Exports and imports of goods, January–December 2020, in current prices and in constant prices
Recovery in both exports and imports of goods in the fourth quarter
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2021-02-26 9.30
In the period January–December 2020, the exports of goods decreased by 6 percent in value and by 1 percent in volume compared to the same period a year ago. At the same time, imports of goods fell by 9 percent in value and by 4 percent in volume. In the fourth quarter 2020, Swedish exports of goods decreased by 2 percent in value, while they increased by 5 percent in volume compared with the same period a year ago. Imports of goods decreased by 5 percent in value, while they increased by 2 percent in volume.
Summary
- In the period January–December 2020, the value (in current prices) of Swedish exports of goods amounted to SEK 1 428 billion, a decrease of 6 percent compared with the same period a year ago. At the same time, the value of imports of goods decreased by 9 percent and amounted to SEK 1 374 billion.
- In the period January–December 2020, exports of goods decreased by 1 percent, and imports of goods decreased by 4 percent in volume (in constant prices).
- Net trade shows a surplus of SEK 54 billion in the period January–December 2020. In the same period in 2019, there was a net trade surplus of SEK 14 billion.
- In the fourth quarter of 2020, Swedish exports of goods decreased by 2 percent in value, while in volume terms exports of goods increased by 5 percent, compared with the same period a year ago. Imports of goods decreased by 5 percent in value, while in volume terms they increased by 2 percent.
- Compared with the previous quarter, Swedish exports of goods increased by 13 percent in both value and volume terms. At the same time, imports of goods increased by 13 percent in value and by 12 percent in volume.
Detailed information about January–December 2020 (current prices)
Imports of goods from Russia decreased by 66 percent
Sweden’s exports of goods to EU27 decreased by 7 percent and imports of goods from there decreased by 6 percent compared with the same period a year ago. Exports to the euro countries decreased by 8 percent, and imports from there decreased by 6 percent. Among the EU countries, exports to Germany fell by 5 percent, to Belgium by 17 percent, and to Finland by 8 percent. Imports from both Germany and Belgium decreased by 7 percent, and from Finland by 12 percent.
Exports to other European countries fell by 8 percent, and imports from there decreased by 15 percent. Exports to the United Kingdom decreased by 10 percent, and imports from there fell by 13 percent. Exports to Norway decreased by 6 percent, and imports from there fell by 5 percent. Exports to Russia decreased by 15 percent, and imports from there fell by 66 percent. In the period, imports of crude oil from Russia fell considerably.
Exports to Asia decreased by 1 percent, and imports from there fell by 10 percent. Exports to China increased by 9 percent, while imports from there fell by 8 percent. In the period, exports of minerals, mainly iron ore, accounted for the largest increase to China.
Both exports to and imports from the United States remained unchanged.
Exports of road vehicles fell by 15 percent
Exports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 8 percent. Within this product area, exports of road vehicles fell by 15 percent. Exports of minerals decreased by 5 percent. Within this product area, exports of iron ore rose by 17 percent, while exports of iron/steel fell by 20 percent. Exports of wood and paper products decreased by 3 percent, and mineral fuels and electric current fell by 33 percent. Exports of chemicals and rubber products rose by 3 percent. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceutical products increased by 10 percent. Within the other products area, textiles/clothing/footwear increased by 8 percent.
Imports of iron/steel decreased by 21 percent
Imports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 7 percent. Within this product area, imports of road vehicles fell by 14 percent. Imports of minerals decreased by 13 percent. Within this product area, imports of iron/steel fell by 21 percent. Imports of wood and paper products fell by 9 percent. Imports of chemicals and rubber products decreased by 1 percent. Within this product area, imports of pharmaceutical products increased by 9 percent, while imports of plastics and crude rubber/rubber products fell by 9 percent and 11 percent respectively. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current fell by 32 percent. Imports of other products fell by 3 percent.
Detailed information about the fourth quarter 2020 (in current prices and in constant prices)
Exports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 30 percent in value and increased by 3 percent in volume
In the fourth quarter, Sweden’s exports of goods decreased by 2 percent in value, while they increased by 5 percent in volume, compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
Exports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 1 percent in value and by 7 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of passenger cars increased by 5 percent in value and by 22 percent in volume. Exports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 30 percent in value and increased by 3 percent in volume. The large difference between the value and volume trends is due to lower prices on petroleum products. Minerals increased by 9 percent in value and by 10 percent in volume. Chemical and rubber products decreased by 13 percent in value and by 6 percent in volume. Within this product area, exports of pharmaceutical products decreased by 22 percent in value and by 14 percent in volume. Exports of wood and paper products decreased by 1 percent in value and increased by 2 percent in volume. Within the other products area, exports of food/beverages/tobacco decreased by 2 percent in value, while they increased by 8 percent in volume.
Imports of crude petroleum oils decreased by 27 percent in value and increased by 12 percent in volume
In the fourth quarter, Sweden’s imports of goods decreased by 5 percent in value, while they increased by 2 percent in volume, compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
Imports of machinery and transport equipment decreased by 2 percent in value, while they increased by 1 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of road vehicles remained unchanged in value and increased by 1 percent in volume. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 33 percent in value, while they increased by 2 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of crude petroleum oils decreased by 27 percent in value, while they increased by 12 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 decreased by 3 percent in value, while they increased by 2 percent in volume. Within this product area, imports of pharmaceutical products decreased by 11 percent in value and by 12 percent in volume. Imports of wood and paper products decreased by 6 percent in value and by 1 percent in volume, and minerals decreased by 2 percent in value, while they increased by 2 percent in volume. Within the other products area, imports of food/beverages/tobacco decreased by 6 percent in value, while they increased by 5 percent in volume. Textiles/clothing/footwear increased by 2 percent in value and by 7 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.
The value index for exports of goods in the fourth quarter 2020 has increased and is at the same level as the average for 2019. Export prices remain at the same level as in the previous quarter. The volume index has increased compared with the previous quarter and is now slightly higher than the level of the volume index in the first quarter 2020.
The value index for imports of goods increased in the fourth quarter and is now slightly lower than the level of the value index in the first quarter 2020. Import prices are slightly higher than in the previous quarter. The volume index continues to rise and is slightly higher than in the corresponding quarter a year ago.
| Exports | Imports | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Value (current prices) | ||||||||
| Region | January-December | Share in % | Change in % | January-December | Share in % | Change in % | |||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020/2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2020/2019 | ||
| Total | 1 427 673 | 1 518 363 | 100.0 | ‑6 | 1 373 775 | 1 503 524 | 100.0 | ‑9 | |
| Europe | 1 028 835 | 1 104 209 | 72.1 | ‑7 | 1 160 501 | 1 257 787 | 84.5 | ‑8 | |
| EU27_2020 | 744 504 | 796 615 | 52.1 | ‑7 | 929 965 | 985 301 | 67.7 | ‑6 | |
| EMU-19 | 561 228 | 611 090 | 39.3 | ‑8 | 724 383 | 774 342 | 52.7 | ‑6 | |
| EU28 | 817 943 | 878 574 | 57.3 | ‑7 | 989 503 | 1 053 689 | 72.0 | ‑6 | |
| Other European countries | 284 330 | 307 593 | 19.9 | ‑8 | 230 536 | 272 486 | 16.8 | ‑15 | |
| Africa | 27 487 | 28 596 | 1.9 | ‑4 | 8 097 | 17 507 | 0.6 | ‑54 | |
| North Africa | 15 087 | 14 521 | 1.1 | 4 | 1 816 | 3 726 | 0.1 | ‑51 | |
| West Africa | 3 295 | 3 169 | 0.2 | 4 | 4 174 | 10 078 | 0.3 | ‑59 | |
| Central, East and Southern Africa | 9 105 | 10 905 | 0.6 | ‑17 | 2 106 | 3 703 | 0.2 | ‑43 | |
| America | 158 428 | 164 857 | 11.1 | ‑4 | 52 930 | 57 311 | 3.9 | ‑8 | |
| North America | 131 862 | 133 517 | 9.2 | ‑1 | 43 627 | 43 319 | 3.2 | 1 | |
| Central and South America | 26 566 | 31 341 | 1.9 | ‑15 | 9 303 | 13 992 | 0.7 | ‑34 | |
| Asia | 190 986 | 192 182 | 13.4 | ‑1 | 148 194 | 165 335 | 10.8 | ‑10 | |
| Middle- and Near East | 29 116 | 30 651 | 2.0 | ‑5 | 5 428 | 6 548 | 0.4 | ‑17 | |
| Other countries in Asia | 161 870 | 161 531 | 11.3 | 0 | 142 766 | 158 787 | 10.4 | ‑10 | |
| Oceania and Antarctica | 17 738 | 19 623 | 1.2 | ‑10 | 3 148 | 4 304 | 0.2 | ‑27 | |
| 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-December 2020 | January-December 2019 | January-December 2020 | Q1-4 2020/Q1-4 2019 | Q1-4 2020/Q1-4 2019 | Q4 2020/Q4 2019 | Q4 2020/Q4 2019 | |
| Total | 1 427 673 | 1 518 363 | 100.0 | ‑6 | ‑1 | ‑2 | 5 | |
| Wood and paper products | 144 248 | 149 147 | 10.1 | ‑3 | 3 | ‑1 | 2 | |
| Wood | 33 914 | 31 240 | 2.4 | 9 | 10 | 28 | 13 | |
| Pulp and waste paper | 23 170 | 25 863 | 1.6 | ‑10 | 8 | ‑11 | 0 | |
| Paper, paperproducts | 80 399 | 85 376 | 5.6 | ‑6 | ‑1 | ‑8 | ‑2 | |
| Minerals | 144 772 | 152 303 | 10.1 | ‑5 | ‑1 | 9 | 10 | |
| Iron ore and concentrates | 28 396 | 24 347 | 2.0 | 17 | 29 | 27 | 27 | |
| Iron and steel | 56 151 | 70 172 | 3.9 | ‑20 | ‑14 | ‑4 | 5 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 28 019 | 25 885 | 2.0 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 13 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 220 772 | 214 560 | 15.5 | 3 | 5 | ‑13 | ‑6 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 18 141 | 20 398 | 1.3 | ‑11 | ‑5 | ‑25 | ‑14 | |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 115 189 | 105 178 | 8.1 | 10 | 12 | ‑22 | ‑14 | |
| Plastics | 33 234 | 35 510 | 2.3 | ‑6 | ‑2 | ‑4 | 2 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 69 389 | 103 725 | 4.9 | ‑33 | 6 | ‑30 | 3 | |
| Petroleum products | 58 690 | 85 429 | 4.1 | ‑31 | ‑2 | ‑29 | ‑1 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 636 501 | 690 855 | 44.6 | ‑8 | ‑7 | 1 | 7 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 37 268 | 40 079 | 2.6 | ‑7 | ‑7 | ‑2 | 1 | |
| Industrial machinery | 206 197 | 223 701 | 14.4 | ‑8 | ‑8 | 0 | 4 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 157 897 | 154 349 | 11.1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |
| Road vehicles | 191 225 | 224 709 | 13.4 | ‑15 | ‑11 | 4 | 16 | |
| Passenger cars | 105 487 | 113 108 | 7.4 | ‑7 | 0 | 5 | 22 | |
| Lorries, trucks[1] | 24 337 | 32 472 | 1.7 | ‑25 | ‑23 | 12 | 19 | |
| Parts, accessories | 49 178 | 64 697 | 3.4 | ‑24 | ‑23 | 0 | 3 | |
| Other transport equipment | 8 155 | 12 596 | 0.6 | ‑35 | ‑36 | ‑47 | ‑44 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical products | 35 760 | 35 419 | 2.5 | 1 | 2 | ‑1 | 4 | |
| Other products | 211 991 | 207 774 | 14.8 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 97 934 | 97 194 | 6.9 | 1 | 5 | ‑2 | 8 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 42 506 | 39 462 | 3.0 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 11 | |
| Furniture | 19 873 | 20 499 | 1.4 | ‑3 | ‑4 | 2 | 2 | |
| 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-December 2020 | January-December 2019 | January-December 2020 | Q1-4 2020/Q1-4 2019 | Q1-4 2020/Q1-4 2019 | Q4 2020/Q4 2019 | Q4 2020/Q4 2019 | |
| Total | 1 373 775 | 1 503 524 | 100.0 | ‑9 | ‑4 | ‑5 | 2 | |
| Wood and paper products | 38 519 | 42 349 | 2.8 | ‑9 | ‑5 | ‑6 | ‑1 | |
| Minerals | 97 509 | 112 175 | 7.1 | ‑13 | ‑10 | ‑2 | 2 | |
| Iron and steel | 39 346 | 50 020 | 2.9 | ‑21 | ‑16 | ‑10 | ‑4 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 19 439 | 21 929 | 1.4 | ‑11 | ‑7 | 0 | 5 | |
| Metalliferrous ores, metal scrap | 14 749 | 15 183 | 1.1 | ‑3 | ‑2 | 21 | 16 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 182 648 | 185 428 | 13.3 | ‑1 | 1 | ‑3 | 2 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 36 965 | 38 584 | 2.7 | ‑4 | 4 | 0 | 14 | |
| Pharmaceuticals products | 51 256 | 47 189 | 3.7 | 9 | 5 | ‑11 | ‑12 | |
| Plastics | 32 793 | 36 030 | 2.4 | ‑9 | ‑1 | ‑6 | 2 | |
| Crude rubber, rubber products | 15 562 | 17 498 | 1.1 | ‑11 | ‑10 | 0 | 7 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 107 540 | 158 980 | 7.8 | ‑32 | 1 | ‑33 | 2 | |
| Crude petroleum oils | 51 940 | 76 790 | 3.8 | ‑32 | 4 | ‑27 | 12 | |
| Petroleum products | 43 851 | 65 722 | 3.2 | ‑33 | ‑10 | ‑46 | ‑22 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 615 838 | 664 223 | 44.8 | ‑7 | ‑7 | ‑2 | 1 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 46 326 | 49 458 | 3.4 | ‑6 | ‑5 | 1 | 6 | |
| Industrial machinery | 145 124 | 159 115 | 10.6 | ‑9 | ‑9 | ‑5 | ‑1 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 229 279 | 227 361 | 16.7 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | |
| Road vehicles | 149 526 | 174 275 | 10.9 | ‑14 | ‑15 | 0 | 1 | |
| Passenger cars | 74 066 | 81 479 | 5.4 | ‑9 | ‑11 | 0 | ‑1 | |
| Parts and accessories | 49 228 | 61 316 | 3.6 | ‑20 | ‑19 | 0 | 3 | |
| Other transport equipment | 8 433 | 16 888 | 0.6 | ‑50 | ‑50 | ‑72 | ‑70 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical equip | 37 148 | 37 127 | 2.7 | 0 | ‑1 | 4 | 7 | |
| Other products | 331 720 | 340 368 | 24.1 | ‑3 | ‑1 | ‑2 | 6 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 159 313 | 163 992 | 11.6 | ‑3 | 0 | ‑6 | 5 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 78 598 | 82 693 | 5.7 | ‑5 | ‑5 | 2 | 7 | |
| Furniture | 24 449 | 25 035 | 1.8 | ‑2 | ‑2 | ‑1 | 5 | |
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–December 2020 (pdf)
Next publishing will be
2021-05-27 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.