Exports and imports of goods, quarter 3 2023/January-September 2023, in current prices and in constant prices
Decreased imports of goods in both terms of value and volume in the third quarter
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2023-11-29 8.00
In the third quarter 2023, exports of goods increased slightly in value, while they fell marginally in volume compared with the same period a year ago. At the same time, imports of goods decreased in both value and volume.
– Imports of goods from Norway have decreased in value in the period January-September, says Maria Adolfsson, statistician at Statistics Sweden. The decrease was 12 percent and amounted to SEK 22 billion.
Summary
- In the third quarter of 2023, Swedish exports of goods increased by 2 percent in value (in current prices), while in terms of volume (in constant prices) exports of goods decreased by 1 percent, compared with the same period a year ago. Imports of goods decreased by 3 percent in value and by 5 percent in volume.
- Compared with the previous quarter, Swedish exports of goods fell by 5 percent in value and by 7 percent in volume. Imports of goods decreased by 6 percent in value and by 7 percent in volume.
- In the period January–September 2023, the value of Swedish exports of goods amounted to SEK 1 552 billion, an increase of 6 percent compared with the same period a year ago. At the same time, the value of imports of goods increased by 2 percent and amounted to SEK 1 523 billion.
- In the period January–September 2023, exports of goods remained the same while imports of goods decreased by 3 percent in volume compared with the same period a year ago.
- Net trade shows a surplus of SEK 29 billion in the period January–September 2023. In the same period in 2022, there was a net trade deficit of SEK 27 billion.
Detailed information about the third quarter 2023 (in current prices and in constant prices)
Exports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 24 percent in value and by 1 percent in volume
In the third quarter of 2023, Sweden’s exports of goods increased by 2 percent in value while they decreased by 1 percent in volume, compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
Exports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 10 percent in value, while they fell by 2 percent in volume. Within the product area, exports of passenger cars increased by 23 percent in value and by 14 percent in volume. Exports of mineral fuels and electric current fell by 24 percent in value and by 1 percent in volume. Within the other products area, exports of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 9 percent in value, while they remained the same in volume.
| 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-September 2023 | January-September 2022 | January-September 2023 | Q1-3 2023/Q1-3 2022 | Q1-3 2023/Q1-3 2022 | Q3 2023/Q3 2022 | Q3 2023/Q3 2022 | |
| Total | 1 551 953 | 1 468 460 | 100.0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | ‑1 | |
| Wood and paper products | 141 095 | 150 842 | 9.1 | ‑6 | ‑3 | ‑10 | ‑2 | |
| Wood | 32 325 | 41 925 | 2.1 | ‑23 | 14 | ‑16 | 9 | |
| Pulp and waste paper | 25 560 | 25 082 | 1.6 | 2 | ‑1 | ‑6 | 12 | |
| Paper, paper products | 77 104 | 77 047 | 5.0 | 0 | ‑12 | ‑8 | ‑13 | |
| Minerals | 166 982 | 169 840 | 10.8 | ‑2 | ‑2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Iron ore and concentrates | 30 708 | 28 222 | 2.0 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 26 | |
| Iron and steel | 68 308 | 70 948 | 4.4 | ‑4 | ‑5 | ‑9 | ‑9 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 35 836 | 38 189 | 2.3 | ‑6 | ‑6 | 9 | 4 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 233 297 | 217 367 | 15.0 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 6 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 23 512 | 22 755 | 1.5 | 3 | 0 | ‑6 | 0 | |
| Pharmaceutical products | 114 058 | 98 769 | 7.3 | 15 | 9 | 25 | 18 | |
| Plastics | 35 651 | 39 157 | 2.3 | ‑9 | ‑4 | ‑11 | ‑2 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 126 784 | 162 470 | 8.2 | ‑22 | ‑6 | ‑24 | ‑1 | |
| Petroleum products | 104 834 | 120 983 | 6.8 | ‑13 | ‑4 | 1 | 7 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 675 130 | 575 066 | 43.5 | 17 | 4 | 10 | ‑2 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 37 790 | 36 637 | 2.4 | 3 | ‑5 | 1 | ‑5 | |
| Industrial machinery | 221 623 | 183 976 | 14.3 | 20 | 6 | 13 | 0 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 149 217 | 139 927 | 9.6 | 7 | ‑9 | 1 | ‑14 | |
| Road vehicles | 224 926 | 175 291 | 14.5 | 28 | 14 | 20 | 7 | |
| Passenger cars | 118 357 | 88 793 | 7.6 | 33 | 22 | 23 | 14 | |
| Lorries, trucks[1] | 36 837 | 28 425 | 2.4 | 30 | 4 | 23 | ‑4 | |
| Parts, accessories | 53 778 | 44 684 | 3.5 | 20 | 8 | 15 | 3 | |
| Other transport equipment | 7 873 | 8 978 | 0.5 | ‑12 | ‑19 | ‑25 | ‑29 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical products | 33 700 | 30 256 | 2.2 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 3 | |
| Other products | 208 664 | 192 875 | 13.4 | 8 | ‑2 | 4 | ‑5 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 104 779 | 94 088 | 6.8 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 0 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 40 031 | 38 446 | 2.6 | 4 | ‑3 | 0 | ‑8 | |
| Furniture | 17 548 | 17 413 | 1.1 | 1 | ‑14 | ‑1 | ‑13 | |
Imports of wood and paper products fell by 15 percent in value and by 16 percent in volume
In the third quarter of 2023, Sweden’s imports of goods decreased by 3 percent in value and by 5 percent in volume compared with the corresponding period a year ago.
Within the product area machinery and transport equipment, imports of passenger cars increased by 31 percent in value and by 23 percent in volume. Imports of wood and paper products decreased by 15 percent in value and by 16 percent in volume. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current fell by 26 percent in value and by 5 percent in volume. Within the other products area, imports of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 10 percent in value and by 1 percent in volume.
| 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-September 2023 | January-September 2022 | January-September 2023 | Q1-3 2023/Q1-3 2022 | Q1-3 2023/Q1-3 2022 | Q3 2023/Q3 2022 | Q3 2023/Q3 2022 | |
| Total | 1 523 113 | 1 495 240 | 100.0 | 2 | ‑3 | ‑3 | ‑5 | |
| Wood and paper products | 40 011 | 41 557 | 2.6 | ‑4 | ‑15 | ‑15 | ‑16 | |
| Minerals | 120 039 | 131 685 | 7.9 | ‑9 | ‑7 | ‑10 | ‑7 | |
| Iron and steel | 50 396 | 59 316 | 3.3 | ‑15 | ‑7 | ‑17 | ‑6 | |
| Non-ferrous metals | 26 544 | 30 049 | 1.7 | ‑12 | ‑7 | ‑2 | 2 | |
| Metalliferrous ores, metal scrap | 20 374 | 18 550 | 1.3 | 10 | 11 | ‑6 | ‑10 | |
| Chemicals, rubber products | 196 173 | 196 076 | 12.9 | 0 | ‑4 | ‑9 | ‑9 | |
| Organic/inorganic chemicals | 44 453 | 43 861 | 2.9 | 1 | ‑4 | ‑21 | ‑17 | |
| Pharmaceutical products | 52 385 | 48 144 | 3.4 | 9 | 0 | 2 | ‑6 | |
| Plastics | 33 285 | 38 324 | 2.2 | ‑13 | ‑8 | ‑17 | ‑9 | |
| Crude rubber, rubber products | 16 773 | 16 115 | 1.1 | 4 | ‑9 | ‑2 | ‑11 | |
| Mineral fuels, electric current | 169 562 | 210 584 | 11.1 | ‑19 | ‑3 | ‑26 | ‑5 | |
| Crude petroleum oils | 86 735 | 113 077 | 5.7 | ‑23 | ‑8 | ‑18 | ‑2 | |
| Petroleum products | 64 076 | 70 294 | 4.2 | ‑9 | 0 | ‑25 | ‑15 | |
| Machinery, transport equipment | 673 501 | 593 278 | 44.2 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 2 | |
| Manufactures of metals | 47 981 | 51 563 | 3.2 | ‑7 | ‑15 | ‑12 | ‑17 | |
| Industrial machinery | 160 136 | 142 189 | 10.5 | 13 | 0 | 4 | ‑7 | |
| Electronics, telecommunication | 240 213 | 215 034 | 15.8 | 12 | 1 | 14 | 7 | |
| Road vehicles | 176 426 | 140 683 | 11.6 | 25 | 12 | 22 | 10 | |
| Passenger cars | 90 947 | 68 337 | 6.0 | 33 | 24 | 31 | 23 | |
| Parts and accessories | 52 044 | 43 816 | 3.4 | 19 | ‑1 | 14 | ‑4 | |
| Other transport equipment | 11 644 | 9 535 | 0.8 | 22 | 14 | 113 | 102 | |
| Instruments, photo/optical equip | 37 101 | 34 273 | 2.4 | 8 | ‑2 | 1 | ‑9 | |
| Other products | 323 827 | 322 061 | 21.3 | 1 | ‑11 | ‑3 | ‑11 | |
| Food, beverages, tobacco | 170 558 | 152 051 | 11.2 | 12 | ‑1 | 10 | 1 | |
| Textiles, clothing, footwear | 70 172 | 77 598 | 4.6 | ‑10 | ‑19 | ‑16 | ‑24 | |
| Furniture | 20 139 | 24 029 | 1.3 | ‑16 | ‑27 | ‑14 | ‑24 | |
Value and volume trends
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 and the volume index for exports decreased in the third quarter compared to the second quarter. The value index is marginally higher the third quarter compared to the same period last year.
The value index and volume index for imports of goods decreased in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter, and is lower compared to the same period last year.
Detailed information about January–September 2023 (current prices)
Imports of goods from the United Kingdom fell by 17 percent
Sweden’s exports of goods to EU27 increased by 7 percent, and imports from there increased by 9 percent compared with the same period a year ago. Both exports to and imports from the euro countries rose by 10 percent. Among the EU countries, exports to Germany increased by 10 percent while exports to both Denmark and Finland decreased by 1 percent. Imports from Germany increased by 11 percent, from Denmark by 1 percent and from Finland by 3 percent.
Exports to other European countries decreased by 1 percent, and imports from there fell by 12 percent. Exports to the United Kingdom rose by 4 percent, while imports from there decreased by 17 percent. In the period, imports of crude petroleum oils accounted for the largest decrease from the United Kingdom. Exports to Norway fell by 7 percent, and imports from there decreased by 12 percent. In the period, imports of crude petroleum oils accounted for the largest decrease from Norway. Exports to Russia fell by 14 percent and imports from there by 95 percent. In the period, exports of chemical and rubber products rose by 52 percent while exports within the other product areas were almost nought.
Exports to Asia rose by 6 percent, while imports from there decreased by 14 percent. Exports to China increased by 8 percent, while imports from there fell by 23 percent. In the period, imports of machinery/transport equipment and goods within the product group other goods accounted for the largest decrease from China.
Exports to the United States increased by 7 percent, and imports from there by 1 percent.
| Exports | Imports | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value (current prices) | Value (current prices) | ||||||||
| Region | January-September | Share in % | Change in % | January-September | Share in % | Change in % | |||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023/2022 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023/2022 | ||
| Total | 1 551 953 | 1 468 460 | 100.0 | 6 | 1 523 113 | 1 495 240 | 100.0 | 2 | |
| Europe | 1 140 475 | 1 087 085 | 73.5 | 5 | 1 277 140 | 1 225 726 | 83.9 | 4 | |
| EU27_2020 | 854 638 | 798 008 | 55.1 | 7 | 1 026 464 | 941 312 | 67.4 | 9 | |
| EMU-20 | 651 464 | 593 979 | 42.0 | 10 | 811 304 | 738 090 | 53.3 | 10 | |
| Other European countries | 285 837 | 289 077 | 18.4 | ‑1 | 250 676 | 284 414 | 16.5 | ‑12 | |
| Africa | 27 192 | 25 279 | 1.8 | 8 | 14 855 | 15 735 | 1.0 | ‑6 | |
| North Africa | 12 510 | 12 517 | 0.8 | 0 | 5 095 | 3 084 | 0.3 | 65 | |
| West Africa | 3 243 | 2 741 | 0.2 | 18 | 6 352 | 9 767 | 0.4 | ‑35 | |
| Central, East and Southern Africa | 11 439 | 10 021 | 0.7 | 14 | 3 407 | 2 883 | 0.2 | 18 | |
| America | 193 887 | 177 546 | 12.5 | 9 | 71 830 | 70 874 | 4.7 | 1 | |
| North America | 161 260 | 146 205 | 10.4 | 10 | 58 680 | 57 685 | 3.9 | 2 | |
| Central and South America | 32 627 | 31 341 | 2.1 | 4 | 13 150 | 13 189 | 0.9 | 0 | |
| Asia | 167 494 | 157 693 | 10.8 | 6 | 151 990 | 177 216 | 10.0 | ‑14 | |
| Middle- and Near East | 27 391 | 24 183 | 1.8 | 13 | 7 984 | 5 419 | 0.5 | 47 | |
| Other countries in Asia | 140 103 | 133 510 | 9.0 | 5 | 144 006 | 171 797 | 9.5 | ‑16 | |
| Oceania and Antarctica | 16 021 | 14 812 | 1.0 | 8 | 7 248 | 5 658 | 0.5 | 28 | |
Exports of passenger cars increased by 33 percent
Exports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 17 percent. Within this product area, passenger cars rose by 33 percent. Exports of mineral fuels and electric current fell by 22 percent. Within the other products area, food/beverages/tobacco increased by 11 percent.
Imports of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 12 percent
Imports of machinery and transport equipment increased by 14 percent. Within this product area, passenger cars rose by 33 percent. Imports of mineral fuels and electric current decreased by 19 percent. Within the other products area, imports of food/beverages/tobacco increased by 12 percent.
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.
Next publishing will be
2024-02-28 at 08:00.
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.