to EU27 decreased by 10 percent and imports of goods from there decreased by 9 percent, compared with the same period a year ago. Exports to the euro countries decreased by 11 percent, and imports from there decreased by 10 percent. Among the EU countries, exports to Germany fell by 7 percent, and to the Netherlands by 15 percent, while exports to Denmark rose by 1 percent. Imports from Germany decreased by 10 percent, from the Netherlands by 6 percent, and imports from Denmark decreased by 8 percent.
Exports to other European countries fell by 9 percent, and imports from there decreased by 12 percent. Exports to the United Kingdom decreased by 18 percent, and imports from there fell by 15 percent. Exports to Norway decreased by 7 percent, while imports from there increased by 4 percent. Exports to Russia decreased by 7 percent, and imports from there fell by 62 percent. In the period, imports of crude oil from Russia fell considerably.
Exports to Asia increased by 8 percent, while imports from there decreased by 8 percent. Exports to China increased by 22 percent, while imports from there decreased by 5 percent. In the period, exports of pharmaceutical products and iron ore accounted for the largest increase to China.
Exports to the United States increased by 3 percent, and imports from there increased by 17 percent. Imports of crude petroleum oils and pharmaceutical products accounted for the largest increase in imports from the United States.
Exports of road vehicles fell by 28 percent
Exports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 13 percent. Within this product area, exports of road vehicles fell by 28 percent. Exports of minerals decreased by 9 percent. Within this product area, exports of iron ore rose by 10 percent, while exports of iron/steel fell by 21 percent. Exports of wood and paper products decreased by 2 percent, and mineral fuels and electric current fell by 32 percent. Exports of chemicals and rubber products increased by 17 percent. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceutical products increased by 35 percent. Within the other products area, textiles/clothing/footwear increased by 9 percent.
Imports of pharmaceutical products increased by 18 percent
Imports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 11 percent. Within this product area, imports of road vehicles fell by 24 percent. Imports of minerals decreased by 16 percent, and imports of wood and paper products fell by 9 percent. Imports of chemicals and rubber products rose by 1 percent. Within this product area, imports of pharmaceutical products increased by 18 percent. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current fell by 30 percent. Within this product area, crude petroleum oils decreased by 26 percent. Imports of other products fell by 2 percent.
Detailed information about the second quarter 2020 (in current prices and in constant prices)
Exports of road vehicles decreased by 50 percent in value and by 49 percent in volume
In the second quarter, Sweden’s exports of goods decreased by 15 percent in value and by 12 percent in volume compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
Exports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 25 percent in value and by 27 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of road vehicles decreased by 50 percent in value and by 49 percent in volume. Exports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 55 percent in value and by 4 percent in volume. The large difference between the value and volume trends is due to lower prices on petroleum products. Minerals decreased by 13 percent in value and by 9 percent in volume. Chemical and rubber products increased by 15 percent in value and by 14 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceutical products increased by 37 percent in value and by 34 percent in volume. Exports of wood and paper products decreased by 6 percent in value and by 1 percent in volume. Within the other products area, exports of food/beverages/tobacco decreased by 5 percent in value and by 2 percent in volume.
Imports of crude petroleum oils decreased by 53 percent in value and increased by 6 percent in volume
In the second quarter, Sweden’s imports of goods decreased by 17 percent in value and by 12 percent in volume compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
Imports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 20 percent in value and by 22 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of road vehicles fell by 44 percent in value and by 46 percent in volume. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 45 percent in value and rose by 4 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of crude petroleum oils decreased by 53 percent in value and increased by 6 percent in volume. The main difference between the value and volume trends is due to lower prices on crude petroleum oils. Imports of chemicals and rubber products increased by 2 percent in value and 5 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of pharmaceuticals products increased by 29 percent in value and by 25 percent in value. Imports of wood and paper products decreased by 11 percent in value and by 9 percent in volume, and minerals decreased by 23 percent in value and by 21 percent in volume. Within the other products area, imports of food/beverages/tobacco decreased by 6 percent in value and by 5 percent in volume. Textiles/clothing/footwear decreased by 11 percent in value and by 16 percent in volume.
The value index and the volume index describe nominal and real value trends over time. The real value trends describe trends in which price changes have been removed. The indices are chain indices with base year 2015=100.
Both the value index and the volume index for exports of goods declined significantly in the second quarter, compared to the previous quarter and to the corresponding quarter a year ago. This decrease is slightly lower for the volume index due to lower export price in the second quarter 2020.
Similarly, the value index and the volume index for imports of goods decreased considerably in the second quarter. Compared with the previous quarter, the decrease is lower than compared with corresponding quarter a year ago.
The volume index shows a lower rate of change than the value index. This is due to lower import prices in the second quarter 2020.
| Exports | Imports | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Value (current prices) | ||||||||
| Region | January-June | Share in % | Change in % | January-June | Share in % | Change in % | |||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020/2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020/2019 | ||
| Total | 717 683 | 768 397 | 100.0 | ‑7 | 676 159 | 749 657 | 100.0 | ‑10 | |
| Europe | 508 172 | 561 012 | 70.8 | ‑9 | 568 220 | 628 581 | 84.0 | ‑10 | |
| EU27_2020 | 368 820 | 408 221 | 51.4 | ‑10 | 450 686 | 494 889 | 66.7 | ‑9 | |
| EMU-19 | 280 318 | 315 299 | 39.1 | ‑11 | 351 409 | 389 375 | 52.0 | ‑10 | |
| EU28 | 403 778 | 450 595 | 56.3 | ‑10 | 480 197 | 529 601 | 71.0 | ‑9 | |
| Other European countries | 139 352 | 152 790 | 19.4 | ‑9 | 117 534 | 133 692 | 17.4 | ‑12 | |
| Africa | 13 798 | 15 248 | 1.9 | ‑10 | 4 265 | 10 886 | 0.6 | ‑61 | |
| North Africa | 7 626 | 7 591 | 1.1 | 0 | 858 | 1 677 | 0.1 | ‑49 | |
| West Africa | 1 670 | 1 673 | 0.2 | 0 | 2 337 | 6 900 | 0.3 | ‑66 | |
| Central, East and Southern Africa | 4 503 | 5 985 | 0.6 | ‑25 | 1 071 | 2 309 | 0.2 | ‑54 | |
| America | 81 436 | 82 991 | 11.3 | ‑2 | 27 926 | 27 833 | 4.1 | 0 | |
| North America | 68 242 | 66 661 | 9.5 | 2 | 23 616 | 20 196 | 3.5 | 17 | |
| Central and South America | 13 195 | 16 330 | 1.8 | ‑19 | 4 310 | 7 637 | 0.6 | ‑44 | |
| Asia | 102 084 | 94 180 | 14.2 | 8 | 73 830 | 80 182 | 10.9 | ‑8 | |
| Middle- and Near East | 15 901 | 13 110 | 2.2 | 21 | 3 317 | 3 400 | 0.5 | ‑2 | |
| Other countries in Asia | 86 184 | 81 071 | 12.0 | 6 | 70 513 | 76 782 | 10.4 | ‑8 | |
| Oceania and Antarctica | 10 244 | 9 933 | 1.4 | 3 | 1 239 | 1 513 | 0.2 | ‑18 | |
| Exports | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Value (current prices) | Volume (value in constant prices) | Value (current prices) | Volume (value in constant prices) | ||||
| Share in % | Change in % | Change in % | Change in % | Change in % | ||||
| Commodity group according to SITC | January-June 2020 | January-June 2019 | January-June 2020 | January-June 2020/2019 | Q1-2 2020/Q1-2 2019 | Q2 2020/Q2 2019 | Q2 2020/Q2 2019 | |
| Total | 717 683 | 768 397 | 100.0 | ‑7 | ‑4 | ‑15 | ‑12 | |
| Wood and paper products | 75 616 | 77 457 | 10.5 | ‑2 | 5 | ‑6 | ‑1 | |
| Wood | 17 325 | 16 927 | 2.4 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 8 | |
| Pulp and waste paper | 12 392 | 13 395 | 1.7 | ‑7 | 16 | ‑11 | 7 | |
| Paper, paperproducts | 42 468 | 43 644 | 5.9 | ‑3 | 0 | ‑7 | ‑6 | |
| Minerals | 74 245 | 81 592 | 10.3 | ‑9 | ‑5 | ‑13 | ‑9 | |
| Iron ore and concentrates | 13 537 | 12 318 | 1.9 | 10 | 21 | ‑3 | 8 | |
| Iron and steel | 31 282 | 39 360 | 4.4 | ‑21 | ‑16 | ‑22 | ‑17 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 13 615 | 13 956 | 1.9 | ‑2 | 0 | ‑14 | ‑12 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 127 693 | 109 195 | 17.8 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 9 816 | 9 963 | 1.4 | ‑1 | 1 | ‑4 | 1 | |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 72 800 | 53 733 | 10.1 | 35 | 32 | 37 | 34 | |
| Plastics | 17 655 | 18 475 | 2.5 | ‑4 | ‑2 | ‑8 | ‑4 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 35 243 | 51 687 | 4.9 | ‑32 | 9 | ‑55 | ‑4 | |
| Petroleum products | 31 278 | 42 757 | 4.4 | ‑27 | 5 | ‑53 | ‑12 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 304 514 | 350 343 | 42.4 | ‑13 | ‑15 | ‑25 | ‑27 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 19 004 | 20 849 | 2.6 | ‑9 | ‑11 | ‑15 | ‑17 | |
| Industrial machinery | 105 247 | 117 108 | 14.7 | ‑10 | ‑12 | ‑18 | ‑21 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 74 833 | 71 237 | 10.4 | 5 | 0 | ‑1 | ‑5 | |
| Road vehicles | 83 993 | 117 376 | 11.7 | ‑28 | ‑29 | ‑50 | ‑49 | |
| Passenger cars | 45 587 | 56 132 | 6.4 | ‑19 | ‑20 | ‑45 | ‑43 | |
| Lorries, trucks[1] | 10 460 | 17 116 | 1.5 | ‑39 | ‑39 | ‑58 | ‑57 | |
| Parts, accessories | 22 040 | 35 905 | 3.1 | ‑39 | ‑39 | ‑55 | ‑56 | |
| Other transport equipment | 4 171 | 6 798 | 0.6 | ‑39 | ‑42 | ‑38 | ‑42 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical products | 17 268 | 16 975 | 2.4 | 2 | 0 | ‑3 | ‑6 | |
| Other products | 100 373 | 98 124 | 14.0 | 2 | 2 | ‑4 | ‑2 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 47 841 | 46 623 | 6.7 | 3 | 3 | ‑5 | ‑2 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 19 155 | 17 646 | 2.7 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | |
| Furniture | 9 528 | 9 948 | 1.3 | ‑4 | ‑6 | ‑9 | ‑10 | |
| Imports | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Value (current prices) | Volume (value in constant prices) | Value (current prices) | Volume (value in constant prices) | ||||
| Share in % | Change in % | Change in % | Change in % | Change in % | ||||
| Commodity group according to SITC | January-June 2020 | January-June 2019 | January-June 2020 | January-June 2020/2019 | Q1-2 2020/Q1-2 2019 | Q2 2020/Q2 2019 | Q2 2020/Q2 2019 | |
| Total | 676 159 | 749 657 | 100.0 | ‑10 | ‑7 | ‑17 | ‑12 | |
| Wood and paper products | 20 200 | 22 136 | 3.0 | ‑9 | ‑6 | ‑11 | ‑9 | |
| Minerals | 50 784 | 60 642 | 7.5 | ‑16 | ‑14 | ‑23 | ‑21 | |
| Iron and steel | 20 947 | 27 726 | 3.1 | ‑24 | ‑21 | ‑33 | ‑29 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 10 011 | 11 625 | 1.5 | ‑14 | ‑11 | ‑23 | ‑19 | |
| Metalliferrous ores, metal scrap | 7 604 | 8 530 | 1.1 | ‑11 | ‑7 | ‑12 | ‑8 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 94 261 | 93 179 | 13.9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 18 599 | 19 094 | 2.8 | ‑3 | 1 | 4 | 13 | |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 27 042 | 22 885 | 4.0 | 18 | 13 | 29 | 25 | |
| Plastics | 17 740 | 19 198 | 2.6 | ‑8 | ‑1 | ‑12 | ‑2 | |
| Crude rubber, rubber products | 7 611 | 9 085 | 1.1 | ‑16 | ‑18 | ‑27 | ‑29 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 56 380 | 80 667 | 8.3 | ‑30 | 3 | ‑45 | 4 | |
| Crude petroleum oils | 28 643 | 38 839 | 4.2 | ‑26 | 14 | ‑53 | 6 | |
| Petroleum products | 22 942 | 34 352 | 3.4 | ‑33 | ‑15 | ‑41 | ‑9 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 291 883 | 327 016 | 43.2 | ‑11 | ‑12 | ‑20 | ‑22 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 23 079 | 25 550 | 3.4 | ‑10 | ‑11 | ‑17 | ‑19 | |
| Industrial machinery | 73 374 | 82 443 | 10.9 | ‑11 | ‑14 | ‑20 | ‑23 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 106 535 | 106 997 | 15.8 | 0 | 1 | ‑2 | ‑1 | |
| Road vehicles | 66 541 | 87 683 | 9.8 | ‑24 | ‑26 | ‑44 | ‑46 | |
| Passenger cars | 31 553 | 38 376 | 4.7 | ‑18 | ‑20 | ‑45 | ‑47 | |
| Parts and accessories | 22 951 | 33 166 | 3.4 | ‑31 | ‑32 | ‑47 | ‑48 | |
| Other transport equipment | 4 229 | 6 121 | 0.6 | ‑31 | ‑35 | ‑31 | ‑35 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical equip | 18 126 | 18 223 | 2.7 | ‑1 | ‑4 | ‑8 | ‑11 | |
| Other products | 162 651 | 166 017 | 24.1 | ‑2 | ‑4 | ‑6 | ‑7 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 81 054 | 81 667 | 12.0 | ‑1 | ‑2 | ‑6 | ‑5 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 36 058 | 38 729 | 5.3 | ‑7 | ‑11 | ‑11 | ‑16 | |
| Furniture | 12 327 | 12 650 | 1.8 | ‑3 | ‑6 | ‑4 | ‑9 | |
Definitions and explanations
The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union has led to the replacement of the former EU28 group in the country tables for foreign trade in goods with the EU27_2020 group. This change applies to country tables with data reported as from January 2020. The cutoff point is January 2020, rather than the actual withdrawal month February 2020, since the values in the tables are based on accumulated periods starting from January. In this text, the term EU27 is used.
Publication
This report is published in more detail in the statistical report:
Foreign trade – Exports and imports of goods January–June 2020 (pdf)
Next publishing will be
2020-11-27 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.